Travel Photography How To

Some photographers think all that’s involved is a decision to frame a scene in either a vertical or horizontal orientation. But as you’ll see in the tutorial below, there’s much more that factors into the equation. One is creative cropping, and another is whether to modify the native aspect ratio of the camera you use—which varies from one model to another.

Most landscape photographers’ weapon of choice is a wide-angle lens—typically in the range of 24-35mm. But if you’re lucky enough to own an ultra-wide lens, and know how to use it properly, it’s possible to capture truly breathtaking photos of expansive vistas.

If you’re just getting started in landscape photography, welcome to the club! You definitely have a lot to learn, but don’t feel intimidated because expanding one’s skills is part of the fun.

So you have a bit extra cash to spend on photo gear, and you’re about to go shopping. Before you do we want to remind you of something we’ve stressed in the past; namely, it often makes far more sense to upgrade your optics than it does to invest in a new camera.

Camera technology these days is amazing; it’s practically magic. The problem, though, to my way of thinking and photographing, is that the magic offers a very wide and deep comfort zone—you might call it a zone of automatic decisions, and it’s probably best not to spend a lot of time there, certainly not if you want to create individualistic images.

In today’s mobile-obsessed society there’s one thing we carry with us at all times (even if we forget to bring our wallet). And that’s the smartphone we use for everything from checking the weather, keeping up to date on social media, and taking photos when a “real” camera isn’t available. Some folks even use their phones to make telephone calls.

If you’re just getting started in landscape photography, or could use a quick refresher, the tutorial below will quickly help improve your skills. You’ll learn a bunch of camera settings and techniques that are responsible for the beautiful imagery captured by one of our favorite instructors.