Landscape Photography
Written by Abin Alex and Anu Joseph.
Abstract
Landscape photography is the art of turning a wide outdoor view into a story, and it begins before the camera is raised. This guide follows the three stages of a landscape: construct, capture and correct the frame. It covers gear, settings, exposure and the histogram, light, composition, scouting and processing, then ends with twelve portfolio themes and a six-picture assignment with an artist statement. Twelve diagrams support each step.
Keywords: Landscape photography; camera settings; golden hour; composition; portfolio
- What is landscape photography?
- What gear does a landscape photographer need?
- Which camera settings suit landscapes?
- How do you get a good exposure?
- How does light shape a landscape?
- How do you compose a landscape?
- How do you scout a location?
- How should you process a landscape?
- Which themes can a landscape portfolio follow?
- What does the portfolio assignment ask for?
What is landscape photography?
Short answer. Photography of outdoor natural surroundings, with broad perspectives and a story.
- Landscape photography focuses on outdoor natural surroundings and broad perspectives, and it expresses a story through the picture rather than only recording beauty.
- A landscape can include rivers, lakes, oceans, buildings and roads. People and animals can appear, but they are not the main subject. They help the viewer judge scale.
- Work in three stages: construct the frame, capture the frame and correct the frame (Figure 1).
Photograph one place three times, once for each stage. Write one line on what you decided at each stage.
A wide establishing shot works the same way: it places the story in a setting.
Cham tipDecide the story before you raise the camera.
Cham taskWrite a 40-word plan for one landscape before you shoot it.
Check yourself: What are the three stages?
Construct, capture and correct the frame.
What gear does a landscape photographer need?
Short answer. A camera with a large sensor, a few lenses, a tripod and two filters.
- Gear is not the most important factor. Light, composition and processing matter more (McKinnell, 2016).
- Cameras fall into point-and-shoot, DSLR and mirrorless types. For image quality, sensor size matters more than megapixels (McKinnell, 2016) (Figure 2).
- Lens quality shapes sharpness, contrast and detail more than the camera body does. Three zooms covering 10 to 210 mm are a practical start (McKinnell, 2016) (Figure 3).
- A sturdy tripod is essential for sunrise, twilight and long exposures. Check its load capacity with your heaviest lens (McKinnell, 2016).
- A circular polarizing filter removes reflections and glare and deepens a blue sky. A neutral density filter lets you use a slow shutter in bright light (McKinnell, 2016).
Photograph the same scene at 18 mm and at 55 mm. Describe how the space changes.
Lens choice changes the look of a film frame in the same way.
Cham tipSpend on lenses and a tripod before a new body.
Cham taskList the gear you own and the one item that limits you most.
Check yourself: Why use a polarizing filter?
It removes glare and reflections and deepens blue sky.
Which camera settings suit landscapes?
Short answer. RAW, aperture priority, evaluative metering and single-shot focus.
- Shoot in RAW. It is an uncompressed digital negative that gives you the most to work with when you process (McKinnell, 2016).
- Aperture priority lets you choose the depth of field and lets the camera set the shutter speed. For grand landscapes use about f/11 to f/18 so the foreground and background are sharp. For one sharp subject use f/4 or f/5.6 (McKinnell, 2016).
- Another source suggests starting around f/8, f/11 to f/16 for foreground-to-background sharpness, and ISO 100 to 400. Figure 4 shows how the sharp zone widens as the opening gets smaller.
- Evaluative metering reads the whole frame and suits most scenes. Use spot metering when the scene has very dark or very bright areas (McKinnell, 2016).
- Single-shot autofocus focuses once and locks. Continuous modes suit moving subjects such as wildlife (McKinnell, 2016).
Shoot one scene at three apertures from a tripod. Compare how much of it is sharp.
Depth of field is a cinematography tool too. Wide-open lenses isolate; stopped-down lenses show the world.
Cham tipPick the aperture for the depth you want, then let the camera do the rest.
Cham taskWrite down your default landscape settings and why.
Check yourself: Which mode lets you set the aperture and leaves the shutter to the camera?
Aperture priority.
How do you get a good exposure?
Short answer. Balance aperture, shutter speed and ISO, and avoid blown highlights.
- Good exposure balances aperture, shutter speed and ISO so that no area is blown out. Blown highlights cannot be repaired in processing (McKinnell, 2016).
- Read the histogram. Dark tones sit on the left and bright tones on the right. Only worry if the graph spikes against the right edge (McKinnell, 2016) (Figure 5).
