If you’re new to photography, it’s a good idea to try your hand at different styles so you can find what works best for you. There’s a wonderful world of all different subjects to experiment with, and landscapes are no exception. Even the scenery beyond your front door might prove to be more interesting  than you may have anticipated, because the simplest scenes can become fascinating with the right lighting or other techniques.

Many landscapes evoke an amazing sense of atmosphere or a glimpse into other avenues of our reality. It can be really fun to explore everything this style of photography can offer you.

Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or just starting out, there are a few things you may want to consider when taking pictures of landscapes. Landscape photography is a great way to keep a piece of the world’s natural beauty with you always.

Here are some tips that can help you improve your techniques for landscape photography:

Consider your foreground, midpoint and background

Look at the big picture: a good landscape image isn’t just the trees or mountains in the background. Think about every level of depth in your image, it will be more engaging to the view and provide a more in-depth look at the subject matter. Don’t pick too many focus points or it will be distracting, but there’s a lot more than just the background.

The beauty of natural light

There’s a brief moment between either right when the sun is first rising in the morning, or gently setting at dusk, that creates what is called the “golden hour”. The sun hangs low during this time, casting a lovely gold-tinted light across the ground. This sideways light seeps through any clouds, creating a sense of richness and depth in any photo. This is a wonderful way to play around with natural lighting.

Whether or not the weather is ‘nice’

Actually, it doesn’t matter if the weather is perfect. Even after a storm, this can provide some beautiful clouds, dewdrops or a unique type of natural light. From beautiful sunny days to harsher weather, there’s a lot of texture to be found in clouds and the various shades of the sky. Experiment with taking photos in different types of weather, nature offers a wealth of interesting color palettes to work with.

Patience is a virtue

If you find that you’re really enthusiastic about taking pictures of landscapes, patience is absolutely essential. Setting up the right shot can mean waiting for the weather to change, or for the sun to cooperate with your ideas. Sometimes this doesn’t always go as planned, so just always remember to be patient.

Expand your horizons

Don’t continuously place your horizon in the middle. This divides the photo in half and makes it less stimulating, as well as making it harder to focus on the more interesting aspects of the subject. If the sky is especially beautiful, use a higher horizon. If the plants in the foreground or other lower scenery needs attention, set your horizon much lower. This will prevent your photos from looking ‘flat’.

Enhance the depth

The most memorable landscape images rely on a great sense of depth, where the viewer can really how far the scenery stretches out before them. A flat, two dimensional feel is the last thing you want when taking pictures of outdoor scenes, so use a narrow aperture to really stretch out the depth of the image.

Obtain a solid tripod

While there are plenty of cheaper photography tools, getting a good tripod is essential, especially for landscapes. A lot less light comes in when you’re using a narrow aperture to capture the depth of the scene. Using a tripod will help reduce blurring from any movements, solidify your focal point, as well assist your overall composition. Don’t skimp out when purchasing a decent tripod and you’ll see just how much of a difference it makes when taking photos. We’ve published a great guide on the best travel tripods.

Maintain focus

As we mentioned in the last tip, really grabbing the viewer’s attention with a distinct focal point is another thing to keep in mind. This goes for any kind of photography but most especially landscapes. Without a particular area of focus, your image will look flat and lack depth. Experiment with different depths of field to see where your eyes are drawn in different photos. If the image feels chaotic or flat, you may want to reconsider what you’ve chosen as a focal point.

Try and try again

It’s a good habit to take test shots frequently. It helps you get to know the area where you’re shooting, and to see how the light reacts at different times of the day. Anyone can snap a few pictures here and there when the scenery looks cool, but really getting to know the place you’re shooting is worthwhile. Take some test shots so you can check your focus, horizon level, and what adjustments need to be made with your camera’s settings for the best image.

Play with light

Most especially when you shoot at night, you can play around with the light to create interesting silhouettes and shadows. Some people feel like they’re stuck only shooting in the day time, but you should try your hand at night time shots too. You can use a flashlight to light up the intended area of focus while your shutter remains open. Again, this is a good time to snap a few test shots, to see if you like the results before setting up your official shot. Try different angles and you can use different lights as well, to see how it changes in your photos.

The whole world offers you an endless number of scenes and sights just waiting to be transformed into a beautiful image. Landscape photography shouldn’t feel limiting, so don’t be afraid to try new things. With some patience and experimenting, you’ll be able to get to know the layout of your scenes and as well as getting to know your camera. This will help you create the most memorable pictures that you’ll love for life.

More tips on landscape photography

• National Geographic
  
• Digital Photography School