How to Take Landscape & Scenic Photos

Landscape or scenic shots are one of those types of images that almost everybody takes, professional or not. The only problem is that so many of basic landscape pictures never look as good as it did in person. The reason may be obvious but it also marks the difference between professional scenic photographers and general consumers. The difference is the amount of detail that is able to be captured. Get more detail into your scenic shots and you will greatly improve your images.

The first trick to getting more detail has to do with the time of day the image was taken. Never shoot during the middle of the day if you can avoid it. Go for the Golden Hours as discussed before and take advantage of when Mother Nature looks her best. In landscape photography direct overhead sunlight kills landscape dimensions and makes them look flat and bleak.

A tripod and a shutter release cable are very helpful tools to have with landscape photography. Losing detail due to camera shake would be a terrible crime in landscape photography. In most cases, the landscape isn't moving - at least not a rate that we can tell. Take the time to properly compose and think about the elements in your shot. Look for hidden details within the landscape that can be focused on or even put in the sweet spots of your image.

flashes are generally not necessary in landscape photography. This is mostly because the flash won't even hit the subject that you are shooting. If your camera tries to use a flash then force it to turn off. This will allow you to have slower shutter speeds.

Increase your depth of field. This can be done a couple of ways. The first way is to use the smallest aperture you can. This will give you a greater depth of field then with a larger aperture. A smaller aperture will also require a longer shutter speed. This is allowed in landscape photography since your subject is not moving. Remember that a small aperture is represented by a large number such as f/22.

You can also increase depth of field by including a close by subject to make a contrast in size. An example of this would be if you were on one mountain ridge taking a picture of the ridge next to you. Include in your image a tree that is on your ridge but far enough away. You suddenly brought depth and proportion into your beautiful landscape.

How to take beautiful landscape pictures

Fill the frame for dramatic effect

Look carefully at the picture you’re framing before you click the button. Experiment by moving the camera up and down, side to side. Tilt the camera to various angles and see what it shows you. Fill the frame with the object that interests you most. If your digital camera has an LCD screen, you can use it to improve your sensitivity to the entire scene.

Change your perspective

There’s no need to shoot everything from a standing position. Sometimes sitting, crouching or getting higher can produce a more interesting shot.

Color

The presence of colors is probably the best hint of a great photography potential. Red is the most pleasant color for the eye. If you manage to find this color or a hue in nature, even in small spots, set up your tripod and prepare your camera. If you also pay attention to the position of these colored spots in the image, it is very possible that you obtain a good picture.

For increased drama, you can easily convert color photos to black and white by using your favorite image-editing program. With some camera models you can even do this in the camera before downloading the image to your computer. Once the image is on your computer, you can use your image-editing program to adjust contrast and brightness. Silhouettes look terrific in black and white, as do old buildings. The effect adds drama.

Clouds

The most beautiful ones are the clouds above the horizon, close to the landscape area that you have in view. At twilight or crack of dawn these clouds may have astonishing colors. They may create a dynamic and complementary center of interest that may give intensity to the center of interest in the picture.

Calmness

A calm, windless atmosphere may sometimes be very useful for the landscape photographer. The wind alters flowers, leaves, trees, grass, lakes and water basins. Do you take pictures of the landscape you will probably not see very soon holding the camera in your hand? It would probably be more cautious to use a tripod, preferably a good one.

Weather

Bad weather may be very good for taking pictures. Fog, mist, snow or rain may give fantastic power and impact to some every day landscapes.

Geographical position

Whenever possible, try to place yourself at north or (especially) south from the landscape you want to take pictures of, because you will thus benefit from lateral light. This sort of light emphasizes the relief and textures, the shapes and shadows.

Close-up

The best landscapes are usually those containing a powerful close-up. Trees, bushes, rocks, bunches of grass or moss, dunes of sand, flowers, almost every subject may be used to create a particular depth in the image. Such a detail may give a three-dimensional illusion, which is very important for the impact of the image.

Reflections

Peaceful waters offer perfect occasions for taking mirror images. This effect may be used in order to double the beauty of a landscape.

garden landscape

intro for landscape

Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms, water bodies such as rivers, lakes and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including land uses, buildings and structures, and transitory elements such as lighting and weather conditions.

Combining both their physical origins and the cultural overlay of human presence, often created over millennia, landscapes reflect the living synthesis of people and place vital to local and national identity. Landscapes, their character and quality, help define the self image of a region, its sense of place that differentiates it from other regions. It is the dynamic backdrop to people’s lives.

The Earth has a vast range of landscapes including the icy landscapes of polar regions, mountainous landscapes, vast arid desert landscapes, islands and coastal landscapes, densely forested or wooded landscapes including past boreal forests and tropical rainforests, and agricultural landscapes of temperate and tropical regions.

Landscape may be further reviewed under cultural landscape, landscape ecology, landscape planning, landscape assessment and landscape design.