- Keep ISO low, around 100. If more light is needed, slow the shutter and use a tripod. Below about 1/100 s, a tripod is needed (McKinnell, 2016). Another rule of thumb is to use a tripod when the shutter is slower than 1 over the focal length.
- If the picture is too bright, use exposure compensation to reduce it (McKinnell, 2016).
- The sensor records a narrower range of tones than the eye sees. Squint at the scene: squinting removes detail from the shadows and shows roughly how the contrast will record. Direct sun usually exceeds what the sensor can hold, while cloud lowers the contrast (Child and Galer, 2008, p. 20).
Shoot a bright sky scene and check the histogram. Lower the exposure until the spike leaves the edge.
Filmmakers watch a waveform for the same reason: to protect highlights.
Cham tipProtect the highlights first. Shadows can be lifted.
Cham taskPhotograph one high-contrast scene and keep the histogram off the right edge.
Check yourself: What does a spike on the right edge mean?
Blown highlights.
How does light shape a landscape?
Short answer. Direction and time of day change texture, mood and contrast.
- Light matters as much as subject. Move around your subject to change its direction (McKinnell, 2016) (Figure 6).
- Sidelight emphasises texture and shape and is often the most pleasing. Backlight gives glow or a silhouette. Front light can look flat, except at low sun. Diffused light on overcast days is soft and low in contrast (McKinnell, 2016).
- Golden hour, just after sunrise and before sunset, gives warm, soft light and long shadows. Midday light is harsh (Siskin, 2011, p. 10; Child and Galer, 2008, p. 18) (Figure 7).
- Arrive about an hour before golden hour to choose your setup.
- When the sun is low you can choose the mood by controlling the amount, quality and position of the shadows. Colours are often rich, and morning mist can add a great deal of mood (Child and Galer, 2008, p. 18).
Photograph one hill at sunrise, midday and sunset. Describe the mood of each.
Cinematographers schedule shoots around the same light windows.
Cham tipPlan the shoot around the light, not the other way round.
Cham taskMake a one-page light plan for a place near you.
Check yourself: Which light best shows texture?
Sidelight.
How do you compose a landscape?
Short answer. Thirds, symmetry, leading lines and a foreground element.
- The rule of thirds divides the frame into a three by three grid. Put the horizon on the top or bottom line and subjects on a line or intersection (McKinnell, 2016).
- A centred horizon gives sky and land equal weight. Symmetry places the centre of the subject in the middle and works well with reflections (McKinnell, 2016) (Figure 8).
- Leading lines, such as roads, rivers and shorelines, draw the eye into the picture. Include foreground, midground and background to build depth (McKinnell, 2016; REI, n.d.) (Figure 9).
- A strong foreground element helps rebuild the sense of depth that a flat picture loses (McKinnell, 2016).
Compose one scene with the horizon on the lower third, then on the upper third. Note which supports the story.
The same layering gives depth to a film frame.
Cham tipFind the foreground first. It gives the picture an entry point.
Cham taskMake three compositions of one scene using thirds, symmetry and a leading line.
Check yourself: What do leading lines do?
They draw the eye into the picture and toward the subject.
How do you scout a location?
Short answer. Research it, map it, visit it and check the light.
- Research the place online to see what scenes it offers, then map specific spots so you know how to reach them (McKinnell, 2016).
- Visit in person and walk around looking for compositions. Midday, when light is harsh, is a good time to scout (McKinnell, 2016).
- Use a sun and moon planning app to learn sunrise, sunset and moonrise times and directions. The Photographer's Ephemeris is one example (McKinnell, 2016) (Figure 10).
- Know your gear before the trip and scout at different times of day if you can.
Scout a nearby spot at midday. Mark where the sun will be at sunrise and sunset.
A location recce does the same job before a film shoot.
Cham tipScout in harsh light, shoot in good light.
Cham taskWrite a scouting note for one location: access, view, sun direction.
Check yourself: When can you scout?
Midday, when light is too harsh to shoot.
How should you process a landscape?
Short answer. Adjust a RAW file with a few careful changes.
- Processing is part of digital photography. A dull, grey picture usually means it has not been processed (McKinnell, 2016).
- Common adjustments are white balance, contrast, vibrance and saturation, sharpening, noise reduction and cropping (McKinnell, 2016) (Figure 11).
- A little processing goes a long way when composition and light are strong (McKinnell, 2016).
Process one RAW file with only the six adjustments in Figure 11. Compare with the original.
