Landscape Photography

Landscape photography rewards patience, planning, and a willingness to be in the right place at the right time — which is harder than it sounds. This section covers the full landscape photography workflow: scouting locations, reading light, choosing the right filters and focal lengths, managing long exposures, and processing raw files to reflect what you actually saw and felt when you pressed the shutter.

Navigating Unexpected Challenges in Landscape Photography

Planning a landscape photography session doesn't always guarantee ideal conditions. Weather changes, plans fall through, and sometimes, the scene isn't what you expected. How you handle these situations can make a big difference in the quality of your photos. 

Do This to Get Perfect Panoramas

Have you ever wondered why some panoramas won't stitch? The problem is often parallax, and in this video, Emil von Maltitz shows an effective way to avoid it. 

Behind-the-Scenes of Incredible Landscape Photography in Norway

Sometimes, to get really inspired for photography, you can just watch someone else doing it. Now, if you're a landscape photographer, I think that's doubly true. But, beware, that usually comes with some wanderlust which can be expensive. You have been warned. 

I'm not a landscape photographer.

The Essential Guide to Using ND Filters

Neutral density filters (ND filters) are crucial tools, reducing the amount of light entering the lens. This allows you to achieve longer exposures even in bright conditions, creating stunning effects with moving elements like water and clouds.  

Why Bad Weather Leads to Great Photography

As landscape photographers, we shouldn't be avoiding bad weather. Instead, we should be actively seeking it out. Bad weather creates some of the most interesting and dramatic skies. It brings an atmosphere and mood to photos that simply can't be captured on sunny days with puffy clouds and blue skies. 

Do This to Get Brilliant Colors

Do the colors in your photos sometimes look wrong, but you don't know how to correct them? This article and video can help. I show you how to get brilliant colors in your images. 

What Your Favorite Lens Says About Your Personality

Some landscape photographers enjoy getting out into nature by themselves and away from others—the introvert. Other landscape photographers enjoy heading out with others and carrying the conversation—the extrovert. Did you know you can tell which personality you are by your favorite lens? 

Improve Your Photography by Getting the Reps In

As photographers looking to improve our craft, we watch YouTube videos, buy online training, read articles, and maybe even take a class or two. We can pursue our quest for information and consume all of these trainings and never see a marked improvement. The key to getting better? Get those reps in. 

How to Improve Your Chances of Capturing Worthwhile Landscape Photos

Landscape photography often hinges on unpredictable elements. The weather, light, and fixed positions of natural features make capturing the perfect shot a challenge. You can't move mountains or adjust the sky, but you can increase your chances of success with careful planning and the right tools. 

Turning Rainy Days Into Photo Opportunities

Wet weather can be a test of resilience and creativity. Rainy days might not be what you planned, but they offer unique opportunities to capture the landscape in a different light.  

Are You Fixing Exposure in Your Landscape Photos Incorrectly?

Exposing for the highlights is age-old advice in landscape photography. However, that technique can cause other areas of the photograph to be underexposed. You can always use the exposure slider in Lightroom to increase the exposure, but is that really the best way to fix the exposure in the image? 

Photographing Woodlands Without Fog: Can It Be Done?

Woodland photography is hard enough for landscape photographers, but what about when there isn’t any fog? Fog is the cheat code for this type of photography, but do you just need to head home when there isn’t any fog? We find out in this video. 

The Ugly Truth About Landscape Photography

In today’s world of social media and YouTube, it is easy to think every time a photographer goes out, they come back home with portfolio-ready images. If you begin to believe this, it can impact your own landscape photography. This video looks at the real truth behind landscape photography. 

Finding Beauty in Every Shot

Mastering photography requires not just technical skills, but also a keen eye for opportunities and the right mindset. One key piece of advice can significantly impact your approach to photography, the famous: "f/8 and be there." This concept emphasizes the importance of being present and ready to capture moments, regardless of perfect conditions. 

How to Improve Your Landscape Photography by Planning Ahead

Planning is a crucial part of landscape photography, often being the foundation of a truly compelling image. Proper planning can make the difference between an average shot and a keeper. This tutorial focuses on how to effectively plan your shots, particularly how to predict weather conditions to enhance your landscape photos. 

Why Is Woodland Photography So Hard?

Woodland photography, while rewarding, presents a unique set of challenges when it comes to shooting and bagging some banger shots. From intricate compositions to unpredictable lighting conditions, capturing the flow of forests requires skill, patience, and adaptability.

Five Compositional Keys for Stunning Landscapes

Composition is crucial in landscape photography because it's one of the few aspects a photographer has complete control over. Understanding how to arrange elements within the frame can significantly elevate a photograph from average to extraordinary.  

Creating a Dreamy Orton Glow in Lightroom

The Orton glow effect gives landscape photos a soft, ethereal quality that draws viewers in. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to create it in Lightroom. 

10 Suggestions for Creative Waterfall Photos

It’s always fun to take pictures of a waterfall. It doesn’t matter if the waterfall is small or huge. The movement of the water, the mist around it, and the patterns in the water are amazing subjects to capture. I have 10 suggestions for a variety of creative waterfall photos. 

