What Kind of Landscape Photographer Are You?

There are two general philosophies in landscape photography: stay light on your feet and ready to move from scene to scene, or plan ahead, plant that tripod in the ground, and wait for the scene to develop in front of them until it is just right. While both are equally valid approaches, there is something to be said for being willing to adopt either as needed, and this excellent video discusses why. 

Coming to you from Steve O'Nions, this awesome video discusses the advantages of two different approaches to landscape photography and being willing to employ both as needed. I love to just head out for a walk with my camera and find interesting spots to shoot, and I have come home with a lot of worthwhile images this way, but on the other hand, when I have noticed a place with a lot of potential or with a landmark I really want to incorporate into an image, I have found I can often maximize that scene's potential by planning ahead a bit and being willing to wait for the exact conditions I want. But if things don't go right, I know I can always pack up the tripod and go for a hike. Check out the video above for the full rundown from O'Nions. 

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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3 Comments

I'm the one that shitposts without watching the video because I don't want to use my data.

I appreciate your honesty.

I think that maybe doing the moving around technique might lead you to find places that you may want to come back and sit on when the conditions are good.