1. Landscape photography tips and
techniques
Capturing scenery at its best.
A landscape is a section or portion of scenery
as seen from a single viewpoint. Scenery is the
subject of a landscape image. Typically,
people and animals are not shown in a
landscape, unless they are relatively small in
the image and have been included in the
composition to show scale. Some
photographers argue that the sea coast, the
city and man-made structures in general
should not be included in a landscape, and
images that do contain them are more
accurately called seascapes or cityscapes.
From a purist perspective, they are probably
correct, since a landscape is a picture of the
land and its aggregate natural features.
However, if natural scenery dominates an
image, it can probably be accurately termed a
The foreground plants above show scale and depth in landscape, even though there may be a
this desert scene. Although animals and people are farmhouse in the distance, a city skyline on
generally not shown in a landscape, including them can the horizon or a road or path in the
also give a sense of scale. foreground.
The term “Urban Landscape” describes
photographs of the city taken in the manner
of a landscape, using buildings and other man-
made features as graphical elements of
composition that are treated in the same way
the photographer would treat mountains and
trees.
STYLES OF LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY
Three styles of landscape photography are recognized
- representational, impressionistic and abstract.
Representational
Also known as the straight or straight descriptive Use an overhanging branch in the foreground to
style, the representational style results in pictures frame your landscape, adding the element of
that show scenery at its most natural and realistic, apparent three-dimensionality.

2. with no visual manipulation or artifice. It is a
straightforward style - what you see is what you get.
Successful images in the representational style are not
simple snapshots. Although the photographer adds no
props or other components to a scene and does not
try to “bend” reality, great attention is paid to
composition and detail. Light, timing and the weather
are critical elements.
Impressionistic
The impressionistic landscape
photographer employs photographic
techniques that result in images that have
vague or elusive qualities. They are less
tangible and more unreal, while still
retaining their values that make them
landscape pictures. The viewer is given the
impression of a landscape rather than the
clear reality of one.
Abstract
This style - Abstract - could also probably
be referred to as the graphic style, since
the components of scenery are treated by
the photographer as graphic elements,
arranged for their compositional values.
Natural elements may be rendered as
unrecognizable or almost so. Shape and
form take priority. Elements may be
juxtapositioned for comparison or
contrast, isolated by extreme close-up,
reduced to silhouettes by severe
underexposure, and so on. Design is more
important than recognizable
representation.
QUICK TIPS for effective landscape
photography
These quick tips are not essential to every
landscape picture you take, but applying
The amazing scenery at White Sands National Monument them judiciously will improve your picture-
near Alamagordo, New Mexico, provides the photographer taking.
with representational, impressionistic and abstract
landscape opportunities. One or more foreground objects
will give the impression of three-

3. dimensionality, and can help to
frame the scene. Depth is
achieved by combining
foreground, middle ground and
background objects.
Compose the image so that it
contains a center of interest - an
object that draws the viewer's eye
into the picture.
Placing the center of interest off-
center, in accordance with the
Rule of Thirds, will create a
harmonious composition.
Placing the horizon a third of the
way down from the top or bottom
of the frame is usually much
better than having it in the middle
of the scene.
Scale can often be important to
the understanding of a landscape,
and can be achieved by including
an object of a known size in the
scene.
The quality of the light is perhaps
the most influential attribute of a
successful landscape. Waiting for
interesting lighting that is moody,
dramatic or diffused usually pays
off in a memorable photograph.
Top landscape photographers will
often return again and again to a
location until lighting conditions
are just right.
Ensure that your camera's flash is
turned off when shooting
landscapes, unless you require it
to brighten a foreground object.
Flash in a dusty, misty or foggy
scene may cause flare by reflecting
off the droplets of moisture or
dust particles.
Use a tripod to ensure sharpness,
especially in low-light conditions.
In very low light, be sure to select
a fast film speed or a high ISO
sensitivity setting in your digital
camera that will permit proper

4. exposure and good depth of field.
Watch for unsightly or unnatural
elements such as overhead wires,
hydrants, poles and garbage cans,
especially in the foreground. If you
cannot easily move them,
reposition yourself to a camera
angle that eliminates them from
the frame.
Don't let the weather stop you from capturing an
attractive landscape. Rain can add a degree of
softness and peacefulness to a scene. On an
overcast day, be sure your scene has an area of
color in it to counteract the overall dull lighting.
Keep the rules of composition in mind when
framing a scene. Lines, in particular, can be a
strong factor in making an interesting landscape.
An awareness and the judicious placement of
planes in the scene can also be factors in
improving your composition.
Landscape photography is often more horizontal
than it is vertical, presenting the opportunity to
shoot a panorama. If you are faced with a wide
vista and your camera has a panorama mode,
this is the time to select it. Cropping afterwards
can achieve a similar purpose. The blossoms in the foreground create a
When the wind is blowing or water is moving - sense of depth and provide color to an
waves, waterfalls, a tumbling brook - capturing otherwise drab landscape.
that movement by using a slow shutter speed to
create blur can add great interest to a landscape.
When selecting a slow shutter speed, be sure you
retain proper exposure by also appropriately
adjusting your camera's aperture. Many cameras
will do this automatically for you in Shutter
Priority mode.
Your pointers, hints & tips
This section of PhotographyTips.com
contains information intended to improve
your landscape imagery. (Click on the links
below.) We hope you find it beneficial.
Landscape photography is a vast topic,
and no one source could ever contain all

5. there is to know about it. It is therefore
likely that you will have a landscape
photography tip of your own that we
omitted or just don’t know about.
We invite you to send it in to share with
our viewers, along with a picture that
illustrates the information. If we use it on
This Cuban landscape benefits from the building in the the site, we’ll be sure to credit you with
middle ground. It provides a needed center of interest, the tip and the photography.
drawing the viewer's eye into the picture.
Noelle Haftarczyk, for example, sent us this lovely image
photographed from her home in St. Helena, California. It was
taken with a Kodak DC3200 camera (a 1.0 megapixel digital
camera) at 5:00 in the morning when Noelle just happened to
wake up and look out her picture window. She says she was
"taken aback" by the scene and its uncharacteristic low-lying
fog. She immediately grabbed her camera and captured the
image before the rising sun could bring about change. Timing
and opportunity play a big part in landscape photography, and Morning fog in St. Helena, California.
Noelle's picture is a prime example of shooting when the right Photograph by Noelle Haftarczyk.
opportunity presents itself. Thanks, Noelle, and congratulations
on a fine picture.