Photo by KAL VISUALS on Unsplash
Growing up I always thought I wanted to work as a park ranger. I think a lot of photographers are naturally drawn to the outdoors at an early age, although we might not realize exactly what to do with that passion at that point.
I think that’s why so many photographers devote their work to conservation of our land.
Landscape photography is one of the purest forms of photography. In landscape photography, it is just you, your camera, and your hiking gear. Plus, if you’re smart, your telephoto lens.
Experience Different Perspectives
Photo by Ramiz Dedaković on Unsplash
Telephoto lenses are one of the most important landscape photography lenses because they allow you to experience different perspectives.
I actually purchased my first telephoto lens for landscapes because I was visiting one of the most breathtaking landscapes you can find - Hawaii.
Hawaii is crawling with tourists and photographers and models, which can make it a challenge to photograph the beauty of the landscape. Since I knew every inch of Oahu had already been shot by someone before me, I was hoping to add my own perspective to my shots.
Photo by Rolands Varsbergs on Unsplash
Telephoto lenses are one of the most important landscape photography lenses because they allow you to experience different perspectives.
I actually purchased my first telephoto lens for landscapes because I was visiting one of the most breathtaking landscapes you can find - Hawaii.
Hawaii is crawling with tourists and photographers and models, which can make it a challenge to photograph the beauty of the landscape. Since I knew every inch of Oahu had already been shot by someone before me, I was hoping to add my own perspective to my shots.
Capture Distant Layers
photo by benjaminjk via iStock
Landscape photography should never be two-dimensional, and yet many landscape photographs come off in exactly this way.
It can be difficult to capture the depth, warmth and contrast in a landscape photo without the proper landscape photography lenses.
When shooting with telephoto lenses, though, you need to be mindful of the weather.
In the above photo, for example, the photographer is working with the elements to create a dream-like photo. Their camera probably could not have produced a photo with extreme clarity on this day, because of the water in the air, so they refocused and shot this picture instead.
photo by AndrewSoundarajan via iStock
Telephoto lenses for landscape photography are especially useful when you’re trying to add depth to photos of distant mountains because clouds always rest on the tops of mountains and create that layer for you.
All you need to do is catch it!
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Take More Creative Photos
Photo by Brad Mann on Unsplash
Composition in landscape photography is important, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes you need to focus on a small subsection of your wide-angle photo.
Instead of examining the entirety of your landscape, your telephoto lens allows you to examine just part of it and to take incredibly creative photos.
Photo by Dave on Unsplash
I think telephoto lenses forces you to become an artist in a photography niche that could otherwise easily become all about the science of the shot.
Include Only What You Want in Your Photos
photo by lyosha_nazarenko via iStock
Wide-angle lenses are obviously designed to capture everything, and while this is great for some photos, it isn’t for others.
Take, for example, the above photo. If I had to guess, I’d say there’s no way the entire landscape was that beautifully rust-colored. There were probably some farmhouses, or roads or different colored plants. But, the photographer didn’t want to capture all of these elements. Only what they did.
Telephoto lenses allow you to do this.
Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash
Telephoto lenses in photography are all about getting rid of the distractions. But, telephoto lenses are wildly expensive. It’s why I’ve kept my first telephoto lens for so long.
Thankfully, I was recently able to pick up another version because I started working with Lensfinder.
Lensfinder sells used lenses, ranging from the ultra-rare to the ultra-cheap, and their site features the best telephoto lenses for landscapes.
I tried to up my landscape photography game for years before finally caving and purchasing a telephoto lens, and I’d like that decision to be just a little easier for you.
Head over to Lensfinder and see if you can’t find a telephoto lens for cheap.
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