CREATING LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY COMPOSITIONS WITH IMPACT

Ideally, the toolkit of the landscape photographer would have a flexible focal length, be limited in size and weight and cover the needs for several types of landscape photography.

- Rémi Bergougnoux

Composition of any type of photography can be very subjective and is often up to the eye of the photographer. Landscape photography is no exception.

However, there are some rules to follow in order to ensure that a photograph has a good balance and a proper visual impact for the viewer. Understanding gear and techniques are equally important to achieve great results. This article will provide useful gear to use, techniques to master, and reveals 8 tips to help you create more impactful landscape photographs.

GEAR

Ideally, the toolkit of the landscape photographer would have a flexible focal length, be limited in size and weight and cover the needs for several types of landscape photography.

Beyond the camera, it should ideally include at least three zoom lenses including a very wide angle lens such as a 14-24 mm on full frame, a middle range lens with a focal range 24-70 mm and a telephoto lens with a focal range of 70-200 mm.

Shooting with primes is possible, but limits the flexibility offered by zooms significantly. Having more reach could be practical too, however, the weight, size and frequency of use of a longer lens does not generally make it worth carrying.

A tripod is indispensable for shooting in low light environments (such as sunrises or sunsets) or for long exposures.

Filters are also handy in certain lighting situations or for long exposures. A flexible and useful set of filters to own would include an ND 64, ND 1000 and a polarizer. Graduated neutral density filters can also be useful, but not mandatory, when shooting in an environment where the light difference between the background and the foreground is significant.