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How to get good landscape shots?
- Thread starter Vista64
- Start date
ARShutterbug
Veteran Member
You have to start with a good-looking landscape. Then the camera stuff is easy.
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http://www.alexanderrogge.net/arshutterbug
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http://www.alexanderrogge.net/arshutterbug
CTR1
Leading Member
I really enjoy (looking/taking) landscape panorama shots but you could also use a WIDE angle lens.
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-C41vin Tirr311-
-"Technology, can't live with it and can't live without it."-Yours Truly-
-With KX max shutter speed @ 1/6000th a second I can't be told, "No time for pictures."
--
-C41vin Tirr311-
-"Technology, can't live with it and can't live without it."-Yours Truly-
-With KX max shutter speed @ 1/6000th a second I can't be told, "No time for pictures."
iMac therefore iAm
Veteran Member
1. Use a tripod.
2. Make sure the scene is interesting, and select a focal length that maximizes the interest.
3. Lighting. Lighting. Lighting. This means two things: Learning about your subject - when does it get the best light? Morning? dusk? Summer? Winter? And patience: To get the best possible landscape shot, you have to wait for the best conditions, whether it means waiting a couple of hours or days for skies to clear (or cloud up), or waiting 6 months to get a better angle of light. My wife and I plan our trips based on what we want to shoot and when we can expect the best conditions. Next week we're driving 400 miles one way to get one shot. (We'll get more, but we planned the trip around one particular shot) If weather doesn't cooperate we have to wait another year to get the shot.
Here is a shot I like. This was taken at sunset, in the winter. I could not do this shot right now because this arch does not get setting sunlight this time of year. This composition in regular sunlight or flat, dreary skies would be very boring. This shot would also be less interesting with no clouds.
Conversely here is a shot that works because it is overcast. This setting is south facing - meaning you are shooting into the sun and the stone circle in the foreground is in heavy shadow while the background tends to blow highlights. Cloud cover evens out the light in the cave and the background allowing you to expose both. The dramatic nature of the clouds (this is actually taken under remnants of a hurricane) ads interest to the photo. I wouldn't even make this hike on a sunny day.
And while it's generally best to shoot landscapes with the sun at your back (morning or evening tends to bring out a golden quality to the light), sometimes the only good shot is shooting into the sun. There is a good reason why there were 15 other photographers on either side of me before sunrise to get this shot - the golden light illuminating the underside of the arch only lasts for about 10 minutes. Without it you get very average shots.
One last bit of info. Don't try to force a shot. Sometimes a vista that is incredibly beautiful simply does not translate into a good photo. Look for scenes that make interesting compositions, and look for good color. A sweeping vista of nothing but green is boring. But throw in some fall color or seasonal wildflowers and that same vista will pop. Again, one more example. This is Maroon Bells in Aspen Colorado - this is one of the most spectacular vistas I've ever seen. But taken in mid summer, the landscape is flat - nothing but green. The only saving grace for this photo is the clouds and a smooth reflection in the water. While the second photo doesn't have the saving grace of clouds or a smooth reflection the yellow of the Aspen trees and the red of the foreground rocks in the water gives the same vista a lot more pop.
Some cool cats that can use your help
http://www.wildlife-sanctuary.org
Even if you can't donate, please help spread the word.
2. Make sure the scene is interesting, and select a focal length that maximizes the interest.
3. Lighting. Lighting. Lighting. This means two things: Learning about your subject - when does it get the best light? Morning? dusk? Summer? Winter? And patience: To get the best possible landscape shot, you have to wait for the best conditions, whether it means waiting a couple of hours or days for skies to clear (or cloud up), or waiting 6 months to get a better angle of light. My wife and I plan our trips based on what we want to shoot and when we can expect the best conditions. Next week we're driving 400 miles one way to get one shot. (We'll get more, but we planned the trip around one particular shot) If weather doesn't cooperate we have to wait another year to get the shot.
Here is a shot I like. This was taken at sunset, in the winter. I could not do this shot right now because this arch does not get setting sunlight this time of year. This composition in regular sunlight or flat, dreary skies would be very boring. This shot would also be less interesting with no clouds.
