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Shooting great photos of outdoor environments seems like a walk in the park compared to dealing with animals, children, or other mobile subjects.  However, any photographer that’s lugged their equipment to the top of a beautiful vista only to end up with sub-par photos can tell you that there’s a lot more to great landscape photography than simply showing up.  Here are a few things to keep in mind that will help your photos turn out fantastic.

Think Details

Landscape photography is all about the details.  The more you can shove into your image, the better it’s going to look.  Try to use the highest F Stop number as much as possible (22 on most cameras) because detail and depth of field are both increased by longer exposure times. This will let in more light into the camera and give you more options for exposing the film.  A slower ISO film (around 100) will also help to pull more visual data, but be aware that slow films may not be the best for all lighting situations.

Keep it Steady

While slower shutter speeds will add to your detail and depth of field, lengthening the exposure time has its own risks.  At a shutter speed of about 125, even the most steady handed photographer will struggle with “hand shake” blur so it’s best to mount your camera on a tripod or brace it on a sturdy object.  If you’re using the bulb setting on your camera or a super slow shutter speed you may also want to consider getting a cable release.  This will prevent the image from being compromised by the movement of your hands pushing the shutter button.

Aim for Something

Think of a photo of an empty room with no windows- not very interesting, is it?   Just like any other picture, you need a subject in your landscape picture to make it interesting.  No matter what kind of landscape you’re taking, you want to have some type of focal point framed in the image.  This may seem strange, but simply pointing a camera at a mountain and hitting the shutter isn’t going to automatically result in an amazing photograph.  Think of the “story” of each photograph, and try to tell it in the frame. Then once you have some nice photographs to display, then you can worry about putting them in unique picture frames.

Always Have Your Camera Ready

Unfortunately, as a landscape photographer, you don’t have the option of scheduling the perfect shot or creating the perfect lighting when you want it.  You have to be willing to work with factors outside of your control and capitalize on these factors when they work in your favor.  Shooting images in the early morning hours compared to dusk is very different and has a very limited timeframe for you to take the perfect shot.  If you want to take incredible landscape photographs, it’s a good idea to keep your gear bag packed by the door in case something interesting starts happening outside.

Patience is Always a Virtue

Though it seems almost the opposite of being ready to run out the door at a moment’s notice, understand that landscape photography can require an immense amount of patience.  The moments in time captured by a landscape photographer’s lens will likely never happen again in quite the same way, so be prepared to wait for the perfect shot.

So it should be no suprise that landscape photography can be deceptively complex.  From an outsider’s perspective, it seems like all a photographer needs is a camera and some hills or a waterfall; understanding how the time, weather, and composition of these photos influences the final product is the mark of a true professional. With those couple of things, you can start taking great landscape pictures that you’ll be proud to frame in picture frames on your wall.

Shooting photographs of natural environments, known most commonly as landscape photography, is one of the most popular and fun ways to get started in art of taking pictures. While it may seem simple to snap a couple of photos of a mountain or a hillside, it can be a bit more complicated than point and shoot.  With that in mind, here a few easy to implement tips to help your next outdoor shoot end successfully:

Slow it Down

One of the most important things about landscape photography is detail. The more detail you can get in your landscape pictures, the better your final limage will look.  In order to get a maximum depth of field and be able to capture the smallest detail, close your F stop as much as possible and use a slower speed film or setting with a longer exposure.

Choose a Focal Point

What is it about certain photographs of mountains that make them appealing, when others look boring? The answer is often found in the focal point of the image. No matter what subject you’re shooting, you need to decide on what is going to be the important part of that image and frame your shot accordingly. Landscape photography offers all kinds of different types of focal points such as trees, mountains, rock formations and many others to choose from.

Try Using a Filter

There are tons of filters available for cameras, each of which serves a specific type of photography. Polarizing filters will darken the sky in your image and help build contrast in the colors, which will lead to a more dynamic and interesting image when it’s time to print.  Whenever you’re working with landscape photography, try to consider the contrast before you shoot.  Generally pictures that have all one color or tone won’t be interesting

Time it Right

Depending on what you’re planning on shooting, different times of day are going to either hurt or help you.  Since the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the overall appearance of a landscape can be dramatically different in the morning than it is at dusk, so plan ahead on catching the perfect angle. We recommend morning and evening hours; the pitched shadows will add texture to your images.

Always Have a Tripod

Although carrying a tripod is a pain, it really is necessary with using longer exposures so that you can get the proper amount of detail in your landscape. Using a tripod will give you the opportunity to take the same picture with different exposures and will help to prevent image blur. Image blur can be a problem when you’re using a slow shutter speed (anything less than 60 is too low to guarantee clarity without a tripod).

Landscape photography is a great way to get started as a photographer. You never have to worry about difficult or impatient subjects and you get to go outside and appreciate the beauty of nature. With a little thought and the right equipment, you’ll soon be shooting beautiful landscapes that you’ll be proud to display in a picture frame on your wall.

Shooting photographs of natural environments, known most commonly as landscape photography, is one of the most popular and fun ways to get started in art of taking pictures. While it may seem simple to snap a couple of photos of a mountain or a hillside, it can be a bit more complicated than point and shoot.  With that in mind, here a few easy to implement tips to help your next outdoor shoot end successfully:

Slow it Down

Choose a Focal Point

What is it about certain photographs of mountains that make them appealing, when others look boring? The answer is often found in the focal point of the image. No matter what subject you’re shooting, you need to decide on what is going to be the important part of that image and frame your shot accordingly. Landscape photography offers all kinds of different types of focal points such as trees, mountains, rock formations and many others to choose from.

Try Using a Filter

There are tons of filters available for cameras, each of which serves a specific type of photography. Polarizing filters will darken the sky in your image and help build contrast in the colors, which will lead to a more dynamic and interesting image when it’s time to print.  Whenever you’re working with landscape photography, try to consider the contrast before you shoot.  Generally pictures that have all one color or tone won’t be interesting

Time it Right

Always Have a Tripod

Although carrying a tripod is a pain, it really is necessary with using longer exposures so that you can get the proper amount of detail in your landscape. Using a tripod will give you the opportunity to take the same picture with different exposures and will help to prevent image blur. Image blur can be a problem when you’re using a slow shutter speed (anything less than 60 is too low to guarantee clarity without a tripod).

Landscape photography is a great way to get started as a photographer. You never have to worry about difficult or impatient subjects and you get to go outside and appreciate the beauty of nature. With a little thought and the right equipment, you’ll soon be shooting beautiful landscape pictures that you’ll be proud to display in a picture frame on your wall.