The Importance of Balancing Light and Composition in Landscape Photography

Composition and light are two of the most important factors in any good landscape image, but depending on the scene you are photographing, the way they interact with each other can vary a great deal. This insightful video discusses the balance between light and composition and offers some great guidelines for learning how to prioritize them to create stronger and more compelling images.

Coming to you from Andrew Marr, this excellent video takes a careful look at the relationship between light and composition in landscape photography. I particularly appreciated Marr's way of dividing an image into dynamic and static elements. Often, what makes a good landscape image is the ability to create a sense of motion, which can be done by juxtaposing something like a creek or wind-blown grass against a static background. Furthermore, dividing the static and dynamic elements gives you an excellent framework for deciding how to prioritize the various features of your photos and therefore, how to create the most compelling results possible. Check out the video above for Marr's full thoughts. 

And if you want to continue to improve your landscape images, check out "Photographing the World 1: Landscape Photography and Post-Processing With Elia Locardi!" 

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Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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