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Landscape Photography is a powerful expression of our relationship with the vastness of the natural world. Good landscape photography will evoke feelings of our place in the universe while allowing us to appreciate the beauty of the skylines, beaches and even cityscapes in this larger context. In cities like Philadelphia, there are rivers, public square like Rittenhouse Square and parks (like Fairmount Park) where one can shoot amazing landscape photographs.
Landscape photography can take many forms but it tends to focus on capturing the large spaces and scenery of our world. Traditionally landscape photography has been primarily involved in snapping the natural world, in the countryside, forests, coastal regions and more. However, landscape photography also encompasses cityscapes and even more bleak feeling post industrial photography.
What makes a Great Landscape Photo? – Important Features to Remember.
- Composition plays a central role in successful landscape photography. The photographer will have to carefully place the subjects of the photo within the larger scope of the entire landscape. When you are taking landscape photography it’s usually a good starting point to pay attention to the ‘rule of thirds’, meaning that the horizon will fall on the line of either the upper or lower third of the photo. Also position any natural linear elements within the composition along the imaginary lines created by dividing the image into thirds.
- Strong Atmospheric Elements will really help to draw the viewer into the image. Making use of natural phenomena such as mist, clouds and ocean sprays give the pictures a sense of being alive and in motion.
- Pay attention to the light and choose the time of the day that you wish to shoot your photos with this in mind. Landscape photography is often taken at dawn or dusk, when the light is most vivid. Alternatively, photography taken at midday, when the sun is at its peak in the sky, will create a different effect that can also be highly effective by creating stark contrasts with deep shadows.
- Employ points of interest in your composition. This could be a tree standing on the horizon which can make a great silhouette, a distant farmhouse or interesting rock features. This creates a natural focal point in the image and will give your finished product real character.
- Choose your perspective with conscious attention to the details around you. Spend some time exploring the area you want to photograph looking for good locations to take your shot. Areas of higher ground can give you fantastic sweeping panoramas while lower spots can help you to create images with more depth of field. To maximize the effect of the depth of field you can experiment with a slower shutter speed and a smaller aperture which will keep the focus sharp throughout the entire image.
- The sky is one of the most important elements in any landscape photo. If the sky is full of interesting cloud formations or the colors of the sunset for example, then place the horizon on the bottom third of the photograph, however, if the main interest of your photo is on the ground, place the skyline on the upper third.
Types of Landscape Photography.
There are many types of landscape photography but all of the categories of this art form seek to present the larger spaces of our world. When you set out to take landscape photography you should always consider the time of day and the time of year. This will allow you to make use of the natural elements, such as snow and ice in the winter months and vivid green colors in the spring and summer.
Another valuable tool for any modern landscape photographer is post production editing software and filter techniques. Of course some photographers will want to avoid using any post production techniques, however, for those who enjoy using these tools landscape photography can really benefit hugely from this new technology.
- Coastal photography is full of movement that can be used to contrast beautifully with well chosen rock features, jagged cliffs and even gentle beaches. Selecting the weather and conditions is essential and will define the ‘vibe’ of the image. A rough sea with large waves can really express the power of the sea and the natural world while a calm tranquil sea feels more sublime.
- Cityscape photography. Focusing on the amazing skylines of the city center can yield some stunning results. Making use of the bright city lights and powerful horizontal and vertical lines will help to make your photography unique and memorable.
- Mountainscape photography is highly evocative and whether you are working from high up on a range or from a valley the results can be incredible. Sharp snow capped peaks often create interesting cloud formations and during sunrises and sunsets the colors can be spectacular.
- Cloudscapes are a fairly new part of the landscape photography genre but with improved camera equipment and fantastic filters, lens and editing software now widely available the field has been booming and deserves to be included within this art form.
- Desert Landscape Photography captures the harsh desolation of the arid parts of our world, with shifting desert sands, bold rock and mountain formations and vast empty horizons.
- Forest Landscape Photography is a difficult art-form to master but the results are well worth it. It can be hard at first to pick out good focal points while there is so much going in the shot but with clever use of depth, points of interest and the natural intersections of vertical and horizontal lines in a forest scene the finished products are a fascinating exploration of the natural world.
- Seasonal Landscape Photography. Some photographers focus on winter landscapes while there are others who capture all of the changing seasons. Fall time photography is full of wonderfully colored leaves with the underlying sense of nostalgia as the summer draws to its close. Winter photography gives you the chance to make use of snow, ice and the strong contrasts that they bring out in the landscape.
Tips for your Landscape Photography.
- When you are planning for a landscape photography trip always remember to dress appropriately for the weather. If it’s cold make sure to wear warm waterproof clothing and it’s often nice to bring a thermos of some warm tea or coffee! However, as well as protecting yourself from the elements, don’t forget that you will need to protect your camera too so a good camera bag is a must!
- Experiment with time-lapse photography when you can capture the movements of the clouds on the horizon or a great ocean spray as the water crashes against the rocks. This can be difficult to get right but the process of experimentation is fun and will sometimes give you surprising and outstanding results! You can take this to a new level by capturing star trails at night however this will take some time to master and may need special software in post production to get the best results.
- Be adventurous and explore new places to find your landscape photography scenes. Camping out can be one way to extend your trips in the natural world!
Explore the amazing possibilities for self expression using landscape photography.
Landscape Photography is a timeless art-form that can capture the sublime, powerful and dramatic aspects of the world around us allowing you to express your creativity on the largest canvases around!
No matter where you live you can start creating stunning photography using the extremely broad framework of landscape photography. Landscape photography is a great candidate for exhibitions, online photo blogs and sharing on social media, so once you master this art form you will always have an appreciative audience for your work.
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