How to Photograph Landscapes
There are countless breathtaking landscapes. Just visit a local or national park, you won’t even have to leave the United States! Below are tips to help you take awesome landscape photographs. Both beginners and professionals can use these simple tips to take landscape photos.
1. Take into account light quality. Is the light soft or harsh? Are you photographing at sunrise or sunset, or during the bright afternoon? Are there clouds, is it overcast? The best light will be before 10 a.m. and after 2 p.m.
2. Try to look for interesting lighting. For mountains, back-lighting and side-lighting are great. For side-lighting, you can turn 90 away from the sun. For back-lightning, make sure the sun is behind the mountains, and you will create dramatic silhouettes.
3. Think about composition. Symmetry often works with landscapes. Also, simple is beautiful. How do you want to place the trees, lakes, streams, and mountains? What kinds of shapes are in the frame?
4. Try to include bridges, paths, and roads. Use their shapes to draw the viewer in and lead them around the photo. If you photograph them at an angle, you are able to create that effect. Place the start of a road or path in the corner of the photo.
5. You may want to try infrared photography. If you use infrared film, it is more sensitive to infrared light. This means that your photographs will have a dark sky, and any leaves and vegetation will be light/ bright. It’s amazing!
6. Make sure you are using a large depth of field (small number, large aperture) so that your entire photo is in focus. Longer exposure time also increases depth of field.
Try both long and short exposure times, specifically when you have water in your photos (lakes, waterfalls, ocean). So, grab your tripod and have fun with landscape photography.