Some Super Helpful Tips for Creating Better Landscape Photos

Landscape photography is a unique genre full of all sorts of quirks and pathways to success. Whether you're new to it or a seasoned pro, this helpful video will run through a multitude of tips to improve your photos and make the experience more enjoyable.

Coming to you from Thomas Heaton, this great video runs through all sorts of helpful tips to make you a better landscape photographer. I've always enjoyed landscape work, not just because it gets me outside and enjoying fresh air and nature, but because of the unique challenges it presents and the way you have to learn to predict and anticipate what nature is going to give you, as you don't get to bring along your own lights and sky to complete a scene. Of course, that's not to say you're helpless; with some foresight, timing, and correct choice of subject matter and composition, you can almost always get good photos. And if you know a location has potential but it doesn't work out the first time you visit it, stay persistent and use what you've learned about what works there and what doesn't in tandem with the forecast and season to predict when you'll be able to return to a better scene. 

Alex Cooke's picture

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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2 Comments

Good video, thanks. I agree with what you say about gear. I use a Canon EOS Rebel T5i, and an XSi before that. I shot with kit lenses for several years, and most of my prints that are in a gallery in Jerome, Arizona where shot with them. I now have L lenses. But honestly, the only real difference I see between kit and L lenses is that the L lenses have no chromatic aberration.

And I feel that spending thousands on a camera body is crazy. I've been shooting for over 45 years, and learned to shoot with film cameras that had no bells and whistles. Even now, I only shoot in Manual Mode. I suggest not spending a lot on a body, and actually learn how to take photographs.

Have Fun,
Jeff

I always enjoy watching Thomas Heaton's videos.

My first tripod had a 3-way pan/tilt head. I need to get a replacement in 2012 and I stuck with pan/tilt since that's what I'm used to. Without a local camera store that has tripod heads for hands-on experience, I tried imaging what a ball head would be like. To me, it seems like it would be a camera mounted on a joystick, imprecise at best.