Conversely here is a shot that works because it is overcast. This setting is south facing - meaning you are shooting into the sun and the stone circle in the foreground is in heavy shadow while the background tends to blow highlights. Cloud cover evens out the light in the cave and the background allowing you to expose both. The dramatic nature of the clouds (this is actually taken under remnants of a hurricane) ads interest to the photo. I wouldn't even make this hike on a sunny day.
And while it's generally best to shoot landscapes with the sun at your back (morning or evening tends to bring out a golden quality to the light), sometimes the only good shot is shooting into the sun. There is a good reason why there were 15 other photographers on either side of me before sunrise to get this shot - the golden light illuminating the underside of the arch only lasts for about 10 minutes. Without it you get very average shots.
One last bit of info. Don't try to force a shot. Sometimes a vista that is incredibly beautiful simply does not translate into a good photo. Look for scenes that make interesting compositions, and look for good color. A sweeping vista of nothing but green is boring. But throw in some fall color or seasonal wildflowers and that same vista will pop. Again, one more example. This is Maroon Bells in Aspen Colorado - this is one of the most spectacular vistas I've ever seen. But taken in mid summer, the landscape is flat - nothing but green. The only saving grace for this photo is the clouds and a smooth reflection in the water. While the second photo doesn't have the saving grace of clouds or a smooth reflection the yellow of the Aspen trees and the red of the foreground rocks in the water gives the same vista a lot more pop.
--
Some cool cats that can use your help
http://www.wildlife-sanctuary.org
Even if you can't donate, please help spread the word.
When shooting the landscapes, high depth of field is preferable. Also, saturated colors, good composition and long exposure play an important role. I am a regular reader of Advanced Photography and I found this link http://www.advancedphotography.net/landscape-photography-shoot-landscapes/ useful for landscape photography tips. Check it out to get good landscape shots. Above all the tips, my advice is to enjoy what you do and you will always get good results.
hotdog321
Forum Pro
Other posters have some good tips. Briefly, for me, I love using a wide angle, sometimes a circular polarizer. Always with a lens hood. Sunrise and sunset are the best times of day, but don't put your camera away yet! 30-60 minutes before and after sunrise and sunset can produce incredible sky colors that your eyes don't see.
Start with a beautiful environment, compose carefully, use near/far relationships for interest and shoot variations on a scene. Have fun! A few recent vacation shots:
Start with a beautiful environment, compose carefully, use near/far relationships for interest and shoot variations on a scene. Have fun! A few recent vacation shots:
Art Jacks
Senior Member
Other than all the technical stuff a great deal of self motivation is required to get out and about particularly when the weather is not at it's best , for humans that is , but these times provides great photo opportunities and you will probably be the only one there.
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A selection of my images can be found at http://www.photo-genesis.net follow the galleries link then select the Jacks gallery
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A selection of my images can be found at http://www.photo-genesis.net follow the galleries link then select the Jacks gallery
hotdog321
Forum Pro
Good point. My fondest memory of my recent trip to Zion was hiking the easy Watchman Trail right at sunrise. Despite the park being crowded, there was absolutely nobody on the trail and it produced some nice images. A very zen experience.
I, like most folks, tend to take photos when it is convenient and miss out on some wonderful experiences and photos.
I, like most folks, tend to take photos when it is convenient and miss out on some wonderful experiences and photos.
mizzar
Active member
The best landscape shots I've ever seen always have at least 2 subjects vying for attention, an interesting foreground subject, and the actual landscape in the background. These tend to be shot with a wide lens.
Take care,
Kyle
Take care,
Kyle
Here is what I have on my Web site about taking photos. Realize they are my opinion.
• Plan your photo opportunities in advance. See "Location, Location, Location" and "Time is of the Essence" sections above.
• Learn your camera. Experiment with it. Learn what it does well and what it doesn't do well. My current camera is not very good at taking action shots, especially using the flash. Use it often enough to know instinctively how to use it when the right shot presents itself.
• Take the time to get the right shot. When I used to go out on a day of shooting with my 4x5 camera I would usually take eight or ten sheets of film. That means I couldn't take more than eight or ten photos. I often spent over an hour finding the best perspective. I once spent well over an hour for the sun to break through the clouds and hit the scene just right.
• When in doubt use a tripod. Or rest the camera on a wall or rock. Or brace yourself against a wall and hold real still. Many cameras today have anti-motion features and these can help a lot. One trick for taking photos of high ceilings in places like cathedrals or the U.S. Capital building is to turn on your self timer and put the camera on the floor. Push the shutter and keep the tourists away from the field of view.
