Landscape photography is a genre in photography that requires a certain amount of effort that is not usually a pre-requisite in other photography genres. Capturing beautiful landscapes actually has a science to it – you cannot produce stunning landscape pictures without actually preparing and looking for the perfect location to capture the photo. In here, we will be discussing important photography tips that will serve as a guide in doing proper nature photography or outdoor photography.
1. Plan ahead
Since landscape photography is a type of genre that requires timing. Always ensure to plan ahead. A stormy day is not friendly to taking nature photos so make sure that the weather will be in favor of you on the location that you want.
2. Use appropriate accessories
Camera positioning and sturdiness is an important trait in landscape photography. In order to do this, install your camera on a strong and steady tripod. Select a kind that can withstand strong winds and at the same time secures your camera against its weight. Light is the most important in nature photography so it is best to put in filters to accentuate the sun during golden hour. Filters also allow you to increase exposure time which will accentuate the beautiful landscapes by creating cloud streaks.
3. Be patient
Good nature photos generally comprise of the sun, and it is always a visual treat if landscape pictures have them or even just a hint of the sun’s rays. Nature’s daily phenomenon such as the blue hour, golden hour or blue hour will surely accentuate your landscape pictures and make it stunning. Wait for the perfect and let nature emphasize the composition
4. Perfect composition for landscape photography
In outdoor photography, there are quite a number of compositions that you can use. Colorful trees during autumn or snow capped mountains during winter would do the trick. But putting up a lot of subjects in landscape pictures creates confusion for the viewer thus making it unattractive. Ensure that your subjects are kept to a considerable amount to avoid confusion and increase appreciation on the photos and always use the rule of thirds. This is important to create beautiful landscapes and emphasize what is the most important in the composition.
5. Shoot in RAW, if you can
Shooting nature photography in jpeg mode is fair enough but it is not friendly for capturing beautiful landscapes. In shooting for landscape pictures, there will always be unwanted scenes such as misplaced glare during golden hour or uneven lighting during the blue hour. These scenes require editing and shooting it in RAW is the best option.
Shooting landscape photography is a challenging task but produces satisfying results if done properly. By following the photography tips, outdoor photography will become easy.