I’ll always feel lucky that I get to spend a great amount of my time doing landscape photography.
But, I also know how limiting and frustrating the beginning stages of landscape photography can be.
So, I decided to take the time to write a comprehensive guideline for those of you who are learning about the craft. I hope it can serve to help some of you get started!
1. Choose The Right Camera
Digital SLR Cameras
DSLR cameras are the most used type of camera in digital photography. For many years DSLRs were hands down the camera of choice for many photographers. Since the invention of Mirrorless cameras, the decision is not as straight forward as before.
DSLR cameras differ from mirrorless cameras in one major aspect, the viewfinder. Unlike mirrorless cameras, DSLR cameras feature an optical viewfinder. Optical viewfinders use mirrors to reflect the scene that is passing through your lens up towards the viewfinder.
As a result, an optical viewfinder displays your scene exactly as it appears in real life. Any adjustments to your exposure settings will not affect the image in your viewfinder.
DSLR cameras also have a few key advantages over mirrorless cameras. These include extended battery life, a wider variety of lenses and accessories, and the ability to focus more quickly.
The mirrors required for an optical viewfinder often cause DSLRs to be heavier and bulkier than mirrorless cameras.
Mirrorless Cameras
In contrast, mirrorless cameras use a digital viewfinder. Digital viewfinders use digital sensors to transfer information to the viewfinder.
This eliminated the need for mirrors to display images on a viewfinder. As a result, mirrorless cameras are often thinner and more compact than DSLRs.
One major difference between optical and digital viewfinders is the image it displays. The image displayed by a digital viewfinder will take into account exposure settings. This means that your image will update when you change your exposure settings.
Mirrorless cameras have come a long way since their introduction.
They can now produce images with similar image quality and resolution as DSLRs. As a result, photographers no longer have to compromise image quality for camera size.
Like DSLRs, Mirrorless cameras also feature an interchangeable lens system. This feature was criticized early on due to the limited lens compatibility. Since then, the compatibility and selection of lenses has improved
Consistent advances in technology have eliminated the initial shortcomings of Mirrorless cameras. Now, travel photographers often trade in their DSLR for a mirrorless camera. It allows them to continue capturing high-quality images with interchangeable lenses without the bulk.
Crop vs. Full Frame DSLR
The main distinction between a crop and full-frame DSLR is the size of the sensor. The sensor that you use will impact the field of view and focal length of your images.
As you may have guessed from the name, a camera with a crop sensor has a sensor that is “cropped” or smaller than a full-frame sensor. Crop sensors apply what is known as “Crop effect” to the images captured.
The “crop effect” will affect the focal length that you are using. Cropped sensors will enhance the focal length of your lens.
For example, if your cropped lens applies a 2x magnification, and you are using a lens with a focal length of 50mm, the perceived focal length will be 100mm.
A large focal length will produce a small field of view and will cause your objects to appear larger. On the other hand, shorter focal lengths will create a large field of view and smaller subjects.
This means that a full-frame camera will capture a larger field of view with smaller objects than a cropped sensor.
The standard size for a full-frame sensor is 36mm by 24mm. Full frame sensors can also be referred to as 35mm equivalent, which became an industry-standard during the early 1900s.
Sensors that do not conform to the 36mm by 24mm standard are crop sensors. It is important to note that the crop factor and naming convention used for crop sensors will vary based on the manufacturer.
To give you a few points of reference, let’s consider the crop factor of major camera manufacturers:
- The Canon crop factor is 1.6x.
- The Nikon crop factor is 1.5x.
- Olympus and Panasonic use the Micro four-thirds system, which has a 2x crop factor.
Should You Use Crop Sensor or Full-Frame?
Like many photographers who are just starting, I opted for a cropped sensor at the beginning. Given that I wasn’t sure how long I would pursue photography, I wasn’t ready to purchase a high-priced camera.
To compensate for the smaller field of view, I used Photoshop to stitch my images. This was a viable solution in the short term. But, as I became more serious about photography, it made sense to purchase a full-frame camera.
Whether to purchase a crop sensor or a full-frame camera is a personal decision. You should consider your budget and your photography needs before selecting the right option for you.
