Landscape photography takes a range of aptitudes to make successful images: technical skills with your camera and equipment, creative vision, the ability to forecast and respond to evolving conditions, and strong post-processing technique.
The beautiful thing about photography is that no matter how new or advanced you are, there is always something new to learn. This excellent video essay features an experienced photographer offering 10 important bits of advice on a range of topics and will help you become a better and more content creative.
As a portrait photographer, I often struggle to create new work. To add a new image to my portfolio, I must involve at least one other person who will be photographed by me. Contrast this to a landscape photographer, who can get into her vehicle, drive to a cool shooting location any day she desires, and create new images with relative ease.
Every genre has different optimal gear setups, which is why it is important to sit down with your camera and take the time to adjust its settings to fit your subject matter and workflow.
Before you get into any sort of advanced adjustments or edits in Photoshop, you need to select the part of the image you are working on. Depending on the photo, this can be a tricky process, but luckily, Photoshop has a wide range of built-in tools for extracting specific parts of an image or creating layer masks.
Now that we are firmly in the age of mirrorless cameras, many photographers have discovered the silent magic of the electronic shutter, but that is not without its drawbacks. Filmmakers have known about the dangers of rolling shutter for years, and it is now something photographers need to be aware of as well.
Lightroom presets sometimes have a bad reputation, but they are a tremendously useful tool and time-saver when used properly. One of the best ways to use them is to create your own, and this fantastic video tutorial will show you how to do just that.
There are few better ways to learn about mistakes in photography than watching someone knowledgeable critiquing photographs. This video is exactly that and contains seven mistakes that are easily avoided.
When it comes to video work, while getting good visuals is obviously crucial, you also have to know how to record high-quality audio as well, or the final product will be dragged down. One of the most fundamental and crucial bits of knowledge you will need is how microphone polar response patterns work and which to choose for different situations.
One of the most challenging parts of landscape photography is that you constantly have to balance ever-evolving conditions, seeking out new compositions, and managing camera settings and equipment. What if you could remove one of those from the equation, though?
Knowing how to light, pose, and shoot a portrait is only half of what it takes to produce a compelling finished product. Almost all portraits will need some degree of retouching, and as such, your editing skills need to be just as sharp as your skills behind the camera.
Composition is one of the trickier parts of any photographer genre, as it is a bit more nebulous and tricky to talk about than something quantifiable like camera settings. It can be particularly tough in landscape photography, where we get no control over the placement of elements in the frame.
When you are new to photography, there is a lot to try to learn all at the same time: creative vision, controlling technical parameters, editing, and a lot more. If you are new to photography and looking for some guidance on how to improve, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you five great tips and techniques for creating better photos in no time at all.
The Internet can be a cruel and unforgiving place, especially when sharing your art, opinions, or creative endeavors with people worldwide.
It should go without saying that everyone reading here at Fstoppers is interested in taking photos. I know that many of you also want to shake things up and make some money doing it. With three new upcoming start dates, it’s worth taking a look at Side Hustle 101, the product of Canon Canada’s new partnership with The Maker’s Collective.
In between specialized equipment, camera settings, forecasting, creative vision, and more, it takes a lot to learn how to create compelling landscape photos. But perhaps nothing is trickier to learn than the art of composition.
It's something we are all seeking. There is no doubt that some photographers are fantastic at what they do, but even the best won't create a great shot every time. So, is there a secret formula to creating one?
There are a lot of approaches to landscape photography, and each offers different benefits and drawbacks and places different demands on your time, effort, creative vision, and technique. If you would like to improve your landscape images, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will walk you through a few shots and offer some great tips and advice along the way.
Landscape photography takes a combination of technical skill, creative vision, and the ability to work in and with a wide range of conditions. There are some common mistakes all landscape photographers make at one point or another, and this fantastic video tutorial details five of them and what you can do to fix them or avoid them in the first place.
Landscape photography is a genre with an above-average emphasis on technical skill and perfection, and we often try to avoid making any mistakes. Mistakes are not always bad, though, and occasionally, they can even lead to "happy accidents," as Bob Ross would say.
When it comes to landscape photography, few pieces of equipment are considered more vital than the tripod. And while it is certainly a fantastic piece of equipment, it also significantly alters your workflow. So, do you really need a tripod? This great video examines the question and if you can afford to leave your tripod at home the next time you head out.
Have you ever held back on sharing your photos, pitching an idea, or showcasing your art? How many times have you let Impostor Syndrome hold you back?
It sounds counterintuitive, but there is a lot of truth to it: the better you get at photography, the harder it gets. Why is that? This excellent video discusses this seeming paradox and how you can avoid falling into a rut because of it.
It is no secret that the proper exposure is fundamental to creating a good landscape image, but it is even more important than you might think.
How many times have you been stuck in a photographic rut? If your photo mojo got up, walked out, and slammed the door in your face, then there are things you can do to get it to come back. It has happened to me.
Artificial lighting is its own world, and it can be a bit overwhelming to try to tackle it all when you are new to the pursuit, which leads to some common misconceptions about the different types of flash, what they are used for, and how they work.
