How to start shooting moody woodland landscape photographs

A woodland can be bewildering at first approach with a camera: you cannot see the wood for the trees, literally. They make for a busy and intense scene where it can be difficult to know where to look for a shot. Almost certainly the best place to start is by going on a few scouting missions – so do them locally, if possible.

Travel light, go with no expectations, and tune in to the environment – habituate the eye to space and light. I guarantee you will find some scenes with potential to return to. Work the edges of the woodland first. Looking into the wood can often reap rewards and is an easier way to spot compositions, especially if you haven’t shot this genre before.

Once you’ve found a scene, give it some time by checking out various angles and taking reference shots, so you are fully prepared when the conditions are right. You may not capture any shots you wish to keep on your first outing. It could happen, as anywhere, but I suggest that it will take some time and several visits to develop a feel for the task.

Check weather conditions

As one can see here, fog or mist is an essential ingredient in the majority of my atmospheric woodland images. These conditions are not only essential to create mood, but also help dramatically when it comes to picking out compositions and isolating subjects of interest. The time of day is also key. For my own images, I prefer the softer muted light of blue hour, especially when the objective is mood.

Of course, there are other ways to isolate subjects, like using fast lenses wide open to create a shallow depth of field, but if you want that atmosphere, head out on those misty days.

Research locations for moody landscape photography

There are several places I enjoy shooting and exploring when I want to try and create atmospheric images.

The first is Wistman’s Wood in Devon. It’s an amazing location and one that every photographer who likes to shoot woodland should visit at least once. It’s very small and can be extremely difficult to shoot and negotiate your way around, but if you get lucky with the conditions it really is a magical place.

The second spot is Haldon Forest in Devon – a place I’m only just finding my way around. It has massive potential and I’m hopeful I will shoot some keepers there this year. The wood itself has an abundance of various species from gnarly oak to silver birch, providing great variety and endless opportunities for photography.

Another great Devon location is Churston Woods. There are a few small woodlands close to my home and on the rare occasion there is fog locally I will head to Churston Woods. (There are also some nice trees on the local golf course, which I have shot in some thick fog, after seeking permission from a greenkeeper.)

Camera equipment and accessories

My typical woodland set-up has recently changed, as I’ve collected a few old Nikkor AIS lenses. I currently use a Nikon Z 7 and FTZ adapter with 50mm f/1.2 AIS, 85mm f/2 AIS, 105mm f/2.5 AIS and 135mm f/2.8 AIS lenses; a 3 Legged Thing Winston tripod with Zelda L-Bracket; another 3 Legged Thing tripod; Vanguard Alta Sky 51D bag; Kase Polariser; and Nikon cable release.

You can also check out this list of the best cameras and lenses for landscape photography.

How to process moody woodland landscape photography

When it comes to processing, we all have our own style. Over the past two to three years mine has changed dramatically, as I’ve been inspired by various photographers. For me, the most important thing is to experiment and get a feel for the type of image I want to create, using the sliders to see how they affect an image. Don’t be scared to push the colours in a direction that suits your tastes.

As my Mystical series was all shot during the blue hour, I really wanted to emphasise that soft blue light. I did this by using a mixture of tweaking the Colour temperature and Split tones. I’ve also added a fair bit of noise to the images, which were originally shot between 100-800 ISO – this is just something I liked at the time as I felt it added to the mood of the image.

Finally, I flattened the tones slightly using curves and desaturated. I feel the end results really represent how I visualised the scenes in my mind when I was there shooting.

Why it works

‘Follow the Light’ was shot near Pixie Land in a small pine woodland as the mist was clearing. The light at the time was coming from my right-hand side and it really did bring the scene to life. I’m particularly pleased with the composition of this image and how the light and the soft mist creates depth and a clear passage to guide the viewer’s eye through.

In my opinion, both the colour and black & white work particularly well for this image, which isn’t always the case. Having said that, I’d slightly favour the monochrome – I feel the textures and tones in the mono really draw you into the frame.

Top tips for shooting moody landscape photographs

Simplify the scene

I’ve learnt from trial and error that certain elements within a scene will only cause distraction. I avoid large gaps in the tree canvas, which can often be very contrasty even in good conditions. Venturing out in thick fog or mist is the easiest way to isolate a subject, and it’s often easier to find isolated trees on the edges of a wood.

Shoot what you see

Approaching a wood with an eye for a photograph can seem almost ominous at first. The density of life in there can be overwhelming to the eyes looking for a photograph. Better to stop, pay attention to, and breathe in the surroundings for a while to attune your vision and soak up the atmosphere.

You’ll start to notice light, shapes, angles and who knows what? There is no perfect scene. What catches your eye and gets you keen to shoot will be something unique to you in that moment – when it comes. Keep an open mind before discounting any scenes and, above all, enjoy the time you take there among the trees. Great photos will follow!

Try shooting at blue-hour

The soft light at the blue hour is my favourite time of day. While I can appreciate some people prefer the golden hour for shooting, I’d advise those people to go out a little earlier and try shooting when the light starts to break through. The subtle light of the blue hour really can be magical in a woodland. Combine it with some mist or fog and you’re onto a winner!

Find a focal point

It’s quite common to find a different-shaped tree or even a different species of tree that breaks the uniformity that surrounds it. There are also other elements that can work in a woodland scene – maybe the placement of a lone figure or a man-made element. This forestry logging machine in woodland on Dartmoor made a great subject.

Embrace imperfections

When I shoot woodland I’m not looking to get a clean sharp image over 100% of the frame. Often imperfections, higher ISO (grain/noise) and shallow depth of field can add to the mystery and mood of a photograph, in my opinion. I shot this scene with various different apertures but settled on the slightly softer look of shooting wide open.

Look for small scenes

Sometimes it’s best to look beyond a full scene and look at the closer details. Using a slightly longer prime lens and using the viewfinder to look around a scene can often help when I struggle to find wider landscape shots. Taking this approach can often help to focus on the details and eliminate the distractions that can often be prevalent in larger scenes.

How to navigate moody woodland landscapes

1. Scout your area It’s often best to scout a location several times before taking your full list of equipment.
2. On the outside Resist the temptation to walk straight into a woodland. It’s often easier to spot scenes or areas of interest while looking into the woodland from the outside.
3. Take your time Shooting woodland can be daunting, so don’t rush straight in. It will take time to get your eye in so walk slowly and enjoy your surroundings.
4. Be inspired I often look for inspiration and enjoy viewing images from masterful photographers I follow on social media. There are so many talented UK landscape photographers who shoot beautiful woodland scenes.
5. Know the direction of the light Even with flat light or mist I find it useful to know where the light is coming from when I shoot a particular scene I’ve scouted. I tend to prefer shooting in a backlit scene or with sidelight to add drama.
6. Compose your scene Don’t just look with your eyes; sometimes it’s also a good idea to look through the viewfinder. Even if you’re not sure of a scene there’s sometimes something there when viewed through the camera.
7. Lens choice I’ve found shooting with a focal length between 35mm and 100mm to be most common within my photographs. I often walk around with a 24-70mm, but I very rarely shoot wider than 35mm.
8. Get out there and try Many people avoid woodland because they have been led to believe that it’s one of the more difficult landscape genres. I, for one, have embraced the challenge over the past few years and have found it to be very enjoyable and rewarding.
9. Experiment with processing Over the years I’ve learnt Lightroom and Photoshop by experimenting! It’s important to create your own vision in photography, and through years of watching countless YouTube tutorials and experimenting, I am more confident in producing an image I envisaged from the shoot. Split toning is a great place to start, but don’t be scared to use the HSL colour sliders and really experiment until you reach your own vision.
10. Stay safe Try going to a new woodland with a friend or tell people where you’re going.

Kit list for moody woodland landscape photography

• Cable remote You’ll often shoot moody images in darker conditions so the shutter speed can be a few seconds. A remote will help eliminate any shake; the other option is to use the timer on your camera.
• Polariser Wet leaves and damp tree bark can often cause distracting highlights even in the softest light. Controlling the highlights is made easy by using a rotating polariser – a great accessory when shooting moody woodland.
• Tripod Keeping your camera stable while shooting longer exposures in near-dark conditions is a necessity. I use a tripod that can extend to my own eye level and can also be adjusted to shoot only inches from the ground. This helps me shoot at any angle.