2. Know Your Lens Types
Full Frame
→ 14-24 mm
For landscape photography, the Nikon 14-24mm wide-angle lens is my top choice. It’s a top-caliber lens that delivers consistently excellent results.
The sharpness of this lens is fantastic. Plus, it offers weather sealing, outstanding build quality, and exceptional image stabilization.
On the negative side, this lens is expensive and isn’t compatible with the majority of standard filters. Special filters are required if you need a filter for this lens.
→ 16-35 mm
The 16-35mm is another wide-angle lens that I highly recommend.
It captures sharp images and is quick to focus. Plus, this lens is compatible with the majority of filters.
Compared to the 14-25 mm, this option is less expensive and a bit smaller.
While these two types of full-frame lenses are comparable in many ways, the 14-24mm is the first choice of most landscape photographers. The 16-35mm is often kept as an alternative, only to be used if needed.
→ 28-300mm
For an excellent walk-around lens, check out the Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S.
As far as sharpness, build quality, and focal range if find this lens to be pretty great, especially for the price.
For my first three years as a photographer, this Nikon lens was my go-to option when I needed a walk-around lens. If you’re interested in handheld images, this camera could be a great option because it features vibration reduction.
This lens indeed tends to fall short when photographing scenes with fast movements. But, this lens’ focus tracking is effective, and the autofocus feature is acceptably precise.
For Crop Sensor: Nikon
→ TOKINA at-X 11-16mm F2.8 DXII
The existence of the crop factor means that a full-frame landscape lens is incompatible with a crop sensor camera body. This will limit your lens options for the crop, but I recommend the Tokina 11-16mm.
The Tokina 11-16mm is one of the best options of a lens for a crop sensor body (despite what people say about Nikon glass being the best). The Tokina speed aperture is much faster than other lenses I have used by approximately two stops.
I can say without a doubt after using both the Nikon 10-24mm and the Tokina 11-16mm lenses plenty of times that the Tokina option provides greater sharpness, optical quality, and speed.
The Tokina also comes with a much lower price tag compared to Nikon lenses. It is important to note that this lens is on the heavier side and its something to consider if you will be setting off on a long journey.
→ Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD
The Tamron 10-24mm my second recommendation for a wide-angle lens if you have a cropped Nikon Camera. This lens performs superior and produces higher quality images compared to the Nikon 10-24mm lens.
The most recent release of this lens has improved optics with a four-stop vibration calibration, which is particularly useful in low light situations. It also has a new and improved HLD system, which has increased the accuracy and flexibility of the autofocus system.
The new HLD system offers very quick autofocus with the ability to override with manual focus to make small adjustments.
Similar to the Tokina the Tamron comes in at right under $500 which is much cheaper than the Nikon alternatives.
For Crop Sensor: Canon
→ Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens.
The Canon 10-18mm is an excellent pick if you are in need of a wide-angle lens. One of its major advantages is that it comes with a price tag of about $269. This is much cheaper than many of other similar lenses on the market.
This lens is by far the best wide-angle lens for Canon Camera. It is one of the lighter and more compact lenses on the market but can still produce extremely sharp images.
One of the downsides is that it does have a plastic mount (the reason it comes in at only $269). When using plastics mounts, there is a higher chance that it can break. In my experience, even plastic mount are quite hard to break, so this has never been an issue for me.
→ Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5
The Sigma 10-20mm is probably the second-best option if you have a Canon cropped lens. The Sigma 10-20 mm offers a great range and has a high-quality plastic build that is very durable. This lens also produces reasonably sharp images and has an internal focusing system that performs exceptionally well.
This lens is unique because it has offers a constant maximum aperture of f/3.5 at all focal lengths. This can prove beneficial when you are using higher focal lengths.
This will allow you Often times the aperture will increase as you increase your focal length. This feature will make it easier to capture shallow depths of field at longer focal lengths.
The disadvantages of the Sigma are that compared to the Cannon it is much heavier and more expensive ($400). Another issue with the Sigma is that degradation in sharpness become apparent at higher focal lengths.
3. Invest in a Good Tripod
Why is owning a high-quality tripod so important? The answer is longevity.
Well-made tripods will stay in good condition for longer than those of lower quality. By investing in a high-caliber tripod, you’ll save money in the long run.
