google.com, pub-1091130435113613, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0
top of page
Jul 15, 20222 min read

6 Rules of Landscape photography


Landscape photography is a popular genre for new photographers, but what are the rules of landscape photography? Well in this article we are going to be talking about my top 6 rules for capturing amazing landscape scenes. Are you ready? Let’s get started



1.     Get Close

A great landscape has something in the foreground, mid-ground and background. But many landscape photographers use wide angle lenses which make everything appear further away, so to get something in the foreground you need to get close to whatever that subject is.


Pinnacles National Park in Western Australia
To make the pinnacle in this image appear big and prominent I was standing only about a meter away from it.

2.     Find a different perspective

Most amateur photographers tend to just shoot from eye level. But if you get low or shoot from above you can add another level to the image.


Wind farm in the Atherton Tablelands
This photo was taken from a hot air balloon, providing a perspective that no-one else will be able to get.

3.     Use a big Depth of Field

Depth of field is what controls how much of the image is in focus. A big depth of field means that you will get everything in focus. Generally, this is what you want with landscape photography.


Whynabell Landscape
Using a big Depth of Field for this photo allowed me to get the grass in the foreground and the hills in the background in focus.

4.     Shoot in bad weather

I know that most people love a clear blue sky and I do love how a blue sky can contrast against a green hill, but stormy days have much more feeling and tone to them. So grab an umbrella and get out on these days too.


Mossman storm
Shooting this scene as a storm rolled in created a very moody effect.

5.     Only carry what you need

It might be tempting to take all of your lenses and a big heavy tripod with you to your location. But sometimes you have to hike a long way to get the shot you want and carrying all that equipment can be tough. So, limit yourself to just a couple of key lenses and ask yourself if you really need that tripod.


Mount Sorrow
The hike to the top of this mountain was very difficult and therefore carrying too much equipment was not an option.

6.     Be Patient

The weather has a big effect on landscape photography, and you never know what it is going to do. Get to your site early and stay late to see how the light and the weather changes. You may even have to visit a site multiple times before you get that perfect shot.


Balancing Rock Starburst
For this shot I had to wait for the sun to come into the perfect postion.

So, there we have it my top 6 rules for landscape photography. If you want to learn any more about these rules, please let me know in the comments.


Remember in photography rules are there to be broken, so don’t be afraid to experiment with your settings.



Comments

bottom of page