Neil Burnell is a multi-award-winning photographer from Devon. He studied art and photography at college in the early 1990s and pursued a career in graphic design and marketing. It’s only in the last five years that he has rediscovered his passion for photography and is particularly drawn to the atmospheric landscape, woodland and seascape scenes.

Featured image: ‘Tangle’ shot at Wistman’s Wood in Devon. Nikon Z 7, 24-70mm lens, 1/10sec at f/5.6, ISO 64.

Read more

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A guide to night landscape photography

Best lenses for landscape photography in 2025: our picks of wide-angle zooms

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Professional landscape astrophotographer Josh Dury

Josh Dury Photo-Media is a recognised award-winning professional landscape astrophotographer, presenter, speaker and writer from the Mendip Hills in Somerset. His work is recognised by major publishing and media outlets, including the BBC, ITV and CNN amongst others. See more of his work at www.joshduryphoto-media.com

When planning to photograph the night sky, we first need to consider what is happening above our heads. The weather, as we know in the UK, can be unpredictable due to the jet stream and weather systems across the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, we need to be prepared to photograph our subjects either in advance or at the last minute.

It is always good to have a number of weather apps to obtain an average for what is happening in the night sky over the coming days and weeks. I tend to use the BBC Weather, Met Office and Ventusky apps.

ILCE-7SM2 · f/1.8 · 1/1s · 14mm · ISO8000

I usually try to plan for a clear sky that avoids any chances of clouds obscuring my shots. It depends on the photographer as to what you capture, but at the same time, clouds can lend some perspective and dynamism to your images. It depends on the subject and narrative you want to achieve.

Light pollution and surrounds

Next, we consider the impact of light pollution from our nearby towns and cities. There are a number of good light pollution maps out there, which indicate the strength of light pollution from your location.

Light Pollution Map or LPM, is a good app for measuring the light pollution of your area and shows the effect of artificial light at night, both nationwide and globally. In astronomical terms, this is measured on the Bortle Scale – this is a numeric scale from 1 to 9, with (1) being measured as ‘dark skies’ and (9) as severely ‘light polluted’. Try to find a location which is as dark as possible so you can observe details of greater clarity within the night sky.

Owing to the nature of my work, light pollution has made me very aware of the environments I photograph. It’s made me consider the scale of the impact it has, and appreciate and protect the dark skies we have left. For example, the Mendip Hills have recently become a Super National Nature Reserve in The King’s Series and I have become a partner of The Mendip Hills AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) to raise public awareness of dark skies.

ILCE-7SM2 · f/1.8 · 1/0s · 14mm · ISO2500

Celestial events

There are a number of different books and resources you can use to research and plan astronomical events throughout the year; from smartphone apps to online and physical resources. AuroraWatch, UK, the Aurora app, and Space Weather Live, are good apps for predicting the northern lights.

Since the age of seven, I have been able to navigate myself around the night sky. Therefore, I believe for astrophotography, it is really important to be connected with your subject, to understand what is happening in the environment around you and above your head. Whether that be recognising the major stars and constellations, to locating the galactic core of the Milky Way.

We have a series of celestial events, including meteor showers, eclipses and potential comets on the horizon. So, it’s always good to plan ahead for these dynamic celestial events. Nowadays, it is even possible to predict when the northern lights or ‘aurora borealis’ are visible from the UK.

As we reach solar maximum by the year 2025, the sun will increase in activity and sightings of the northern lights are becoming more apparent and is worth looking ahead if skies remain clear.

Josh’s Top Tips for Starry Night Astrophotography Shots

New locations

ILCE-7SM2 · f/1.8 · 1/0s · 14mm · ISO4000

Have a go at shooting different locations and see what the results yield. When photographing different areas, the contrast of the night sky is very noticeable. See what areas work best for you. You might be surprised that some of the most photographed locations are severely impacted by light pollution.

Astrophotography techniques

You may wish to tell the narrative somewhat differently by deploying a series of astrophotographic techniques, including star trails. These often result in abstract, timeless images, which can complement lend itself with the backdrop of your subject matter and colours of distant starlight.

ILCE-7SM2 · f/1.8 · 1/0s · 14mm · ISO2000

What’s in the night sky?

The night sky is always changing so why not have a go trying to photograph different celestial targets throughout the year? The moon is always an enjoyable photographic target with its lunar phases changing every single day and making for some dramatic moonrises at the time of the full moon.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III · f/11 · 1/4s · 1200mm · ISO400

Keep up to date

Technology has really expanded in the past few years for astrophotography. With the Sun reaching solar maximum in 2025, why not have a go trying to spot the northern lights? Use the latest apps to predict when aurora may be visible from the fringes of the United Kingdom.

iPhone 13 Pro Max · f/1.5 · 1/1s · 5.7mm · ISO6400

Enjoy the darkness

Most importantly, enjoy the few dark sky places we have left. Luckily for astrophotographers, there are protected, designated areas that allow us to enjoy the true beauty of the night sky in all its entirety. But most importantly, this makes us appreciate the windows we have left on the open universe.

ILCE-7SM2 · f/1.8 · 1/0s · 14mm · ISO2500

Astrophotography equipment set-up

Your equipment set-up is the most important element when taking photographs of the night sky and the battle with light pollution. Make sure you use a sturdy tripod. I often recommend an aluminium tripod because they are durable, yet lightweight and less susceptible to stronger wind conditions when shooting at night.

Also, think about the compactness of your equipment. Think about when you travel out on a shoot, how much equipment do you want to take with you? How long does it take to walk to your location? Do you need to plan a route when walking through landscapes at night?

Personally, I like to shoot with as limited equipment as possible. This makes my compact camera set-up of the Sony A7S II and Sigma 14mm Art lens beneficial when travelling on foot to my desired location.

Shooting with a remote shutter release cable also makes it beneficial to reduce any sudden camera shake when releasing your camera’s shutter. We need to preserve as many details as possible when it comes to photographing the stars, and so taking your images from a distance helps to minimise camera shake.

ILCE-7SM2 · f/1.8 · 1/0s · 14mm · ISO6400

Trial and error

The most important advice I have been given is to embrace trial and error. Use the equipment you already have. Everyone’s photographic set-up is going to be different so it’s important to become familiar with your camera and understand what you can achieve with different settings and adjustments.

This will push you to see how you can take it with your equipment. Sometimes, photographers are unsuccessful, and other times they are rewarded. The most important consideration is to persevere with your astrophotography set-up and keep shooting.

On location, you may decide to shoot differently from what you initially intended. For example, you may wish to shoot portrait orientation as opposed to landscape if the Milky Way feels more prominent.

At other times, weather conditions may change how you shoot. Instead of catching long exposures for star trails as an example, you may shoot for shorter periods of time when capturing details in the spiral arms of the Milky Way.

As you become more familiar with your set-up, your camera becomes an extension of you, and how you and your camera react to your subjects and environment as you become at one with the universe.

ILCE-7SM2 · f/1.8 · 1/0s · 14mm · ISO6400

10 steps for shooting astrophotography

1. Tripod: set up your tripod on level ground for sturdiness. Once your camera is attached, check the tripod adapter is tight to your camera to prevent it from sliding when capturing your images.

2. Torchlight: it is advised to use a red torch, not only to preserve your night vision but for ease of use when setting up your camera in dark environments.

3. Liveview: use the live view feature: on your camera, if it has one, and the tripod’s bubble level to aid composition. Don’t forget to zoom in to check for distractions, including along the edges of the frame.

4. Focus to infinity: To preserve as many foreground and background details in your shot as possible, set your focus to infinity to ensure stars are in focus.

5. Fine-tune: Sometimes, it might be necessary to fine-tune your focus using the live view function on your camera or by temporarily lighting up your subject.

6. White balance: set a neutral white balance in the region of 4000 to 5000 Kelvin; this may vary at the time of shooting depending on weather conditions and the phase of the moon.

