What distinguishes good landscape photos from great landscape shots?

When I bought my first system camera with a manual recording function and beginner lens, I imagined that landscape photography couldn't be that difficult. Waiting for the first considerable sunset behind the lake, snap, photo print on large screen and you're done.

While these romantically naive ideas for vacation and leisure recordings can certainly apply, they are still far from the truth for every reasonably ambitious hobby photographer. Not to mention the demands, techniques and the know -how of professional landscape photographers.

The opposite is the case here, which quickly became clear to me. The skilful photography of a scenic scenery can sometimes be very tricky. Numerous factors - apart from the technical knowledge of dealing with professional photo equipment - play a role in landscape shots and decide whether the result is successful or not.

Demanding photographers can be, for example, to enable the viewer to give the viewer a short visual escape. Then depth and perspective play an outstanding role.

Or you want to tell a story with a shoot. Some landscape compositions are obvious with their intention and message, others are much more subtle.

Of course, both geometry and the color palette play an important role in the image composition, the latter can be adapted in post -processing if necessary.

A typical landscape represents nature. Landscapes can contain hand-of-man elements such as pillars, buildings, barns and railway rails.

Convincing landscapes can be colorful, black and white or somewhere in between. There are also numerous popular Photoshop filters and Lightroom presets to create or strengthen dramatic effects and atmospheric atmosphere.

We all know this feeling when we Canvas art of landscapes carefully for the first time. There are those that we find “very nice”. And then there are those who really hit us from the stool.

But what is the secret of a really great landscape? Are there any fundamental rules or techniques that are common to these recordings? Can these be learned and used for your own photo projects?

But yes!

In all the variety of individual skills, styles and self -developed techniques of great landscape photographers, some common basic features can be seen that make up a very good landscape.

5 landscape photography secrets of Benjamin Jaworskyj in advance

The techniques of professionals - 15 characteristics of outstanding landscape photography

1. Image structure, composition and the third-party rule

The most important basis is always to think about the image structure and composition of the photo in the run -up to the recording. Here it is simply expressed, the ideal choice of the image section and the coherent arrangement of the objects in it.

You should always aim to make your composition correctly when recording instead of relying on post -production.

If the scene does not look successful when looking at the viewfinder, it will most likely not do it in the final edition.

There are different techniques with which you can specifically improve your composition (e.g. the third -party rule), but ultimately you have to practice yourself. Only with regular practice and gathering experience will you make it to a level at which you can see a scene and analyze in your head in the quick of the moment to create a great image composition.

With increasing practice, this will go into meat and blood and at some point they don't even have to think about it.

In the beginning, however, it is the most important thing to take time. third rule also offers you good help for orientation:

With this rule (also golden cut ), the image is cut into nine parts mentally. You pull two horizontal and two vertical lines, so that all nine parts are the same. The motif to be photographed is created at one of the four intersections, but you can also place it along a line.

Also pay attention to the horizon line. Place the horizon either two thirds or one third upwards, depending on whether the foreground or the sky is more interesting.

This design aid helps to improve newcomers in photography, the structure and balance of your pictures in a quick way.

The role that these auxiliary lines play in their photos is to draw the viewer into a picture. At the end of the day it is exactly what you want, isn't it?

Overview of the most important rules on the image composition:

• Do not put the main motif in the middle
• Just keep the image and fill it out very consciously
• Limit to 2-3 main colors
• Use more wide angles for greater depth in landscape shots
• Approach closer to more three -dimensionality
• Use repetitions, lines and geometric shapes for viewing
• Ensure more depth with running lines
• Use high and landscape format consciously
• Use opposing forms for contrast

Image composition for beginners photography-49 image examples

2. Large depth of field

The depth of field (often also depth sharpness ) is technically precisely formulated a measure of the expansion of the sharp area in the object room of an illustrative optical system.

In order to impressively convey the vastness of the scene to the viewer, the landscape motif is sharply captured by a large depth of field (through small aperture openings or lenses with short focal lengths) in different distances.

The ST is primarily controlled by the aperture . A small aperture opening (high number of aperture) results in a lot of depth of field. The sensor size also influences the depth of field.