Post-Processing Techniques for Stunning Landscape Photos

The ability to transform a raw image into a final piece is a crucial skill for any landscape photographer. If you're new to editing your images and need a little guidance, check out this fantastic video tutorial.  

Persistence Makes Great Landscape Photographers

Some people think great landscape photographers are just lucky, always at the right place at the right time. The reality is great landscape photographers are persistent. Making portfolio-worthy images often entails repeat visits to areas to find the ideal composition paired with stunning conditions. 

Can You Learn Everything About Landscape Photography From YouTube?

YouTube has made it easier to improve your landscape photography. Videos are available about any facet of the topic you could want to explore. Are you confused about a technique? There is a video for it. But can you really learn everything about landscape photography from YouTube? 

Enhancing the Atmosphere of Your Landscape Photos in Lightroom

Landscape photographers look forward to days with foggy conditions, which help create interesting scenes to photograph. But timing your outing with those types of conditions isn’t always possible. Using Lightroom, you can use several techniques to enhance the atmosphere of your photos. 

Five Essential Tips for Protecting Your Camera in the Rain

Embracing inclement weather, such as rain, can help add interest to your landscape photographs. Rain can add richness to colors, atmospheric mist, or even dark, moody clouds for grand scenes. But how do you protect your camera gear in these conditions? Here are five tips to help keep your camera safe. 

How Todd Hido Creates His Landscape Photographs

I recently was introduced to photographer Todd Hido in Jason Momoa’s docuseries on HBO. Momoa has a real affinity for Todd. I wish I had a fan like that; if you watch the show, you will see what I mean. 

The Power of Familiarity in Photography

In landscape photography, there is a powerful reason why it's important to have a go-to location, which cannot be overstated. While the attraction of venturing into new and potentially uncharted territory may be strong, there also exists meaningful value in revisiting familiar spots time and again.

The Art of Landscape Photography From Start To Finish

Are you wondering what makes some landscape photographers' photos stand out more than others? It all begins with how you make the photograph in the field, but it doesn't stop there. Understanding the editing process helps carry the vision through to the final photograph. 

Adding Depth and Drama to Landscape Photos: A Lightroom Tutorial

Landscape photography often aims to capture the vastness and beauty of natural scenes. However, achieving depth and dimension in these photos can be challenging, especially when dealing with flat lighting or a lack of contrast. Fortunately, post-processing tools like Lightroom offer powerful techniques to enhance your landscape images and bring them to life. 

Why It's Important to Challenge Ourselves in Photography

As a landscape photographer, the chase to capture stunning images of breathtaking scenes is a continuous journey. Yet, in the middle of this mission for the perfect shot, lies a crucial aspect often overlooked—the necessity of challenging ourselves and getting out of our comfort zone.

Landscape Photography Tips for Mastering Clear Sky Days

Landscape photographers often seek out specific weather conditions, such as dramatic storms or vibrant sunsets, to create impactful images. However, clear sky days, often considered less ideal due to the lack of dramatic light and clouds, can also offer unique opportunities for capturing stunning landscapes.

Finding Peace and Inspiration in Photographic Solitude

As photographers, we often grapple with the question of whether to pursue our craft alone or in the company of others. Both approaches offer unique benefits and challenges, and the ideal balance varies depending on individual preferences and creative goals.

Capturing Dramatic Landscape Photos in Uncertain Conditions 

Landscape photography often hinges on the ability to capture fleeting moments of dramatic weather. While planning for ideal conditions is important, embracing unpredictable elements can lead to truly unique and impactful images. Understanding how to anticipate and work with challenging weather conditions is a valuable skill for any landscape photographer. 

Tips and Techniques for Landscape Photography in Challenging Weather

Landscape photography often hinges on ideal weather conditions, but overcast skies and stormy forecasts shouldn't deter you from capturing stunning images. With careful planning and a positive attitude, challenging weather can present unique opportunities for compelling compositions.  

Sony's All-in-One Wonder: We Review The 24-105mm f/4 OSS Lens

A few months back, I switched systems, mainly due to work-related requirements moving forward. The system I switched to was Sony, namely the a7R IV, so I needed a versatile lens to start with to allow me time to save for another lens after clearing out my bank account.  

The Life-Enhancing Benefits of Landscape Photography

Enhancing your life through landscape photography is not just about capturing breathtaking images; it's also an avenue for personal growth and mental health improvement. Understanding these benefits can profoundly affect your approach to this art form. 

Budget Friendly and Impressive: We Review the Viltrox 20mm f/2.8 E Mount Lens

If you’re all about capturing those sweeping landscapes or immersive cityscapes, the Viltrox 20mm f/2.8 lens might just be your new best friend. Available in both E and Z mounts, this surprisingly inexpensive lens quietly snuck under the radar for a lot of people last year. Perhaps because of the price point at only $158, many didn’t consider it, thinking low price, low quality. 

Mastering Light and Shadow in Landscape Photography

Light: it's the essence of photography. For landscape photographers, understanding and utilizing natural light is paramount. Unlike studio photographers who can manipulate artificial lighting, landscape photographers must embrace the ever-changing dance of sun and shadow, turning it into an ally rather than an obstacle.