7. File format: I tend to shoot RAW files to obtain the highest data acquisition from my shots. It also means I have more scope in post-production for adjustments.

8. Interval shooting: when you are confident your subject is in focus and composed as you require, set your shutter release to take images at set intervals. A good starting point is an 8-second exposure.

9. Aperture: keep your aperture as wide as possible, f/4 or wider, and aim for an ISO value between 1600 and 5000. Experiment with your settings to suit your preferences.

10. Shoot: You are ready to take a test exposure! Fire the shutter and see what your results are like. If required, make minor adjustments to your settings or composition as desired.

Aurora in Southern England

To witness the northern lights from the iconic landmark of Glastonbury Tor was something of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Owing to the unpredictable nature of the aurora borealis, it was something of a rarity to be able to see it from the extremities of southern England, let alone photograph it.

In the build up to capturing this photo, a strong solar wind was predicted to hit climbing the Tor at 3 am on a Monday morning. When shooting at f/1.4, the passing clouds were lit up by the lights of Glastonbury below. This proved to be a challenging, yet evocative image, balancing the lightshow of mother nature and our own creation of artificial light at night.

Related reading:

• Best cameras for astrophotography
• Best lenses for astrophotography
• Astrophotography in Tenerife

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The post Complete guide to Astrophotography – Window to the universe appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Why shoot landscapes in monochrome? It’s a reasonable question. Why not instead exploit the capabilities of a modern sensor and shoot in glorious colour? To me, the answer is not a technical one. I find there is an undefinable quality about black and white images that I just don’t get from an image that was shot at sunrise or sunset and packed with super-juiced post production primary colours.

It’s a good idea to bookmark for later this guide to some of the best software for black and white editing. There is a new version of the Nik Collection from DxO, for instance, which includes some great improvements to the local adjustment tools. As I will discuss later, one of the best tools for black & white editing is Silver Efex.

Black & white imagery is not for everyone. A client said bluntly at a recent workshop, “I don’t do black & white” – fair enough, but I feel they are missing out on an incredibly creative aspect of photography. The days of starting out by mixing chemicals in the bathroom, sticking bin bags across the window to achieve blackout, an enlarger precariously perched on a stool and prints being washed in the bath are probably consigned to the past, but processing your own black & white negatives and then printing them really concentrated the creative mind.

You saw the world in black & white, your whole photographic output was in mono and so you looked at the world in shadows, tones, contrast and texture. Colour, unlike today, rarely came into it.

The best times and places for moody monochrome landscapes

Shooting moody monochrome landscapes requires a great deal more effort than just getting up for a sunrise or sunset and then hitting the saturation slider in post production. Having found a location that will work well in mono is one thing; being there at the right time in the right conditions is another.

Weather forecasts showing the percentage of cloud and rain, wind speed and direction become critical. A forecast showing a 50% chance of rain with the wind at 15 to 20 miles an hour can be encouraging. Basically, look for sunny intervals with frequent showers.

Clearing (or approaching) storm clouds on a background of deep blue sky with dark patchy shadows scudding across the landscape are heaven for those photographers who want oodles of mood and drama; although there is a price to pay for such dramatic conditions. If you seek storm clouds, the chances are you are going to get wet, cold, hit by hailstones or even snowed on! But trust me on this one, it will be worth it.

Hunkering down on a hillside, even well prepared and in the right outdoor kit, can seem slightly unpleasant at times but when the storm clears you are there, in place and ready to shoot. There is no getting out of the car, getting togged up and walking to the right spot: do this and the chances are that you will have missed the shot, that transient moment when all the elements come together for a split second.

Yes, you may suffer a cold droplet dribbling down your neck or a pounding by hailstones, but these are outweighed by the feeling of being in the right place at the right time, ready and waiting – then getting the image. Hours of discomfort and patience that create the chance are a part of it.

Thinking and shooting in mono also opens up the possibility of a larger, longer working window. Sunrises and sunsets with their pretty pink skies come and go after about an hour but when shooting in mono there is often an opportunity to do so much longer into the day. Yes, conditions and location will have a big say in this, yet you can often use the light to your advantage even several hours after sunrise or before sunset.

Late autumn, winter and even early spring are great times to consider shooting mono, as there is precious little colour in the landscape anyway and the sun is never going to climb too high in the sky.

Editing for moody monochrome landscapes

When shooting atmospheric monochrome landscapes, you should be aware of how you are going to process them and what sort of feel and look you are going to give your images. The doyen of many landscape photographers, Ansel Adams, always said to visualise the final print on the wall before you take the camera out of the bag, and this still holds true today.

On location, you should know what look and feel your image will have, and when sat in front of your computer you should know how to achieve the desired result. It is not just a case of pushing the saturation slider to the left in Photoshop, desaturating the image and hoping for the best. Contrast, clarity and colour channels can all come into play in creating the look and feel you desire.

Possibly the best-known software for creating black & white images is the superb Nik Silver Efex. It is a very creative and powerful program with many presets; though it too has its limitations. It can be very unforgiving, so you need to check your images carefully for any deficiencies and imperfections that it may create.

In using software that has many presets, there is the risk of producing images that look like everyone else’s. Choose what to use carefully. Look to create your own style, apply a pic ‘n’ mix type of approach to your selections so that, hopefully, no one else will have quite the same look and feel to their images.

You have visualised and shot your landscape as a black & white, but of course the camera chip is seeing colour (unless you have the stunning Leica M11 Monochrom) and the resultant raw file will contain all the colour information that was in front of you at the time of shooting. In converting the raw file to a black & white image the software is using the colour information and you can turn this to your advantage.

For instance, if you want dark black skies, make your blues as dark as possible, using a polariser or grad. Even when shooting for a black & white image you still must be aware of colour and how its conversion will affect the resultant image.

Just do it

I urge you to give black and white photography a go when the conditions where you live are right for it. Not just pleasant images with a wide tonal range and a well-balanced histogram, but images with solid blacks, mood and drama by the bucket-load. Set your camera monitor to mono and visualise and explore a dramatic world devoid of colour.

Why this image works

The ruins of Kilchurn Castle on the shores of Loch Awe are often photographed at sunrise with calm waters, reflections, snow on the hills and often a thin layer of mist wafting by. I wanted to see what the castle was like late on a breezy, wet winter’s afternoon. My visit was more in hope than anticipation as it had rained all day. Scotland in winter is always a frustrating battle against the elements.

Storm clouds hung over the hills, the wind ruffled the water, and the sun was well hidden: not a promising start. However, just for a few minutes a beam of light pierced the gloom and illuminated the stark trees in the foreground, the castle being almost an afterthought in the distant background.

I knew then that a bit of work in Photoshop and a black & white conversion in Silver Efex would produce the moody and dramatic image that I had in my mind’s eye. Judging the scene when you shoot it and knowing your software are key to this type of image. At the time of shooting, you should have an idea of what your final image will look like, and how you are going to achieve it.

Jeremy’s top tips for atmospheric monochrome landscapes

Follow the weather forecasts

Don’t be put off by warnings of showers or even storms. You want moody and atmospheric conditions, but need to find a balance of showers, sunshine, and a strong breeze. Use at least three different forecasters to get a good cross-section of what is likely to happen.

Go prepared

There may be a great deal of hanging around waiting for the perfect conditions. Warm waterproof clothing and the correct footwear are the essentials but carrying a flask of coffee and some comfort snacks can be just as important. A soft waterproof cushion to sit on and protect you from cold and damp surfaces during a long vigil is also a must!

Make the best use of filters

Use grads, polarisers and any other filters that will have an impact on how a colour or hue will translate into black & white. It’s also important you get to know your software; how it works with and interprets your raw files. This comes with experience so don’t let one shoot put you off. The more you shoot and process, the better understanding you will gain.

Pick the best subject matter

Large, dark brooding skies work well over castles and ruins, less so over pretty rose-covered cottages. Try to choose a subject matter where the mood and drama help tell a story – ancient stone circles, Neolithic earthworks, and abandoned buildings like old churches can all look amazing with stormy skies and fleeting patches of light.