A large depth of field conveys the feeling that “everything” is in focus.

There are two main methods for focus:

a) Focused infinitely : Here you objectively focus on one point in the distance.

With autofocus lenses, press the trigger as usual when focusing on a motif.

With manual lenses or if you operate your lens manually, just turn the lens until the motif is sharpened. Many lenses have a setting option with a sideways lying on the side. The lying 8 stands for infinite.

Especially at night or with motifs at an indefinite distance, it is tricky to take sharp photos. Thanks to the infinite focusing , far away motifs such as stars, fireworks or wide landscapes can also be sharpened.

An example of the use of this focus is to take pictures of the Milky Way. It can be difficult for your camera to automatically focus on one point in this undefined distance. Switch to manual focus and turn it lens to infinite.

Landscape photography and sharpness - this is how sharp landscape photos succeed

b) Hyperfokale distance:

Hyperfocal distance can be a confusing topic even for experienced photographers. The term itself alone makes many heads smoke. However, if you want to take ultrasiche pictures, don't get around this technique. Solid knowledge of this is particularly invaluable in landscape photography.

The hyperfocal distance is simply about finding the optimal focus point and achieving a consistently maximum sharpness (objects in the front and background).

Settings of the aperture, focal length / distance and the sensor of your camera determine where this optimal hyperfocus point is located.

Don't worry now! What used to be a manual calculation and the use of elaborate formulas, diagrams, tables and scales has become very easy these days. There are many online resources and mobile apps with which you can determine the correct hyperfocal removal in no time.

A deeper immersing in this topic would go beyond the scope of this article. Further details on this complex topic can be found, for example, on Pixolum: Hyperfocal distance explained - 7 ways for continuous image sharpness .

On the other hand, a lower depth of field with correct use can also be a powerful creative tool. The motif can be isolated by keeping it sharp while the rest of the image remains out of focus.

If you want to keep the majority of the photo sharp, first set your camera to the mode with aperture priority (A or AV) so that you can take control of the aperture. Start at about f/8 and work up (f/11 or higher) until you achieve the desired effect.

3. Let yourself be guided by natural lines

Pillars, railways, paths, fields, architectural buildings of all kinds and other guidelines create convincing landscape images that can deeper the viewer into the scene.

Use the geometry for fantastic image compositions occurring in nature!

Large landscapes and guidelines emphasize wide-angle and super wide-angle lenses. Work with a small aperture of 1: 16 to 1: 22 in combination with the hyperfocal distance to keep the leading lines and the entire scene in focus.

The smaller the aperture (large number of aperture), the less light. For reasons of stability, a tripod is recommended to avoid blurring due to camera movements during longer shutter speeds. A cable trigger is also recommended if you absorb in poor lighting conditions to minimize the unpopular blankets of the camera closure.

4. Everything a question of the right location

Landscape photography is about planning and the actual process of photography.
You should always have a clear idea of ​​where you want to go and at what time of day you can take the best photo. In order to prevent disappointments, you should invest enough time in the planning and ideally take the location beforehand.

A good weather app or weather webcams are also extremely helpful tools to be immune to unsightly surprises.

Find out how you read cards correctly and how you can use you to find the perfect place. Relevant forums and blogs from other photographers can also be a good point of contact here.

Good planning ensures that you maximize your time for the actual shoot and make sure that you not only get to the desired location safely and in time, but also find your way back (e.g. in the wild after sunset).

5. Optimal lighting conditions

Light is one of the most important factors in every photography, but above all in landscape photography. It really doesn't matter how great the place is or how you put together your photo.

If the light of the scene does not do justice, it ultimately plays a subordinate role in whether your place and motif are chosen. Your picture will fail.

The best light for landscape photography is in the early morning or late afternoon, with the midday sun offering the toughest light.

Part of the challenge of landscape photography is to adapt to different lighting conditions and to be able to deal with it.

For example, great landscape photos can also be taken on stormy or cloudy days. The key to the great picture is to include as much light as possible and thus positively influence the appearance of your photos.

The golden hour

In photography, the time span is called a golden hour shortly after (about an hour) the sunrise or shortly before the sunset.