Becoming a successful photographer takes a combination of a lot of factors coming together all at the same time to make successful images, some objective and some subjective. And while every photographer will have a unique approach to the craft, there are some common traits that almost every successful creative has.
Though we often think of Photoshop as the complex behemoth, Lightroom has plenty of little nuances and hidden features as well. One of the least discussed is the Camera Calibration tab, which sits at the bottom of the Develop module and can give your photos the kind of subtle boost that takes them to the next level.
Photoshop is a tremendously intricate and layered program, and it can often take several clicks to navigate to the function you want. Keyboard shortcuts can save you a lot of time and help keep you in the creative zone instead of trying to hunt down the feature you need.
Do you think the locations around you are boring and really not worth your time? This will help inspire you and breathe new life into your photography.
We photographers love gear. If you're like me, you probably have a corner (or a basement) filled with modifiers, filters, lenses, lights, and more. The truth is that we don't need a ton of expensive gear to create dramatic results, and in my latest video, I will show you how to create a Rembrant-style portraits using one off-brand flash in a small modifier.
Working in Photoshop with multiple layers and then trying to navigate to those layers to make tweaks to your edits can sometimes be time-consuming and at times also very annoying if you have forgotten to name the layer.
Photography might well be the most gear-intensive pastime on the planet, which means that while there is some incredible gear available for purchase, there are also plenty of duds to waste your money on. Are these some of the worst photography purchases you've seen?
Editing images is no easy task to undertake. Using editing software such as Lightroom or Capture One requires quite a bit of learning and getting used to. However, even if you know how to use editing software, you still need to edit images in such a way that enhances their beauty, rather than destroys it. Essentially, you need to know the why behind the how.
There are some extremely popular and well-known landscape photography locations out there, so much so that they are essentially bucket list items for a lot of people. When they are that popular, though, is there any point in photographing them? This excellent video essay features an experienced landscape photographer discussing the topic.
The pin-up model was one of the most iconic styles of the 20th century, and even today, decades after its heyday, it is still a very recognizable and eye-catching look that makes for great portraits. In this great video tutorial, you will learn how a vintage nude pin-up portrait was conceptualized, lit, and photographed.
When it comes to landscape photography, you can certainly use prime lenses, but most professionals prefer the versatility and convenience of a zoom lens. So, what are the essential zoom lenses for a landscape photographer? This excellent video tutorial features an experienced landscape shooter discussing the three essential zoom lenses for the genre.
Being good with a camera and having creative vision is, of course, crucial to becoming a successful professional, but it is far from the only requirement. It takes a lot of business savvy in combination with those aforementioned skills in order to make a reasonable income.
As you've learned in a previous article, a great time to photograph cities is during blue hour. But the blue hour often lacks dimension and depth in the sky. If you're lucky, you'll have some clouds that provide structure. But if you have a clear blue sky, it'll often appear flat.
Why not just a fast shutter speed to freeze motion? That's what I always think, but there are good reasons to use a flash or speedlight to do it instead. Take a look to see what they are.
One of the questions I had when starting out was how to get jobs. How to turn my hobby into money? The advice on the internet was few and far between. So, here is my advice to anyone who wants to take the next step and make some cash from their art.
There are often multiple ways to go about achieving the same result when editing photos, and that is particularly true when it comes to editing the tones of an image. One of the most powerful and efficient tools for doing this in Lightroom is the tone curve.
Understanding framing and composition is one of the crucial areas that photographers and filmmakers need to know about. Make sure you have these seven fundamentals mastered before your next shoot.
If you are a photographer, I can guarantee you that somewhere along the line, you will have a client who is unhappy with your work. In fact, I’m sorry to say that there will be more than one, especially if you have a thriving business. When the dreaded “I’m not happy with my photos” email arrives, it can easily suck the joy out of your entire day.
Landscape photography is the type of thing in which there is always something new to learn, a new technique to try, or a new creative approach with which to experiment. If you are new to the genre and ready to get started, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you the basics to get you up and running in no time.
When it comes to bird and wildlife photography, getting as close as possible without disturbing the animal is often the name of the game. However, there is an issue of geometry that can sometimes ruin your shot. This excellent video will show you why sometimes, you are better off getting farther away from your subject to get the best possible shot.
In the northern hemisphere, fall is upon us, and with that, some magical opportunities arise to take stunning images of all the resplendent fall colors. Learn some invaluable tips on how to take your fall photography to new levels.
Portrait photography is a popular genre that challenges a variety of skills, both with technical skills like your handling your camera and lighting and with more subjective skills like working with subjects.
A few days ago, I found myself among a group of wedding photographers discussing how far behind they are with their editing. Answers varied, as did attitudes. Some felt they were only eight weeks behind, which was fine. Other photographers seemed anxious, with 17 or 18 weddings in a backlog lasting months. When it was my turn, I gulped. I said: "Two weeks.
In the past few years, automated sky replacement has come quite a long way, and what used to be a very tedious task can now be done in just a few clicks. If you are interested in learning how to use the technique in your own work, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how to quickly and easily replace a sky using Lightroom and Photoshop.