Patience and perseverance

Judging the conditions at any given location is never going to be easy. There will be a great deal of frustration when the elements do not come together, hours spent just waiting with nothing to show for it. But when the light, clouds and the landscape come together in harmony the struggles will be worth it.

Jeremy Walker

Jeremy, one of the UK’s leading landscape photographers, is known for his eye-catching panoramas and moody black & white landscapes. Landscape is his acclaimed first book and he is in much demand as a speaker, writer, and workshop leader. See www.jeremywalker.co.uk or follow him on Facebook or Instagram.

If you took a liking to shooting black and white landscapes and want to upgrade to the best gear have a look at our guide to the best cameras for black and white photography and the best cameras for landscape photography.

Further reading:

• Guide to black and white fine art photography
• How to use filters for better landscapes
• Nik Collection 6 released
• Adobe Photoshop review
• Leica Monochrom M11 review

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The post How to capture moody monochrome landscapes appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

What is landscape photography? 

Landscape photography is the art of capturing natural scenery or landscape. Typically it depicts a wider, open space rather than small details. It can include people, animals or man-made structures, but is always about the great outdoors. It can be your way of showing how you see the world around you and capture the beauty of an environment.

What kit do I need for landscape photography?

• A camera plus a lens that has a wide-angle view of 28mm or wider is a great place to start. Some will want an even broader view, so a 24mm or wider lens would be a good choice, particularly for capturing vast scenes and big open spaces. Find the best camera for landscapes, plus the best wide-angle lenses. A smartphone is also a great option for landscapes, as they normally come with wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle cameras.
• A tripod will help, especially to capture scenes with water, which are smoothed by longer exposures; or when you want to use a lower ISO speed for maximum image quality. Shutter speed is a lesser concern when your camera is stable and steady on a tripod.
• Filters – use a polariser if you want deeper blues and fewer reflections from leaves and water. Graduated filters are great for darkening the bright skies but leaving the rest of your image unaltered. If you want even longer exposures, then an ND filter will be needed.
• Clothing – weather appropriate apparel is just as essential as your camera, as you may spend hours walking around to find the best viewpoint or waiting for the light to hit your scene just the right way.

Camera settings for landscape photography

Landscape photography is all about light, location and composition. Where you place objects or how you frame the scene before you are key components; but also the camera settings you use play an important part in getting a sharp, detailed shot.

Remember the elements that make up your exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO speed, as there are some recommendations here that will help when shooting landscape photography. For a refresher, have a look at our guide to exposure.

Here are the 4 main camera settings to pay attention to in landscape photography:

• Aperture
• ISO speed
• Shutter speed
• Focus

Aperture and depth-of-field

Depth-of-field – use a smaller aperture to ensure a lot of the scene is in focus, with as much of it as possible sharp and in detail. Closing the lens aperture down to f/8 – f/16 will get more of the scene in focus from the front of the image (things close to you) to the back of the image (things furthest away). This is also known as pan-focus, where everything in the image is in focus.

But beware of diffraction – if you stop the aperture down too far, such as f/18-f/22 or more, you will get softer images due to diffraction. The size of your camera sensor determines the point at which this becomes an issue – our macro photography guide contains our definition of diffraction. Note: Diffraction tends to kick in at f/11 on Micro Four Thirds, f/16 on APS-C, and f/22 on Full-frame cameras.

ISO speed

As we’ve said previously, the lowest ISO speed available will give the best results (with the most detail, and lowest noise). However, be aware that the camera you use may have a different low ISO speed to another camera.

On most, the lowest ISO speed is ISO100, but on some the lowest is ISO200. If you are tempted to use a “LOW” or (L) ISO speed on your camera, be aware that this is often an “extended” ISO speed, and results in reduced dynamic range.

So check what your actual low ISO speed is on your camera. If you’re not sure where to find this information, have a look at our review of your camera as it will state what the standard ISO range is, and the extended ISO range. Normally you want to avoid using the extended ISO range.

On many Olympus and Panasonic cameras, the low ISO speed is ISO200, and ISO100 is extended, which is shown as “Low” or L.100. Users of Fujifilm cameras need to check as some of these have the lowest (native, non-extended) ISO speed as ISO160.

Shutter speed

The best tripods for landscape photography allow the use of slower shutter speeds to create beautiful effects at waterfalls like the one seen above. Even the smallest movement, like pressing the shutter release button, can blur images. The self-timer or a remote to avoid camera shake at longer exposures can avert this. Alternatively, connect your camera to your smartphone and use it as a remote control. Another thing to be aware of is the camera strap – big ones can cause the camera to move if it’s windy. Make sure to weigh down your tripod with sandbags (or a heavy rucksack) to avoid movement.

If you use slower shutter speeds, you can blur the water, but any movement (in trees or scenery) will become blurred, too. To get really slow shutter speeds on brighter days, then you’ll need to use an ND filter.

Focus and front-to-back focus

To keep things simple, by using one focus point, you can control and know where you are focusing in your image. In landscape photography the challenge is to render as much as possible from the front of the image to the back of the image in focus.

Newer cameras often include “focus peaking” a useful tool that shows which elements of your scene are in focus by highlighting the edges with a bright colour. Don’t worry if you don’t achieve perfection, but try to focus on the main area of interest in the frame.

What makes for good landscape photography?

Light and location play a massive part in landscape photography, but are not the only aspects to think about when shooting landscapes. Breaking down what you include in your image can take your landscape photography from average to spectacular.

Here are 6 main things to consider when composing your shot:

1. Light (and weather)
2. Location
3. Points-of-interest
4. Leading lines
5. Level (Horizon)
6. Composition

Light, weather

Shooting in the “golden hour” (the hour before sunset or dusk, and the first hour after sunrise, dawn) will give a warm golden looking landscape. On the other hand “blue hour” after the sun has set and before it has risen will give images with a blue tone. Just before sunrise and after sunset are also great times to shoot, as the sky changes colours rapidly. For more examples have a look at our guide to outdoor light with David Noton.

Weather can dramatically change the light in the scene, as well as the look of a landscape image, so don’t be afraid to shoot when there is mist, fog, or even during or after a rain shower. A break in the clouds can turn a dull image into a striking image as can be seen in the example above. If your camera and lens are not weather-sealed, make sure you have a waterproof backpack or plastic bag to offer some protection for your kit in the worst of the weather.

…and Location

Shoot somewhere dull, and even with optimum lighting, an ideal camera, and perfect settings, you’ll still most likely end up with a dull photo. Landscape photography tends to include travel, and finding the most pleasant-looking locations and landscapes is part of the exciting appeal of the genre, be it near or far from where you live.

Check out some recommendations for the best landscape photography locations in the UK here.

Points-of-interest

To include people or not? By including people you can give a sense of scale, as well as potentially date the photograph to a certain period – depending on how visible the subject’s clothing/style/fashion is. The same goes for any other man-made objects included, such as buildings or vehicles. By including a subject or a person in the shot you add an additional element and give a sense of balance to the image.

Leading lines

If you think of the elements in an image as guiding the viewer through the frame, you can look for leading lines in the scene, such as a road heading towards an impressive mountain range, a river to a waterfall, or even the formation of rocks and land leading you through the image.

On the level?

Watch for the horizon and keep the camera level – use the camera’s built-in axis or dual-axis level if it has this, or look for the spirit level built into your tripod. If you don’t have these features, then you could pick up a simple spirit-level hot-shoe attachment for not much money.

Alternatively, activate the on-screen grid display if your camera has this feature. If you don’t manage to get it perfect in-camera, then you can always edit the image later to straighten up the image. Some modern cameras have a built-in horizon correction feature, so check the manual to see if yours has this.

Composition

All of these factors play a part in how you compose and frame your image, and how you place the elements in front of you into the photograph. If you’re just starting out in landscape photography, then using the “Rule of thirds” is a great place to start, but don’t be afraid to experiment with different framing. See our guide to the art of photography and composition for more ideas.

Other things to think about: You don’t always have to shoot vast landscapes. Instead you could zoom in to look at the finer detail, and this is where a macro or telephoto zoom lens could come in useful. If there is water in the scene, then look for reflections.

Aerial landscape photography: If you have access to a drone, then shooting from a high-angle can give a totally different look to your images. See our guide to aerial landscape photography for more information.