Colour grading in film follows the same idea: shape the look, do not invent it.
Cham tipFix the picture, then stop.
Cham taskWrite down which two adjustments changed your picture most.
Check yourself: Name three common adjustments.
Any of white balance, contrast, vibrance, sharpening, noise reduction, cropping.
Which themes can a landscape portfolio follow?
Short answer. Twelve themes, from hidden gems to timeless beauty.
- A portfolio uses one theme to link its pictures into a story. Table 1 lists twelve themes, and Figure 12 lays them out.
- You may propose your own theme if the instructor approves it in advance.
| Theme | What to photograph |
|---|---|
| Hidden gems | Lesser-known or secluded landscapes |
| Cultural crossroads | Where culture and landscape meet |
| Elemental wonders | Earth, water, fire or air |
| Abstract landscapes | The essence of a place, not a literal view |
| Minimalism in nature | The beauty of simplicity |
| Reflections | Water bodies and their reflections |
| Erosion and decay | Effects of natural processes |
| Urban versus rural | A contrast in one series |
| Nightscapes | Landscapes under the stars |
| Wildlife habitat | Landscapes where animals live |
| Human interaction with nature | People and the natural world |
| Timeless beauty | Timelessness and nostalgia |
Table 1. Twelve landscape portfolio themes.
Pick a theme and list six scenes for it.
A theme is to a portfolio what a premise is to a film.
Cham tipChoose a theme you can return to many times.
Cham taskChoose a theme and write why it suits a place you know.
Check yourself: Who approves a theme of your own?
The instructor, in advance.
What does the portfolio assignment ask for?
Short answer. A series of 5 to 7 edited photographs with an artist statement.
- Submit a series of 5 to 7 edited photographs that best represent your theme. Check exposure, composition, depth of field and light, and avoid distractions.
- Each picture should add to one narrative. Plan locations, times, conditions and any filters or lenses before you go.
- Write an artist statement of 250 to 300 words on the theme, your technique and your message. Include a headline, summary, introduction, body and conclusion, and add a caption and cutline to each image.
- Submit original work only. Unauthorised use of images has serious academic consequences. Read the Photojournalism guide for caption and cutline form.
Draft the statement first. Then shoot to fit it.
A treatment comes before the shoot in film for the same reason.
Cham tipWrite the statement before you shoot.
Cham taskComplete one portfolio of six images and a 250-word statement.
Check yourself: How long is the artist statement?
250 to 300 words.
Questions beginners ask
What camera settings suit landscape photography?
Shoot RAW in aperture priority at around f/8 to f/16, keep ISO low (100 to 400), use single-shot autofocus and use a tripod when the shutter is slow.
What is the best light for landscapes?
Golden hour after sunrise and before sunset gives warm, soft light. Sidelight shows texture best, and midday light is harsh.
Why use a tripod for landscapes?
It lets you use low ISO and slow shutter speeds at sunrise, twilight and for long exposures.
What filters do landscape photographers use?
A circular polarizing filter for glare and sky, and a neutral density filter for long exposures in bright light.
What is a landscape photography portfolio?
A series of connected pictures that follows one theme and tells a story, with an artist statement.
References
- Child, J. and Galer, M. (2008) Photographic lighting: essential skills. 4th edn. Oxford: Focal Press.
- McKinnell, A. (2016) The Ultimate Guide to Landscape Photography. Digital Photography School. Available at: http://digital-photography-school.com/ultimate-guide-landscape-photography (Accessed: 1 November 2026).
- REI (n.d.) How to take great landscape photos. Available at: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/how-to-take-great-landscape-photos.html (Accessed: 1 November 2026).
- Siskin, J. (2011) Understanding and controlling strobe lighting: a guide for digital photographers. Buffalo, NY: Amherst Media.
Further reading
- Hirsch, R. (2008) Light and lens: photography in the digital age. Burlington, MA: Focal Press.
- Langford, M. and Bilissi, E. (2011) Langford's advanced photography. 8th edn. Oxford: Focal Press.
How to cite this guide. Alex, A., & Joseph, A. (2026). Landscape photography: A guide for photographers and cinematographers. Creative Hut Academy. https://creativehut.org/library/landscape-photography/
Make this your craft at Creative Hut Academy
Creative Hut Academy in Mattakkara, Kottayam, Kerala teaches photography, cinematography, editing, sound and AI filmmaking in one-year residential diplomas. Students come from across India.
Want to talk? Message us on WhatsApp, or ask Cham, our AI mentor, a study doubt.