Expert Tips on How to Photograph Landscapes

There are so many different and beautiful places in this world, and capturing their natural beauty is not only a way to showcase your travels, but to show the depth mother nature uses when painting her masterpieces.

However, with so much color, weather, lighting and space to take into consideration, figuring out how to perfectly photograph a landscape can be overwhelming for even an experienced photographer. Follow these expert tips to ensure that you take a photograph to be proud of, and can treasure in your home for years to come.

Keep all of the features sharp. When trying to create depth in a photograph, it’s important to use a lens that will keep all the aspects of the subject in focus, instead of just seeing the fore or background. Avoid shaky hands by using a tripod, and pick your angle carefully.

Choose a day to photograph when the light is right. Cloudy days actually make for better photographs because of the amount of the light they allow in. If you are photographing on short notice, or have a limited amount of time to take weather into account, using a filter can achieve the same effect. If you want to capture contrast, using a polarizing filter will allow you to darken the sky to show clouds better against the blues.

Take advantage of nature’s provided mirrors. When photographing a landscape that features a body of water, pick an angle that will capture the natural reflection of your subject on the calm of the water. The best time to do this is in the “golden hours,” which is right after sunrise and right before sunset. This will create a stunning mirrored effect.

Show a little perspective. Having props or even people in your landscape photos can show the scale of the objects you are photographing, as well as the emotion that they can evoke. If you have someone simply moved by the majesty of a mountain, try to capture their face as well as your mountain to make a powerful photo.

Be patient. One of the most challenging things about photographing nature is having to wait for the right conditions to capture the best moments you can. Being patient for the right days, lighting or being able to travel to the subject itself is key to embracing the life of a landscape photographer.

Once you have made your prints of your favorite photos, display them proudly in a frame that really brings out the colors. An oval wooden frame will look great with fields of wheat, while a silver frame may look better with whites of clouds. Using a rectangular shadow box is a great way to display your photo with pieces incorporated from the landscape itself such as unique rocks or local dried flowers.