Intimate landscapes: Landscape photography doesn’t have to just be wide-angle, sweeping vistas. Try honing in on a smaller part of a scene for a more interesting alternative. See this guide to Intimate landscape photography.

Square landscapes: Landscape photos also do not have to be taken in landscape orientation. Changing to portrait or even square format can make an interesting composition. Transform your landscapes with square format here.

Editing Landscape images

It’s likely that you’ll need to (or want to) edit your photos to ensure you’re showing the landscape how you want to show it. Slight tweaks to contrast, saturation, and exposure to improve dynamic range in the image can make your images look better. You can also correct the image if it’s not entirely level.

Expanding dynamic range – shooting using raw enables you to correct any errors in exposure or white balance. There is also the ability to expand the dynamic range in the image, which means you can recover shadows and dark areas, as well as recover highlights in the brighter areas.

Another option is to use exposure bracketing to help with this, but make sure you use a tripod so your images line up. Have a look at our guide to maximising dynamic range. Shooting raw also gives you the ability to tweak the sharpness and noise levels to get the very best out of the photo.

Landscape Photography Competitions

You can enter competitions to win prizes and recognition, as well as learn from others. Look out for landscape photography competitions such as the famous Landscape Photographer of the Year, and the International Landscape Photographer of the Year. There is also the landscape photography round of the Amateur Photographer of the Year Competition (APOY). Other general photography competitions feature Landscape categories, so have a look at our complete guide to the best photography competitions to enter.

More Landscape Photography Inspiration…

You’ll find a range of landscape photography articles here, and you can learn from professional photographers. We have articles from famous landscape photographers including Ansel Adams, William Garnett, Michael Kenna, Colin Prior, with AP contributors including Jeremy Walker, David Clapp, Verity Milligan, Rachael Talibart and Lizzie Shepherd to name a few. If you want to learn from the greats, make sure you have a look at their work.

For even more inspiration have a look at some of the landscape photography books available. AP’s own book, “Landscapes” is a great resource for learning even more.

Frequently asked questions

What is RAW?

What is a raw image? Cameras will by default save images as JPEG files, which are processed by the camera to produce the best-looking image, but this results in less control to edit and adjust the image. Shooting in the raw file format, you are getting the “raw” (uncooked, unprocessed) image from the camera, and therefore can edit it to your own personal tastes, as well as recover shadow or highlight detail that might have otherwise been lost if you’d only taken a JPEG image.

What is exposure bracketing?

Exposure bracketing is when you take several different images, but at different exposures. Most mirrorless and DSLR cameras have this feature, and it lets you take the same shot at different exposures, so for example, you could take one at -1EV, one at the normal exposure, and one at +1EV, allowing you to capture the darker and brighter parts of the image with more detail. You can then combine these images later in a photo editing package for an extended dynamic range. However, to get the best results your camera needs to stay in the same position for every shot, which is why a tripod is extremely useful for this.

Do I need a high-resolution camera for landscape photography?

The higher the better? Not necessarily, as some cameras with lower pixel-count have better low light capabilities than their high spec counterparts. Whether you need a higher pixel-count depends on how and what you shoot and how you intend to use your photos. For example, with a 16 MP camera you can achieve good print quality up to A2 size but if your photos never leave your computer this is really of no concern. You need more pixels or higher resolution if planning to print your photographs in large, or if you like to crop extensively. With more pixels, more detail is available in your image and you don’t loose quality and get pixelated images when cropping.

Instead of getting hung up on megapixels, what you really want to consider is the dynamic range of your camera.

What is dynamic range?

Essentially, dynamic range is how much detail your camera can record between the brightest and darkest part of your scene. The greater the dynamic range in an image, the more the camera has been able to capture the tones from dark black to bright white. In landscape photography, this becomes particularly important as there is often a big difference in light between the brightest area (often the sun), and the darkest areas of an image.

Sensor size affects dynamic range: in principle cameras with larger sensors are better at capturing a wider dynamic range. A 16MP crop sensor camera will generally have less dynamic range compared to a 16 MP full-frame camera, because the larger sensor will host larger pixels that are able to receive or read more light.

•  Beginners guide to different camera types.
•  Beginners guide to different lens types.
• Beginners guide to using a camera taking photos.
• Beginners guide to Exposure, aperture, shutter, ISO, and metering.
• How to get perfect colours – white balance explained
• 10 essential cameras accessories for beginners
• Beginners guide to the Art of photography and composition
• Beginners guide to Photoshop Elements and editing photos
• Complete guide to Portrait Photography
• Complete guide to Macro Photography
• Complete guide to Street Photography

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The post Complete Guide to Landscape Photography appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

This is not to prescribe a one-fits-all checklist before you step out of the door, but is rather a list of useful items that we and other landscape photographers have found useful, and sometimes indispensable for outdoor photography shoots.

Read more:

• Complete guide to landscape photography
• Guide to fine art landscape photography
• Guide to night landscape photography
• Alternative landscape photography tips

All you need for landscape photography in 2024

Much of this equipment will be familiar, some of which you may already have. As a genre, landscape photography brings its own challenges and opportunities that can affect the gear you choose; whether buying new equipment or simply deciding what to pack for a trip out.

1. The camera

The key thing here is to have interchangeable lenses, so a DSLR or mirrorless camera is best. DSLRs tend to be a little bigger and heavier, but also have a longer battery life, which can be useful out in the field. Either is fine, and for you to weigh up according to your circumstances: read on!

Resolution matters, but is not everything. A 20MP camera will capture all the fine detail you’re likely to need, even for quite large prints, for publishing in magazines and books, and certainly any kind of display online.

Other factors like weatherproofing become important for landscape photography. And if you don’t much like carrying or using tripods, in-body stabilization, or lenses with IS are definitely advantageous as the light fades and the wind rises.

Read more:

• Best cameras for landscape photography
• Best cameras for beginners
• Best mirrorless cameras
• Best cheap full frame cameras

2. Lenses

A standard camera kit lens in the range 24-70mm or its equivalent will be fine for many shots, but an extra-wide-angle lens will help you capture huge, sweeping vistas. It will be perfect for shooting astrophotography or the northern lights, too.

A telephoto zoom can be surprisingly useful too. Longer focal lengths don’t just let you pick out distant detail, they compress perspectives too, so that large-scale backdrops like mountains and forests look much larger and more imposing.

Read more:

• Best lenses for landscape photography
• Best lenses for astrophotography

3. Tripods and other supports

Should you take a tripod? This is a personal choice that depends largely on how much walking you’ll do to reach your subject. While tripods add weight and take time to set up, they have some important advantages for landscape photography.

First, they let you use slower shutter speeds, smaller lens apertures and lower ISO settings without worrying about camera shake. If you’ve gone to some effort to reach your location, you don’t want to throw it all away with sloppy technique.

Second, they open up whole new techniques; notably long exposure blur of skies and water, and dramatic astro images after dark.

Third, they leave your hands free to swap filters, change batteries, pick a different lens or grab a snack or drink. There is often a lot of waiting around for the light to be just right, and you don’t want the camera constantly in your hands while you do.

In windy conditions outdoors, a heavy solid tripod may be more stable. Otherwise a travel tripod may be the right alternative: lighter and smaller when packed down, most have a hook at the base of the centre column on which to hang your camera bag for extra stability.

Read more:

• The ultimate guide to tripods
• Tripod advice from professional photographers
• Best tripods to buy

4. Filters

There are many different filter types for landscape photography, notably polarizing filters, graduated filters and neutral density filters; though not all are quite as essential today with digital imaging and the best photo editing software.

The most expendable filter type is the graduated filter. These are designed to tone down bright skies for a more balanced exposure with the landscape, but as long as you choose an exposure that doesn’t blow out the sky (raw files will give you more leeway); it’s easier to do that later in software than it is to try to juggle handfuls of filters.

Polarizing filters are more useful, but not always essential. They are known for making blue skies richer and deeper, but you need to watch out with wide-angle lenses because the polarizing effect will not be even across the sky. This is another thing that’s easier handled with software.

