Monday, April 07, 2008

Taking Great Digital Landscape Shots

Have you ever returned from a trip and once you uploaded your photos, you were disappointed by what you saw?  Did your pictures just not do the scenery justice?

This has happened to me many times.  I’m rarely satisfied with the photographs I take on vacation.  That is, until I finally took a photography class and learned about taking scenery and landscape photographs.

What I discovered is that it really is quite simple to take photographs that capture the beauty of the place you are visiting.  All it takes is some know how… and practice!  Here are my top tips for photographing landscapes…

  • Bring a tripod – If you are serious about shooting landscapes that are beautiful, then a tripod is a necessity.  It doesn’t have to be big and bulky, just a small, sturdy one that will allow you use the various settings on your camera and you won’t have to worry about having stable hands.
  • Use the landscape setting – Most digital cameras have a landscape setting.  Ensure you use this setting in order to get the clearest photo.  Of course, if you are using a conventional camera, put on your wide-angle lens for the best landscape shots.
  • Shoot at the right time of day – The best piece of advice my photography teacher gave me was to avoid shooting during the midday.  You’ll find that during midday, there is a lot of harsh lighting creating bad shadow effects.  I’ve taken my best landscape pictures during the early morning or late afternoon.
  • Fill the frame – Look carefully at what you’ve got inside your frame before you take the picture.  Take the time to experiment.  Move your camera up and down, side to side and even tilt it at various angles.  What you want to do is fill the frame with the object that you are most interested in.
  • Geographical position – Another good tip I received is to try to place yourself at the north or south from the landscape that you want to take pictures of because you will then benefit from lateral light.  Lateral light is the type of light that emphasizes shapes, shadows, relief and textures.
  • Reflections – Some of my favorite photographs are peaceful waters with the landscape reflecting off the still pool of water.  Calm water is the perfect occasion to take a beautiful mirror image.

I hope these tips will help you create landscape photographs from your travels that will capture the beauty of what you saw.  Don’t forget to display your effort too!  If you have a favorite photo, why not get it blown up to use as artwork in your home!

Posted by Tammy on 04/07 at 03:32 PM
Travel Tips • Permalink
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