Case and point: In my first 30 days as a photographer, my inexpensive tripod broke. I purchased a good quality tripod as a replacement, and I’ve been using it for the past four years (and counting).
When you take photos outdoors, your tripod is at the expense of the environment you expose it to. This can mean that it will have to withstand weather like snow, rain, wind, and heat.
So, as a landscape photographer, it’s crucial for you to own quality tripods.
A more expensive tripod will also function much better than cheap tripods will.
For instance, as a landscape photographer, you may experience high winds while shooting. So, your tripod should be stable enough to hold up to wind.
One important feature of a tripod for landscape photography is the ability to drop the legs and lock them in position quickly. When your tripod has this capacity, you’ll be able to shift your compositions more efficiently and, therefore, capture more shots.
High-quality tripods are more likely to have this capability than lower quality models.
Inexpensive tripods can require time to loosen or tighten the locks, which can inhibit you from getting the shots that you want.
Ergonomic tripods can help landscape photographers handle volatile compositions with ease. So, tripods with a higher price tag but better design are worth it.
Tripod Head
A quality tripod head is just as crucial as quality tripod legs. The two main types of tripod heads are pan & tilt head and ball head.
I find a ball head fast and straightforward to use, so it’s my option of choice.
Additionally, ball heads are typically smaller and more portable than pan & tilt heads. Because I travel quite often, it’s much more convenient for me to use.
However, these ball heads can be less accurate in-camera leveling and may be tricky to maneuver since the ball functions as a fulcrum. In contrast, Pan and tilt heads provide precise control and feel a lot more robust.
The question of whether to choose a pan & tilt head or a ball head depends on your priorities. For those who value speed, a ball head is ideal, while those who value accuracy will prefer a pan & tilt head.
With that said, know that you don’t have to choose just one tripod head. Both a pan & tilt head and a ball head are compatible with the same tripod legs. So, you can switch between the two head types to suit whatever subject you’re photographing.
4. Understand Exposure Settings
Beginners in photography will quickly find out that knowledge is critical to catching striking and professional-quality images. The basics of good photography are essential to understand to be proficient as a landscape photographer.
The principles of photography include:
Aperture
Aperture determines the size of the lens opening. The lens opening allows light to reach the camera sensor. A smaller aperture lets in less light, a larger aperture lets in more light.
Aperture setting also alters the depth of field. Depth of field is the areas of your image that will be in focus. More technically it is the distance between the farthest and closest objects that are sharp.
Small apertures produce images with a wider area of focus than large apertures.
Landscape photographers generally use small apertures. This allows them to capture most of the frame in sharp focus.
Shutter Speed
Shutter speed refers to how long the lens is open when a shot is taken. Slow shutter speeds are essential for long exposures or low-light shots because it allows time for more light to come in.
Shutter speed also determines your ability to capture or freeze motion. Fast shutter speeds will allow you to freeze motion while slow shutter speeds will blur motion.
ISO
ISO refers to the sensitivity of the camera sensor. It determines the brightness and may contribute to the noise in a shot. Typically brighter images will produce more noise than those that are less bright.
To achieve the highest possible resolution in your shot, it’s a good idea to use the lowest, or base, ISO. Since ISO changes the camera sensor’s sensitivity, a high ISO will usually boost the noise in a shot. I don’t go above ISO 400 for landscape images unless I’m in low light conditions. Also, I always begin with ISO 100 or less.
Putting It All Together
Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO work in combination to establish the exposure of a shot.
Exposure is all of the light that hits the camera sensor. The exposure is determined after adjustments are made to aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Understanding the process of altering exposure, as well as the right time to do it, are essential components of great photography.
Resource: How to Use Your Camera: Understanding Exposure
5. Learn Camera Modes
As mentioned, three camera settings determine exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. It’s possible to change these three settings on your own, but doing so doesn’t always create the best results, especially if you’re a beginner.
Luckily, cameras have pre-programmed settings to help you easily create the ideal exposure for every shot called “Camera Modes”.
Two main camera modes are often used in photography: aperture and shutter priority.
In aperture priority, you will set the aperture, and the camera will automatically alter shutter speed to achieve the optimum exposure.
In contrast, in shutter priority, you will set the shutter speed, and the camera will decide the aperture for proper exposure.