However, polarizing filters can also cut reflections from vegetation and water, increasing overall saturation and making the bottoms of rivers and lakes, for example, more visible. This is an optical effect you can’t reproduce digitally.

ND, or ’neutral density’ filters are perhaps the most useful. All they do is cut down the light entering the lens so that you can use long exposures of many seconds, even in bright daylight. You will need a tripod for this. The long exposure will blur clouds and water for that ‘silky’ look so popular in landscape photography right now.

Read more:

• Best camera filters for photographers
• Best filters for landscape photography
• How to use filters for better landscapes
• Top 3 filters for landscape photography

5. Backpacks

You’ll need a backpack to carry all this gear around in. For urban photography or travel, we might recommend a shoulder bag for faster access to it. The extra capacity, load-bearing capability and comfort make a backpack the much better choice for landscape photography, given the physical demands of the walking that it often demands.

If taking a tripod, choose a backpack with external straps or pockets designed to attach it securely or, if you have an especially compact travel tripod, you might even be able to fit it inside.

Most backpacks are weatherproof to some degree, and some come with fold-away rain covers for wet weather.

Read more:

• Best camera bags to buy
• Best camera backpacks

6. What about a drone?

The best camera backpacks don’t just make carrying a lot of gear over long distances more comfortable, the larger ones have space for drones, controllers and other accessories too.

Drones have become very popular amongst landscape photographers for previously inaccessible perspectives and shooting positions: and not just for stills photography but video intros too. Ensure that you’re allowed to fly a drone at a chosen location first. Strong winds may be too much for lighter consumer drones like the Mavic Mini. Drones use a lot of power, so take spare batteries…

Read more:

• Best drones with cameras
• Drone photography tips for beginners

7. Accessories

For today’s digital photographers, batteries are a constant pre-occupation, especially with mirrorless models. One would certainly regret not taking spare batteries to a shooting location some distance away.

A portable power bank is another alternative since the best power banks can contain enough power to recharge a camera battery several times over. But charging takes time, and some older cameras don’t support USB charging at all. A portable power bank is a good fallback, but it’s not as quick as just swapping out a battery.

Spare memory cards are a good idea too. Maybe you use larger capacity memory cards you’re never going to fill up? Even here, though, memory cards can get corrupted or just stop working. It’s rare, but it’s typically at the worst possible time.

The great outdoors can be messy, muddy and wet, so take a selection of cleaning materials too. A microfiber cloth is handy for wiping down cameras and lens barrels, but proper lens cloths or wipes are best for optical surfaces.

Cameras and lenses can generally shrug off a little light rain or spray, but you don’t want any on the lens because that will spoil your shots. So our final tip is to take a lens hood and use it. These are designed to reduce flare from bright light (like the sun) just outside the frame, but they also help shield the front of the lens from rain.

So that’s our roundup of everything you need for landscape photography. We hope we haven’t forgotten anything. You will probably have your own ideas about some extras, such as a thermos full of hot tea and some snacks. No landscape photography expedition is complete without snacks.

Read more:

• Best UK landscape photography locations (part one)
• Best UK landscape photography locations (part two)

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The post Kit you need for landscape photography appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Your guide: Jeremy Walker – Jeremy is regarded as one of the finest landscape photographers in the UK and has been producing eye-catching images for use by clients around the globe for over 25 years. He is in regular demand as a guest speaker, writer and workshop leader and wrote the book, Landscape. See his website for more.

Why do we do it?

What is it that compels us to set the alarm to some unearthly hour, hang around in the pre-dawn cold, damp and dark, just for the fleeting possibility of taking a photograph which may or may not be any good? Shooting landscapes requires a certain mindset.

Why might we drive long distances to some far-flung location in the vain hope of taking a picture? Are the miles spent on the motorways, highways and byways, and the short sleepless nights in uncomfortable hotels really worth it just to produce a landscape image? Why do we do it?!

As a working professional I could answer all such questions with the fact that it’s my job; but that would be an unsatisfactory answer, and an unsatisfying job. There is more to it than a living – it is more a way of life.

For many it could be as simple as just enjoying the great outdoors, the exercise and the fresh air, but this does not explain the drive to get up early, carry a camera, or hang around for a sunset. Is it the solitude, peace and quiet of the countryside that draws us in, or is it the desire to be creative?

A colleague of mine (a very well-known American photographer) described going out location hunting and shooting a landscape as being on a treasure hunt; the search for the location being an important part of the journey, as important as shooting the final image.

Perhaps for many landscape professionals it is a lifestyle choice, the joy of travelling and new experiences, staying in hotels, eating out, meeting the locals, exploring new destinations and hunting for a location or viewpoint that hopefully no one has shot before. In the past you could make a living doing this.

Before you say, ‘What a great life,’ there are many downsides too. Being away from home for weeks or months at a time puts immense strain on family life, and I know many professional photographers with failed marriages. The cost of travelling and shooting can mount up very quickly, especially if your plans start to unravel.

I have spent seven nights in one hotel in the hope it would stop raining long enough for me to shoot one landscape. The costs rapidly mounted and then there was the added pressure to make up for lost time at the next location. It is a great life when it all comes together but needs to be carefully balanced between financial reward, lifestyle and family.

What of enthusiasts who have ‘proper’ jobs, with normal financial constraints and family commitments? It is surely harder for them to justify spending all their time shooting, travelling or researching landscapes. What drives them to such lengths? An enjoyment and passion for creating landscape images, for being outdoors and enjoying Mother Nature, no doubt. In this day and age, though, I suspect some people will have other motives besides.

There will be some who shoot landscapes purely for their ego and the adulation, to gain more ‘likes’ on their social media posts than the next person – who seek validation from others to feel some arbitrary respect for themselves.

Many will shoot landscapes because they see it as a way of adding to their income through the use of stock agencies. Others will shoot landscapes because it is part of an ongoing project, a book, competition entry or qualification panel. Most of us, however – pros and enthusiasts alike – just want to go and shoot images that fulfil our creative desire and passion.

Where do we go?

So where do you go to shoot your landscapes and what makes you want to shoot a particular location? How do you find that location? Again, landscape locations, like so many aspects of photography, come down to personal choice.

Some photographers will want to shoot coastal scenes, others snow-capped mountains, and there will be those working to  strictly defined parameters to suit the project they are working on. Others of course are happy to go with the flow, drift and shoot whatever they stumble upon.

Years ago, location finding was every bit an art form as the actual image taking was. There were no social media platforms displaying thousands of oversaturated, annotated, geo-tagged, pinned and cross-referenced images. There were very few location guidebooks – travel guides, yes, but books written solely to show photographers the coordinates of where to put their tripods: no.

My American friend was right: location finding was akin to a treasure hunt, and hopefully you were the first to the treasure. Nowadays, with the plethora of media platforms displaying the latest images from around the world on a daily basis most photographers will have an idea of where they want to go.

But here’s a thing, do you go and just copy what has been done before, or take inspiration from an image you have seen and use this as the basis for your own exploration? I know many enthusiasts simply do not have the time for hours of research and time on location is a precious resource; but try not to blatantly copy someone else’s shot.

Be inspired and stimulated by others but have the courage of your own convictions to do things your own way. The alternative will be to queue up with all the other photographers to shoot ‘the’ waterfall, mountain, castle etc from exactly the same spot as everyone else.

Workshops are a great way to shoot locations if your time is precious. You will be delivered to the right spot at the correct time, the legwork of location hunting being taken away from you. The downside, of course, is the potential for the rest of the group to shoot a very similar image to yours.

I have to admit I enjoy shooting on my own, researching locations and doing a little exploring and not telling anyone where I have been, happily spending hours in my own company to produce a single image. However, not everybody is as intrepid on their own, and understandably so.

If you are with a fellow photographer, try not to stand side by side, tripods overlapping, taking exactly the same shot. We have all been influenced, stimulated and hopefully motivated by other photographers’ work at one time or another and this is only healthy.

Just try to avoid outright copying; put your own take on any given landscape location. After all, a location should be more than just a set of coordinates and a ticked box.

When is the best time?

