Are You Improvising in Your Landscape Photography Enough?

When it comes to landscape photography, knowing how to plan in advance will generally yield much more success than simply heading out and winging it. That does not mean you should never just grab your camera and see what you can find, however. In fact, doing that can actually be the better choice in some situations, and this excellent video explores just when you should consider doing so. 

Coming to you from Chris Sale, this great video discusses the importance of improvising in landscape photography. No doubt, in a genre where you cannot control the light or the conditions, planning ahead is often crucial for getting the best images. However, when it comes to smaller, more intimate scenes, sometimes, sticking to a rigid plan is not the best idea, simply because you might not discover all those potential shots until you are actually out there with your camera. Being willing to explore, even if it is not the most efficient use of time, can yield a better experience and often allow you to come home with images you wouldn't have otherwise. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Sale. 

And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out "Photographing The World 1: Landscape Photography and Post-Processing with Elia Locardi." 

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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I find it helpful to walk a site in both or multiple directions to see shots from differing perspectives.
I'd also recommend to look for intimate shots by varying your elevation/height. It seems that your shots were all at standing height eye level. How about crouching down? ( It seems that gaining elevation is out of the equation at this location...)