As mentioned, the overall sharpness of an image is often the main priority in the vast majority of landscape photography. Thus, landscape photographers typically use aperture priority.
For my landscape photographs, I usually set my aperture somewhere between f/8-f/11 and let the camera decide the shutter speed.
Shutter speed is generally of a low priority unless my goal is to catch movement in my shot.
Resource: How to Use Your Camera: Understanding Camera Modes
6. Learn About Manual and Auto-Focus
Whether to use manual focus or autofocus is one of the most common technical dilemmas among beginner photographers.
When people ask me which one to use, I say to go with your preference. But, the real answer is that the right focus setting to use entirely depends on the situation.
From my experience, autofocus is usually the best option, especially for beginners.
Plus, unlike sports or wildlife photography, speed is not usually a main worry in landscape photography.
Of course, some photographers can manually focus their cameras at incredible speeds. But, anomalies aside, autofocus is the clear winner as far as speed is concerned.
Given how well the speed and accuracy of autofocus work together, you may be tempted to ignore manual focus altogether. But, manual focus is highly beneficial in certain situations.
For night photography, manual focus is your best option. While some autofocus systems may work fine at night, most tend to underperform in low light. In fact, trying to use autofocus for night photography can be flat-out disappointing.
In situations with low contrast levels, manual focus enables you to focus on the scene with more precision. The same can’t be said for autofocus systems.
Understanding how to use manual focus ensures that you won’t miss out on shots in any lighting conditions.
7. Shoot in RAW
The file format that you use as a photographer dramatically impacts the quality of your images.
JPEG is the most widely used file format, but it compresses image details automatically. This causes a reduction in image quality.
On the other hand, the RAW file format applies a form of lossless compression which does not reduce image quality.
Some people may be wary of the fact that RAW files have a longer processing time. But, the photos that you’ll get in the RAW format are of a higher quality than JPEG images.
Using RAW files ensures that you are using the most out of your camera. It optimizes what you can do in your images in the editing process.
Plus, thanks to smartphone innovations, you can shoot in RAW on your iPhone or Android using camera apps such as ProShot or Lightroom.
8. Learn About Composition Techniques
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Those wise words from Spanish painter Pablo Picasso can be directly related to landscape photography. You must pay attention to compositional rules as a photographer if you want to shoot images that will interest, inspire, and enchant viewers.
When you’re a beginner landscape photographer, a simple compositional tip to follow is the rule of thirds.
The Rule of Thirds is a common technique for building proportional and artful images. It crosses three horizontal lines with three vertical lines. The points of contact on these lines are the interest points or the points where your scene has the greatest visual interest.
Note that you can establish the lines for the Rule of Thirds on your camera’s rear screen.
Resources:
• 23 Composition Techniques for Travel Photography
• 15 Ways to Evoke Emotions in Your Landscape Photos
9. Take Photos at Different Times of Day
The quality of the ambient light around us changes throughout the day as the sun reaches different positions in the horizon, light shifts not only in brightness but also in tones and color.
You can benefit from this natural phenomenon by experimenting with the time of day at which you shoot. You’ll find that different hours have different tints that can alter the look of your subject.
For example, on a cloudy day, the sun may reach your subject through a gap in the clouds. The result is an enchanting mood that shifts the visual narrative of your work.
Golden Hour:
Especially where landscape photography is concerned, the light during sunrise and sunset offers one of the best visual qualities.
When the sun is low on the horizon, the sky changes to different shades of warm yellows and reds. Dubbed the “golden hour,” photographers are constantly aiming to shoot during this critical time.
Research the sunrise and sunset times on the days that you plan to shoot so that you can make the best use of your time.
Blue Hour:
The golden hour undoubtedly produces exciting images, but the light found after the sun has sunk on the horizon can make for exceptional shots as well.
Photography can hugely benefit from the unique ambiance created by lighting at night.
City lights, street lamps, car headlights: these urban fixtures are all commonplace during the day but come to life on camera at night.
Your images will take on a completely different quality when you take advantage of the night photography.
Photography taken post-sunset softens details offering mysterious quality. This invites your viewer to create their own story as they dive into your image and decipher the hazy details.