Most people who shoot landscapes will have it in their heads that the best time to shoot is at sunrise and sunset. As a very general rule this could said to be true. However, there is plenty to a landscape in between those times – more than a pretty pink sky at sunrise or fiery orange clouds at sunset.

Think about the quality of light, its direction, strength and colour. I see many people shooting sunsets and totally ignoring the gorgeous light hitting the landscape and ignoring it’s potential. Look for how it is interacting and playing across the surface of the scene to give an effect and a look far greater than just another shot of orange clouds.

Again, it comes down to the individual’s taste and how we see the world, but try to look beyond the obvious. Perhaps set yourself the task of shooting a series of landscapes where you don’t actually look directly at the sunrise or sunset; observe what the light actually does.

The light before sunrise, often muted and pastel in colour and low in contrast can be quite exquisite, but is so often overlooked. The same can be said of the light at the end of the day. With everyone’s obsession with the actual sunset, the light an hour or so before the sun dips over the horizon can be fantastically sharp, directional, colourful and very usable.

Thirty minutes or so after a sunset, you again can have a great quality to the light. Landscape photography is not about sunrise and sunset, it’s about the light and using it to maximum effect. Landscape photography should not be limited to just the dawn and dusk sessions with which we associate it.

Long shadows and oodles of texture created by a low sun are great, yet given the right subject matter and appropriate weather you can shoot at pretty much any time of day. Start thinking about the light and how it behaves, how it interacts with the landscapes around you. Free up your creative mind and get away from just the sunrise/sunset approach.

What kit do you need?

Carrying a camera and lenses to do the job in hand should be a simple enough procedure. If you have done the appropriate research and know where you are going and what type of shot you are after, you can whittle the amount of camera gear you are carrying down to a minimum.

Overloading your bag with too much kit could turn a potentially enjoyable exploration of a stunning location into a yomp of pain and discomfort. I am reminded of a photographer who carried two bodies, a 16-35mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm zooms, five spare batteries, a flash gun and large tripod to his location.

And this was before he had to pack waterproofs, water bottle and other sundry items that were needed. Needless to say, he didn’t enjoy himself and refused to admit he was carrying too much.

I know there is a great fear with enthusiasts that they will miss out on the shot of a lifetime if they are not carrying every bit of kit they own, but I feel there is also an equal opportunity to miss out because you are not enjoying yourself, your head is constantly facing the ground, your back hurts and everything has become a burden.

Take a small gamble, rationalise what kit you may need for a given location and keep things to a minimum. During the course of shooting my book, Landscape, I started to walk into locations with a Leica M10 body and three small primes. Having a minimal
amount of kit at my disposal really helped to concentrate the mind, made me work really hard for angles and viewpoints that worked and, just as importantly, the walk in to the location was much more pleasurable.

In fact, the whole shooting experience was so much nicer. Yes, there is of course the chance that you may miss a shot, but you cannot legislate for every conceivable scenario when on location, unless of course you are shooting a commissioned job and the budget allows for a Sherpa.

What is ‘minimal’ kit?

The minimum kit for a landscape location shoot is probably a body with a 24-70mm zoom, a spare battery, a handful of LEE Filters and a tripod. But do you think about the ‘other’ stuff?

Waterproofs and an additional warm layer, plus a hat and gloves, especially if you are at altitude or shooting in winter. How about a map? Apps don’t always work in remote areas and battery strength can be limited in the cold.

A water bottle is a must, even for short walks; and if you are staying out longer, a flask with a hot beverage could be essential. High-energy snacks should be carried on longer walks and, if heading out on to the mountains in winter, a survival bag.

Have you thought also about carrying a small first aid kit, a whistle and a head torch, and do you know the internationally recognised distress signal, and – just as importantly – the correct response? Now, you may think I am being over the top and that you are never going to be too far from the car.

Here’s a thing. Many people have walked up to and shot The Old Man of Storr, on the Isle of Skye. A popular location with landscapers, about an hour and a half’s steepish walk from the car park. Clear and sunny when you start out, you warm up, you drink water. At the top you are waiting for the light, it clouds up and the wind starts to blow.

Your body has cooled rapidly, you add the extra layer you are carrying and have a slurp of coffee. Hopefully you are okay. You are prepared, you have not only your camera kit but the right kit for just being at that location. It means you can shoot and be safe. Location photography is not about carrying all your camera kit: carry the right kit and be able to enjoy yourself.

Jeremy’s 8 top tip for great landscapes

1. Consider the location

How it will work with the final image you have in your mind. Does it tell a story, convey a message or is it just a record shot with a pretty pink sky? Try to avoid the bland and banal, and think for yourself.

Have the courage to stick to your own creative thoughts and ideas.

2. Shoot locations you want to shoot

Explore, study maps and head a little off the beaten track. Don’t become a collector of locations just because everyone else is shooting them. Shoot a location because you want to be there, not because you are on a box-ticking exercise. Remember, a location should be more than just a set of coordinates.

3. Plan ahead

Think about where you are going and what you will need and try not to carry every piece of camera kit you have ever owned, plus the kitchen sink. Sometimes you will miss a shot because you lack a certain lens, but enjoying the outdoor experience is just as important as enjoying the photography. If a location shoot becomes a chore, what is the point?

4. Shoot whatever the weather

Consider all types of weather conditions and the type of light you would like at your location. Remember, it’s not just about sunrise and sunset. Stormy skies can mean dramatic light during the middle of the day, even at the height of summer. Study the light It is after all, the main ingredient to landscape photography.

Study how light works, how it bounces off clouds, how its direction, strength and colour can work for or against you. Watch how light strikes objects and surfaces, revealing textures and interesting nuances in the landscape.

5. Start a project

Give your landscape photography a direction, shoot for a project and assemble a cohesive body of work. It helps to concentrate the creative mind. Themed photographic competitions (Amateur Photographer of the Year, perhaps?) or recognised distinctions such as those the RPS offer are well worth looking at, to help give your landscapes a meaning and purpose.

6. Give apps a go

Use all available resources at your disposal. Apps for weather, sunrise/sunset, tide times. In fact, there is an app for just about everything these days. The same can be said for the myriad location guides that are available, and of course magazines such as AP are a great resource. However, don’t just copy what has gone before but take inspiration from it.

7. Be prepared and stay safe

Carry water, a hot beverage, high-energy snacks, waterproofs, small first aid kit, a torch and whistle. Know what the internationally recognised distress signals are. Don’t just think ‘I’m only popping out for an hour.’ An hour can turn into a whole afternoon and evening if the light comes good, so you need to be prepared.

8. Aim for quality not quantity

Do not rush from one set-up to another in the hope that ‘there will be a decent image in there somewhere’. Slow down, observe, think and take your time. Think about the location and what you want to achieve. Aim for one great shot, not several mediocre ones.

Additional reading:

• Essential landscape photography advice
• Best cameras for landscape photography
• Best lens for landscape photography: our picks of wide-angle zooms
• The best landscape photography books for inspiration

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Landscape has always been one of the most popular genres of photography, and it’s easy to see why. A good landscape photograph can be and encompass many things, as the books on our list demonstrate beautifully. It could be the celebration of a place or particular feature – a spectacular mountain or peaceful lake – or the evocation of a moment, like a pitch-perfect sunrise or sudden snowstorm. Rural, urban – devoid of people, or full of them. If you wish to improve your landscape photography, the world is your oyster.

A great source of inspiration to take more and better landscapes is to observe the work of others; hence this list of some of the best landscape photography books to have passed our desks in recent years. Some of these collections comprise the work of several photographers, while others are by just a single artist. It doesn’t matter really – we just love seeing great landscapes!

Broaden your horizons with the right kit: check out our guides to the best landscape cameras and best lenses for landscape photography.

Featured image: St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall, England – from The Art of Landscape Photography

Best landscape photography books

Landscape by Jeremy Walker

2020, RRP £45, Self-published, hardback, 232 pages

Regular readers will already be aware of the stunning work of landscape pro Jeremy Walker. His debut book, published in 2020, takes a look at some of the UK’s lesser-known hidden gems found hidden away from the more obvious landscape locations.