• Decide if the foreground or background should be out of focus. Everything in focus is not always the best photograph, especially if it distracts from the main subject.
• Sometimes taking the time to get the right shot means taking lots of shots. Many cameras today have a rapid shot ability. This can mean taking more than one shot per second over an extended period of time. Getting the ocean wave or the bird in flight just right is a lot easier this way. Digital pictures are usually cheap and you can delete all but the best ones to make room for more. I used this to get my print of the wave exploding against the rock with the Golden Gate Bridgein the background.
• Sometimes you need to get in close to get the best shot. Know what your camera can do in a macro mode. It is often difficult to keep everything in focus when shooting up close, or anything in focus, for that matter. Any movement can mess up the focus so use a tripod if possible. And close down the lens aperture to get more depth of field. You can compensate by taking a longer exposure because you are using a tripod, right?
• Find what you are best at seeing. Some people are intuitive about knowing how to get the best out of a human subject. Other people just know where the perfect break in the trees will best frame that mountain. Others will know that the weather is about to set up a perfect photo of lighting. Try a lot of things and then develop what you are good at.
• Get a computer and software applications that work for you. You don't have to spend a fortune. A cheaper computer may just take longer to do your editing. There are sometimes free open-source software applications that can do the job for free. I am using KompoZer to create this Web site and it is free. Once you have the tool you want learn it well. That can more than compensate for a slower computer or software application.
• Have fun. If it isn't fun, don't do it. I really love taking photos and using photography as an excuse to go to great places.
--
Reid Shay
http://www.sawatchpub.com
• Plan your photo opportunities in advance. See "Location, Location, Location" and "Time is of the Essence" sections above.
• Learn your camera. Experiment with it. Learn what it does well and what it doesn't do well. My current camera is not very good at taking action shots, especially using the flash. Use it often enough to know instinctively how to use it when the right shot presents itself.
• Take the time to get the right shot. When I used to go out on a day of shooting with my 4x5 camera I would usually take eight or ten sheets of film. That means I couldn't take more than eight or ten photos. I often spent over an hour finding the best perspective. I once spent well over an hour for the sun to break through the clouds and hit the scene just right.
• When in doubt use a tripod. Or rest the camera on a wall or rock. Or brace yourself against a wall and hold real still. Many cameras today have anti-motion features and these can help a lot. One trick for taking photos of high ceilings in places like cathedrals or the U.S. Capital building is to turn on your self timer and put the camera on the floor. Push the shutter and keep the tourists away from the field of view.
• Decide if the foreground or background should be out of focus. Everything in focus is not always the best photograph, especially if it distracts from the main subject.
• Sometimes taking the time to get the right shot means taking lots of shots. Many cameras today have a rapid shot ability. This can mean taking more than one shot per second over an extended period of time. Getting the ocean wave or the bird in flight just right is a lot easier this way. Digital pictures are usually cheap and you can delete all but the best ones to make room for more. I used this to get my print of the wave exploding against the rock with the Golden Gate Bridgein the background.
• Sometimes you need to get in close to get the best shot. Know what your camera can do in a macro mode. It is often difficult to keep everything in focus when shooting up close, or anything in focus, for that matter. Any movement can mess up the focus so use a tripod if possible. And close down the lens aperture to get more depth of field. You can compensate by taking a longer exposure because you are using a tripod, right?
• Find what you are best at seeing. Some people are intuitive about knowing how to get the best out of a human subject. Other people just know where the perfect break in the trees will best frame that mountain. Others will know that the weather is about to set up a perfect photo of lighting. Try a lot of things and then develop what you are good at.
• Get a computer and software applications that work for you. You don't have to spend a fortune. A cheaper computer may just take longer to do your editing. There are sometimes free open-source software applications that can do the job for free. I am using KompoZer to create this Web site and it is free. Once you have the tool you want learn it well. That can more than compensate for a slower computer or software application.
• Have fun. If it isn't fun, don't do it. I really love taking photos and using photography as an excuse to go to great places.
--
Reid Shay
http://www.sawatchpub.com
kebwi
Well-known member
Shalashaska
Member
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Some great tips and terrific photos in here. Thanks all. 
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