Nature Photography How To

Landscape photographers often shoot at smaller apertures to increase depth of field in their images. But while that technique can deliver an “acceptable” zone of sharpness in both the foreground and background, there’s a better approach if what you’re striving for are spectacular images in which acceptable isn’t good enough.

Michael Breitung is a freelance landscape photographer, and in the video below he explains why small apertures often increase depth of field at the expense of image quality. He demonstrates a focus-stacking approach that delivers images with maximum depth without increasing diffraction and sacrificing quality.

This focus-stacking approach involves shooting multiple images of the same scene with some shots focused on the foreground, others on the background and a few in between. Breitung demonstrates the proper technique using medium apertures to maximize image quality, and then he explains the simple process of merging the various images in Photoshop to arrive at a stunning result.

You can find more shooting and editing tips on Breitung’s YouTube channel, and be sure to watch another tutorial of his we shared recently explaining how to captures dramatic seascapes of waves crashing ashore.