The sunlight is reddish and softer during this time than when the sun is higher. The sun dives the surroundings in warm tones and makes photos appear particularly gentle during these phases.

In order to take your photos for the famous golden hour, you must be at least an hour at the scene of your choice. Only then do you have enough time to set up, make some tests and set the exposure settings correctly.

The Photographer's Ephemeris

The Photographer's Ephemeris (TPE) is a real miracle weapon to plan the lighting conditions for photographers and both a website and an app for your smartphone.

TPE offers extremely useful and reliable information after location or location. This includes times for sunrise, sunset, moon ride, the end of the lunar and the positioning in the sky. TPE indicates how the light falls on the country at every place on earth. This includes day and night.

With this tool you plan your recording with perfect precision. Registration is free.

6. Not without a photo filter from the house

Since photographers have been fascinated by nature, they have also faced the problem of reconciling exposure with a light sky and dark foreground.

neutral filter (ND) was discovered out of pure necessity . A graded ND filter has a delimitation from clearly dark, which makes it possible to compensate for the exposure of the light sky and dark foreground.

This can be replicated in post -production. However, it is always best to record the photo as perfectly as possible in the camera.

The other filter that every landscape photographer must have is a circular polarizer (CPL filter) . These filters were developed to reduce glare and reflections. They make it possible to achieve stronger and stronger colors and reduce unnecessary reflections in their pictures.

Often you have to manipulate the available light or even try to improve the natural elements. For example, if you take photos with water, you may receive unwanted reflections from the sun.

polarization filter can help here by minimizing the reflections and also improving the colors (green and blue).

However, remember that polarization filters often have little or no effect on a scene if they are turned directly to the sun or that the sun is right behind them.

For the best results, position yourself between 45 ° and 90 ° to the sun.

Neutralicht filter and polarizers are therefore an essential part of the standard kit for every landscape photographer.

7. Always carry a tripod with you

In short, if you want to take the best photos for the best time of day and in the highest possible quality, a tripod is an indispensable part of the photo equipment.

Photographing in poor lighting conditions (e.g. in the early morning or early evening) without a tripod would require an increase in the ISO value to avoid blurring the camera, which in turn means more image noise.

If you want to record a scene with a long shutter speed or long exposure (e.g. to capture the movement of clouds or water), you simply cannot keep the camera calm enough without a tripod to avoid blurred images. The result is the result. A tripod provides a remedy here.

8. Use the histogram

Histograms are an essential tool in photography. You should learn how to read and use the results to improve your photos.

A histogram is a simple diagram that graphically shows the different sound distribution in your picture. The left side of the diagram is for dark tones and the right side of the diagram stands for bright tones.

For example, if you find that the majority of the diagram is postponed to the side, this is an indication that your photo is too light or too dark (overexposed or underexposed).

This is not always a bad thing, and some pictures work perfectly in both cases.

However, if you find that your diagram extends beyond the left or right edge, this shows that you have parts of the photo with lost details (purely black areas when the histogram protrudes beyond the left edge, and white when it stands beyond the right edge).

You should avoid this. So if you see the evidence in the histogram, you can correct it by either re -putting the image together or compensating for the exposure.

9. Occond RAW format

If your camera can take photos in RAW format, it is advisable to always take RAW files.
They contain many more image details and information and offer much greater flexibility in post-production, without losing quality.

Remember that you can always save RAW files in the other formats you want. However, you cannot subsequently convert jpegs into RAW files.

Therefore, they are ultimately limited to the quality with which the JPEG was absorbed, which means that they go through the rags many useful image information.

10. Recording

This usually means a focus on the goal of the big color depth with a DSLR camera. The camera absorbs several pictures in a row, each with slightly changed focus.

The camera must be on a tripod and there should be no movements during the recording.

On the PC you can either pick the sharpest picture or then the recordings are then combined for an image. Tonemapping is an important possibility of image design with this recording form

There are also in the variant of exposure to reciprocation.

11. Connect traditional thinking with creative thinking

There is a lot to consider when planning your composition. What makes the scene interesting? Are there distractions that take away from the scene? Do I have everything I need in the frame? Is something cut out of the picture that makes it look like something was missing? Is there a different view of the scene that creates a unique perspective? How will I process this picture?

