Landscape photography is super-approachable for beginners; after all, your subject isn’t moving anywhere! It’ll stay right where it is until you get the perfect shot. That said, there are some basic things you can do to help your landscape shots be all that they can be. Here are 5 tips to get you started.

Tip #1: Preparation is key.

Preparation almost plays more of a role in successful landscape shooting than the photography itself. When preparing for your shoot, you’ll want to consider all of the following:

• The weather forecast for the day you want to go out. Are you hoping for a nice sunny day, or are you going for the moody look that a cloudy sky can bring? Either way, you’ll need to prepare for it.
• The location of your shoot. What is the best vantage point to capture your landscape? Can you get off the beaten path to get an even better or more unexpected angle? Ideally, you’d visit your shoot location in advance of actually shooting, so that you can map out where you’ll set up shop.
• Along with the location, you’ll need to map out commute times as well. How long does it take to drive there? Is there a hike involved as well? If you want to shoot during a specific time of day (and believe me, you do), then you’ll need to understand when you have to leave in order to get there in time. Oh yeah, and plan to be there early. You’ll always underestimate some step of your commute or set-up time.

This isn’t an exhaustive list; rather, it’s just meant to give you an idea of the type of prep you’ll need to consider in order to set yourself up to take the very best landscape photos.

Tip #2: Shoot during the golden hour.

The golden hour refers to the first and last hours of sunlight each day. It’s named after the way that more of the warm wavelengths of light hit the Earth during these times, lending more yellow and orange light to the landscape, and less blues.

Shooting landscapes during the golden hour is almost like cheating. Everything seems to look better bathed in warm-toned sunlight, and it’s a big part of the reason why timing often plays such a big role in your landscape photography preparation.

Tip #3: Use a tripod.

If you’re planning on shooting an exposure with a shutter speed any longer than 1/30 of a second, you’re going to want to bring a tripod with you. Part of the appeal of landscape photography is the crystal clarity with which the focal point (and often the entire shot) is presented.

In order to get that clarity, your camera needs to be perfectly, inhumanly still during the shot. Trying to hold it steady in your hands simply won’t be enough – especially if you hope to shoot during the golden hour.

See how these tips work together? 🙂

Tip #4: Use the right filters.

There are a wide variety of camera lens filters available on the market that can greatly enhance your landscape shots. Neutral density filters block out some sunlight, to keep you from overexposing the shot on a very bright day. Hoya filters are some of my favourites; I wrote a post about those here.

If you’re looking for that silky texture on running water, you might get away with a dark ND filter. You can guarantee success, however, by using what’s known as an ND1000 filter, also called a blackout filter. This works by reducing the amount of light let into your lens by a factor of 1000… meaning you’ll need a really long exposure time to get the shot right. With this type of lens, a tripod is a requirement, not an option. I’d also recommend a shutter remote so that you don’t accidentally shake your camera while holding the shutter button down. If you shoot with Canon, here’s a great affordable option.

Tip #5: Remember the Rule of Thirds.

I wrote about the Rule of Thirds, and other photography basics, in one of the first posts ever published on this site. Those principles hold as true for landscape photography as any other kind. Don’t stick the horizon right in the vertical center of the shot, and avoid placing focal points directly in the center of the shot as well.

While we’re talking about the rule of thirds, I wanted to mention leading lines here too. Placing the horizon above or below the center of the shot allows you to capture any interesting lines or pathways that guide the eye through the photo toward your focal point.

Wrapping it Up

Taking great landscape shots isn’t nearly as hard as many other types of photography, in my opinion. It does require careful preparation and the right tools in order to have the best results though. By following the tips outlined in this post, you’ll give yourself a leg up over your peers and be on your way to taking jaw-dropping shots in no time!