Between the golden hour and the blue hour, there’s endless potential for heart-stopping shots. With just a bit of planning and creativity, your images will soar.
Astrophotography
If you’re anything like me and love spending your time gazing out into the night sky, consider going out to photograph the stars.
Keep in mind, planning is the most important part of astrophotography.
You’ll need to choose the right time of the year, the right view of the sky, have the proper camera equipment, well before you go out to capture the magnificent view of the sky.
10. Explore Your Craft
As a beginner landscape photographer, it’s tempting to stay in closely-controlled environments where others have been before.
But, without exploration and experimentation, landscape photography will stay stagnant.
Don’t be afraid to wander from the marked route and discover something new. It’s in uncharted territory that we can capture exciting, innovative images. Daring to be bold and adventure into the unknown is what has led to the most exceptional revelations and gripping works of art in our society.
The instinct to explore is what enables us to find something fresh and unique.
As photographers, we get our satisfaction from finding unusual subjects and compositions; ones that have yet to be discovered. It’s why we love our craft and go to great lengths to get the perfect shot.
Resource: 15 Tips for Planning Your Next Photography Trip
11. Find a Mentor
We all may like to think that we can find success alone, but the truth is that the value of a mentor is immeasurable.
Find a photographer who has the results that you want and learn that person.
Learning from a mentor exposes you to information, insights, and resources that you don’t otherwise have access to as a beginner. The majority of the great creatives of our time had mentors that guided them toward success.
You don’t have to know your mentor personally; look around for authors, bloggers, and Internet personalities with the skills that you desire.
You can also dive into history to learn from famous photographers. Learn about their sources for inspiration and about the factors that influenced their work. Pay attention to the details and reflect upon what your work can gain from this new knowledge.
The amount of knowledge that you can gain from these successful individuals is endless.
Having a mentor will direct you away from common pitfalls to helping you master essential skills with ease.
Your mentor will show you how different lines of thinking can expedite your improvement.
It’s not difficult to see the positive impact that a mentor can have on your development. But, finding an excellent mentor is an entirely different story.
Instructors for the music, photography, film, and creative courses in your area are potential mentors. Colleagues and friends with respected opinions are valuable resources, too.
Mentorship can be found so long as you put yourself out there and remain open to new ways of thinking.
Once you have found a mentor, absorb all of their guidance.
Whenever you don’t agree with their advice, remember that your mentor is more experienced than you are and that their information is purposeful.
Value their opinion, no matter how strange they may seem.
Later, when you start to attain results, you can challenge your mentor and apply more of your experiences into your photography.
12. Find a Muse
Art is spurred by inspiration; without it, there will be no driving force behind your creation. A muse is that driving force, and one can be found for every great work of art. A
photographer’s muse could be a friend, a piece of music, a location, a book – there are no rules here.
My muse is Oahu. When I need to refresh my creativity and bring life back to my work, it’s where I go. But, you don’t have to have just one muse; it can change and evolve. You can learn from a muse, and the best ones will consistently challenge you to grow. Having a muse will impact not only your work but your life as a whole.
13. Edit Your Images
All great landscape shots require thoughtful post-processing. Photo editing is what elevates an image from good to breathtaking.
Start by uploading your RAW files into Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. From there, you can make any alterations that you need, from image contrast to saturation and everything in between.
Photoshop has a huge assortment of editing options. You can break an image down to its pixels and airbrush imperfections or add striking effects.
Lightroom is user-friendly and will help you make solid, great-quality edits even as a beginner.
You may want to try out both of these editing platforms to see which one works best for you.
14. Practice, Practice, Practice
As with any skill worth having, photography takes practice. Get out there and take as many photos as you can (we’re talking thousands!). Test out a variety of angles, techniques, and perspectives. Explore the outdoors; see what subjects you’re drawn to. Experience as much as you can, because practice is the only way to become a fantastic photographer.
Conclusion
Any new skill can seem daunting as a beginner. But, if you follow through with it, I promise you won’t regret it.
There’s a lot of ways that landscape photography can enrich our lives. Plus, we all know how that satisfying feeling we get when we accomplish a hard task.
I hope the guide helped as an introduction to landscape photography. I wish you success in your future endeavors. Cheers!