What questions will you find a response to you? Are there any other considerations that would add to the list based on personal experiences?

Traditional approach

If we want to photograph a specific landscape, we may already have an idea of ​​what this picture should look like.

We know when we have to arrive in order to prepare sufficiently for our shoot. We are prepared and start with the recording of many images from different settings and perspectives of the scene. We record our recordings, use filters and several focal lengths.

At the end of our shoot we have a wealth of pictures for post -processing to choose from. We change color, brightness, sharpness, tonal values, color temperature, saturation or we can switch to black and white or sepia.

Creative approach

Imagine your mind that the picture you photograph is an empty canvas. What is the artistic potential?

Can you improve, accentuate or create the mood? Is this an old structure that would give a vintage effect additional charm?

Is it a scene in the early morning in which a touch of creaminess gives a very special romance?
A picture that is already well -composed can develop even more strength, suction effect and statement with creative, unique approaches and concepts.

Countless tools and powerful tools are available for post -processing, which can conjure up an additional grade.

The tools in Lightroom, Photoshop and other applications can add both subtle and dramatic changes.

Pre-settings (so-called presets), plug-ins, smart actions and filters that work directly with our post-processing tools offer impressive changes and effects with just a few clicks.

There are also numerous filter apps for image processing directly on the smartphone. This can now also be achieved with extraordinarily good results.

12. Not only with a blue sky

Some still new photographers believe that taking pictures on clear, cloudless days is a must for great landscape pictures. In fact, the opposite is the case. Often bad weather produces the most exciting pictures.

The sky can be a key component of its landscape photos. Depending on the scene and conditions, you can choose a dominant sky or a dominant foreground. But you can also try to include reflections (e.g. clouds, flashing, ...) in your pictures.

13. Patience pays off

Bring a good dose of patience and perseverance for your photo projects.

It is astonishing how often the elements against us are loosening small people in order to fully ruin a perfectly composed and carefully planned photo.

Landscape photography requires a certain degree of patience, only in the event that the white cloudy sky is scattered long enough so that the sun can break through and it can take its recording.

The key to success is to always plan enough time for a shoot on a location so that you can wait if necessary. Solid planning with alternative options and flexibility can also help you very much.

Before your departure for the shooting location, be sure to check the weather forecasts to maximize your chances of the weather you want at the time of recording. As already mentioned, there are numerous useful smartphone apps for this purpose.

14. No price without hard work

One of the reasons why we are impressed and amazed at landscape photos is the fact that the picture offers us a perspective or view that we have never seen before.

A photo that was taken from the tip of a mountain or a location that is similarly difficult to access usually takes a lot of time and effort to get there.

The result is a view that most people would never see themselves. We instinctively take note of the evaluation of landscapes and are always overwhelmed when a photographer gives us participation in such a perspective.

So do not rely on easily accessible and completely overcrowded points of view, to which everyone else has no effort. Instead, look for unique places (provided that you can be reached safely and you are not risking your head and collar) that offer amazing scenes, insights and perspectives. Even if you require determination, effort and time to get there.

15. The desire to experiment

With all techniques and rules recommended to support the composition and the admission process, there is always room for experimenting and trying out.

It is important to know and control all of these basics. However, these should never be perceived as too rigid corset, but rather as a framework for orientation. Whenever you feel like it, you can play with it, break it in a targeted manner and experiment on a wide variety of levels.

Do you have the courage for mistakes and failures. Under certain circumstances, you can get an overwhelming result on detours, which you did not yet have on the screen.

Digital photography means that taking a photo no negatively wasted (and costs money). Therefore, sometimes there is always the possibility to violate the rules and your own style in order to dare new things.

Even if it will not work most of the time and the image goes completely into your pants, you will discover a diamond in the mass of pieces of coal every now and then.

Bonus tips by Benjamin Jaworskyj: Avoid frequent beginner errors

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and managing director of Kunstplaza . Publicist, editor and passionate blogger in the field of art, design and creativity since 2011. Successful conclusion in web design as part of a university degree (2008). Further development of creativity techniques through courses in free drawing, expression painting and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market through many years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with actors/institutions from art and culture.

www. kunstplaza .de/