Landscape photography tips and techniques
by Anna, 01 Jul 2024The fog over a lake, the last glint of the setting sun, a tree with branches forming an amazing structure... There is something special about landscapes that makes your hand wander towards the camera. Are you also amazed by the surrounding views, but something stops you from pressing the shutter button? Relax! You don't need experience or a trained eye to photograph landscapes - all you need is a lot of willingness, an open mind and a few landscape photography tips and techniques. And these are waiting for you in this article!
One of the basic landscape photography tips - photograph against the light
The sun in the frame? Absolutely! Breaking the photographic rule and taking photos against the light can give amazing results. Try it off the beaten track, for example, in the mountains, when the sun shyly emerges from behind the peaks or, on the contrary, in urban spaces, where the light works well with the architecture. The only thing to keep in mind with these landscape photography tips is the right time. According to experts, you shouldn't shoot against the light in the afternoon, as this can result in too much contrast. It's better to wait until the clouds obscure the sun a bit, or to take photos an hour and a half or an hour before sunset. However, if you're an early bird, head out just after sunrise - it's also a great time for landscape photography!
Landscape photography tips for beginners - good composition counts
When it comes to landscape photography, a lot is going on. Here a leaf falls, in the background you can see misty mountain peaks, and in the foreground, there is a construction made of stones, drawing all the attention to itself. Sometimes this kind of disorder is perfectly acceptable - after all, these are photographs of nature. At other times, however, the vastness of the stimuli in the photograph may simply distract and make the frame lose all its power. What to do in such a situation? It's simple - use one of the basic landscape photography tips for beginners, which is to return to the rule of thirds. Simply imagine that your chosen landscape is intersected by two horizontal and two vertical lines, creating nine smaller rectangles. The intersection points of the lines are where you should place the most important elements of your photo.
If you don't have experience with taking pictures according to this rule, look for this setting on your phone or camera. It's fun to experiment with it - photos taken according to this rule often impress with their clarity and well-thought-out composition.
There's no landscape photography without a tripod!
It provides stability, contributes to sharpness and is indispensable for more demanding shots. What is it? The tripod, of course. Having it always in your bag is one of the basic landscape photography tips and techniques. A tripod will be an invaluable assistant, especially when it comes to panoramas, macro shots, night shots or long exposure shots.
It's worth remembering that a tripod - although stable - can cause a few surprises if you set it up in uneven terrain. For this reason, make sure the tripod doesn't move before you take the shot - after all, there's nothing worse than getting a blurry shot with a piece of equipment that should provide stability!
How to take landscape photos - use what nature has to offer
Sometimes mother nature herself gives us tips on how to take landscape photos. Impossible? Nah! Just take a closer look at the landscape you want to photograph, and you will notice a natural border in the form of clouds, rock arches or trees. It's fun to use this motif - it fills the frame perfectly and gives the photo a unique, deep atmosphere.
Frames don't have to be just a matter of nature. A window with a unique view will also work great - just capture a bit of it in the frame instead of focusing only on the landscape. You can also create a frame yourself, for example by taking a photo from behind a leaf or flower you're holding in your hand. Simple, imaginative, and natural.
Landscape photography tips and tricks - create a photo canvas
You did it! You have successfully used some landscape photography tips and tricks and now you can enjoy some amazing shots. But... what next? Develop and frame your images, or maybe create a dedicated album with your landscape photography images? These suggestions are great, but there is one thing they lack - a special format that will bring out the depth of the photo. Fortunately, such an effect is provided by a photo canvas printed on the highest quality canvas. How to make it? It's very simple - you choose your favourite photo, adjust it in an intuitive online wizard and... done, you can hang it anywhere you like. It is also worth remembering that in the case of the size of landscape photo canvases, more is better. Is there anything more soothing than your favourite view in the largest possible format?