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Tips To Improve Your Landscape Pictures

By Autumn Lockwood

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 04Oct2010
Word count: 637
Viewed: 194 time(s)

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Taking great landscape pictures can seem so easy compared to shooting action photography or taking pictures of children or animals. However, any photographer that's lugged their equipment to the top of a beautiful vista only to end up with sub-par photos can tell you that there's a lot more to great landscape photography than simply showing up. Here are a few things you can to do to get beautiful landscape pictures.

Focus On the Detail

With landscape photography it's all about the details. The more detail you can capture in your image, the better it's often going to look. Try to use the highest F Stop number as much as possible (22 on most cameras) because detail and depth of field are both increased by longer exposure times. This will let in more light into the camera and give you more options for exposing the film. If you want to use a slower ISO film (around 100) this will also pull in more detail but be careful as slow films may not be the best for all lighting situations.

Hold 'em Steady

While slower shutter speeds will add to your detail and depth of field, lengthening the exposure time has its own risks. Even the most steady-handed of photographers begin to run the risk of hand "shake" blur at a shutter speed of about 125, so skip this headache altogether and mount your camera on a tripod, sandbag, or flat rock. If you're using the bulb setting on your camera or a super slow shutter speed you may also want to consider getting a cable release. A cable release will help prevent the image from being ruined because of your hand movements pushing the shutter button.

Find a Focal Point

Picture an empty room with no windows- pretty boring isn't it? Just like any other picture, you need a subject in your landscape picture to make it interesting. Whatever kind of landscape you're shooting, make sure that the image has some sort of focal point and is framed accordingly. Just because you aim your camera at a beautiful mountain, it doesn't mean you're going to automatically get a great picture. Think of the "story" of each photograph, and try to tell it in the frame.

Always Have Your Camera Ready

Unfortunately, as a landscape photographer, you don't have the option of scheduling the perfect shot or creating the perfect lighting when you want it. You have to be able to work with factors outside of your control and take advantage of them on a moments notice. Photographs taken in the early morning hours are much different than those taken near dusk, and those beautiful thunderstorm clouds outside your window aren't going to stick around while you decide whether or not you feel like shooting. If you want to take incredible landscape photographs, it's a good idea to keep your gear bag packed by the door in case something interesting starts happening outside.

Be Patient

Though it seems almost the opposite of being ready to run out the door at a moment's notice, understand that landscape photography can require an immense amount of patience. Every fascinating picture captured by a landscape photographer's lens, will often never be seen the same way again so you often have to be willing to wait it out.

So it should be no surprise that landscape photography can be deceptively complex. It seems that all a landscape photographer would need is a camera and some nice scenery, however, a good photographer really needs a bit more. A photographer needs the right equipment, a patient mindset plus an understanding of how the time, weather and photo composition all come into play into creating an outstanding image. With those few things, you'll have everything you need to start taking quality landscape pictures.

Autumn Lockwood is a writer for Your Picture Frames. Shop online and see our selection of vintage picture frames in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and colors. Visit our website and see our unique vintage picture frames or call 1-800-780-0699.

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