It also explores some of Britain’s history, through the ruins of once-impressive castles and abbeys. Presented here are dramatic landscapes, atmospheric weather conditions and if nothing else, a checklist of potential getaway locations for your next photography trip. Its foreword is by AP editor, Nigel Atherton.

Landscape Photographer of the Year: Collection 15

2022, RRP £35, Ilex Press, hardback, 224 pages, ISBN: 9781781578650

The annual Landscape Photographer of the Year competition is one of the highlights of the photographer’s calendar, and the 2022 crop produced some absolutely spectacular imagery. The full collection from the competition’s 15th year would make a tasteful addition to any coffee table, and is the ideal source of inspiration for anyone looking to remind themselves of the incredible landscape possibilities in the UK alone.

The competition, founded by avid landscape shooter Charlie Waite, was won that year by first-time entrant Will Davies – a reminder that you don’t have to be a seasoned shooter to make a great showing in LPOTY. You can read our full interview with previous LPOTY winner Will Davies, and see a few of the winning 2023 LPOTY entries. But really, wouldn’t you rather have them in glorious printed form, to be admired and shared from the comfort of your sofa? So we thought…

Chasing Light by Stefan Forster

2022, RRP £40, Teneues, hardback, 240 pages, ISBN: 9783961713837

For their sheer diversity of locations, pick up one of Stefan Forster’s books. Every year, the Swiss photographer spends six months travelling the world, and leading a number of workshops to the planet’s most beautiful and remote places. Much of the time he spends in Iceland, his adopted second home.

In Chasing Light, his latest volume, we can see some of Stefan’s most beautiful experiences to date, shown from a variety of impressive perspectives. This tome is a potential classic in the making and a masterclass in how straightforward landscape imagery should be done.

The Art of Landscape Photography by Mark Bauer and Ross Hoddinott

2022, RRP $21 / £13.99, Ammonite Press, softback, 192 pages, ISBN 9781781454480

If you’re keen to learn more about great landscape photography, then you’ve got not one, but two industry pros on hand here to go beyond the basics and look at the heart and soul of landscape photography – composition and aesthetic design to convey meaning and emotion. With numerous examples, as well as in-depth technical detail, this is one to really pore over to improve your skills.

Stone Age: Ancient Castles of Europe by Frédéric Chaubin

2021, RRP £42.49, Taschen, hardback, 412 pages, ISBN: 9783836585019

Castles are a classic mainstay of landscape photography. If they’re your thing too, then this book – which spans Europe and includes more than 200 buildings in 21 countries – is likely to be manna from Heaven. What’s more, the images (like the one below) were shot on film with a Linhof view camera, so they’re not quite the same as your average picture-postcard travelogue. Again, you could quite easily use this as a checklist to help you plan your next landscape expedition.

Don McCullin: The Landscape

2018, RRP $92 / £44.38, Jonathan Cape, hardback, 184 pages, ISBN: 9781787330429

While best known as a documentary photographer of some of the most harrowing conflicts of the post-war 20th century, Don McCullin is also an accomplished landscape shooter and darkroom master. In this inspiring collection he captures the dark, brooding mystery of the west country in winter, notably the Somerset Levels.

A tough Londoner by birth, McCullin’s country roots run deep – he first came to Somerset as an evacuee in the war and has lived near Bruton there for many years. There are also scenes from farther-flung locations, such as Syria and India. Wherever he shoots, McCullin’s composition is dramatic and arresting, and the darkroom toning utterly breathtaking.

Ansel Adams 400 Photographs

2007, RRP $32 /£28, Little, Brown & Company, hardback, 432 pages, ISBN: 9780316117722

No collection of landscape photography books would be complete without a mention of the original master, Ansel Adams. This book from 2007 is a comprehensive overview of the legendary photographer’s stunning work, published in a beautiful volume. With an RRP of £30 (and generally available at a cheaper price) it’s an absolute bargain, and likely, if you buy just one book from our list – this should probably be it.

Sirens by Rachael Talibart

2018, prices vary, Triplekite Publishing, hardback, 64 pages, ISBN: 9780993258992

One of the best contemporary landscape photographers working today, you would be hard-pushed to find a brand new copy of any of Rachael Talibart’s books – which is a testament to how popular they are. You should be able to find second-hand copies of Sirens, however, which showcases her critically acclaimed seascape and wave work – the monstrous waves being named after mythological beings. Beautiful and considered work, this would be a fantastic addition to any budding landscape photographer’s shelf.

Landscape Photographer of the Year: Collection 16

2021, RRP $39.23 / £20.49, Octopus Publishing Group, hardback, 224 pages, ISBN: 9781781579404

The Landscape Photographer of the Year competition has been running for a fair few iterations now, and if you’re looking for more landscape inspiration, the previous years’ collections are just as spectacular as the latest. The 2023 competition was the award’s 16th year – you can see the 2023 LPOTY winners here – and includes some absolute gems. Look out for next month’s announcements of this year’s winners and their winning shots.

The winner in 2021 was Mara Leite, whose image ‘Morning at Countryside’, taken in West Sussex, netted her a cool £10,000. If you fancy a shot at that, then picking up the collection is a great way to familiarise yourself with the kinds of images that impress Charlie Waite and the other competition judges.

Classic landscape photography books

Our recommended selection of definitive landscape books

Earth from Above by Yann Arthus-Bertrand

2017 (originally published in 1999), £58, Abrams, 440 pages, ISBN: 9781419722844

First published over 20 years ago, this gorgeous book has sold more than three million copies worldwide. Aerial images from multiple journeys across five continents and 60 countries provide a comprehensive survey of the Earth from a spectacular vantage point – and from a time before drones made it more commonplace. In the newer edition, over 100 new pictures are included, as well as essays from leading experts and environmentalists.

Land by Fay Godwin

1985, Prices vary, William Heinemann Ltd, 160 pages, ISBN: 9780434303052

Arguably one of the most essential purchases for anybody interested in British landscape photography, this beautiful collection of black & white imagery covers a good breadth of the country. The pictures are subtle and lovingly printed, and anybody who finds one second-hand is unlikely to be disappointed.

Light and the Art of Landscape Photography by Joe Cornish

2003, Amphoto, Prices vary, ISBN: 9780817441524

Joe Cornish is one of the UK’s most well-known and popular landscape photographers, and this almost 20-year-old book gives an insight into his creative genius. Featuring 150 fantastic images, alongside his valuable insights on how the picture came to be made, plus technical info and the thought processes and creative inspirations behind each image.

Cape Light: Photographs by Joel Meyerowitz

2015 (originally published 1979), Prices vary, Aperture, 112 pages, ISBN: 9781597113397

Although currently out of print, this exquisite selection of photographs is widely regarded as one of the most influential and popular photography books, particularly as it was unusual at the time for its use of colour. Whether you can get your hands on an original print, or the 2015 re-edition, you’ll find a masterful array of captivating shots.

Further reading:

• Beginners guide to Landscape Photography – Get shooting!
• Books from AP: Bookazine Improve Your Photography
• See the best landscape photographs
• Best Camera for Landscape Photography 2023
• Best photography books of 2023

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Night landscape photography: Moon cycle and weather

The moon will have a dramatic effect on our images. A full moon will cut exposure times and make the sky appear more of a blue colour, almost like it’s daytime; however, it will also reduce the number of visible stars. The moon cycle along with the moonrise and set times can easily be found for most locations on the Internet. But you can also use apps like PhotoPills or SkyView Lite to determine the phase and position of the moon in the sky in your location.

The moon peeping through clouds creates a dramatic effect.

Also, keep an eye on the weather forecast. Clear skies work well for star trails but don’t ignore cloudy or partly cloudy nights. Add a fair amount of drama and a Halloween edge to your images by shooting when mist or fog sets in. It can transform a mundane scene in the day to a spine-chilling one at night; but be careful as water droplets can settle on the lens surface during long exposures and are very difficult to detect in the dark. A great example of night cityscape photography is Brassai’s series of Paris by Night which features a variety of scenes in thick fog and uses the streetlights to create stark contrasting black and white images.

Night landscape photography: Light pollution

While light pollution (brightening of the night sky caused by streetlights and other man-made light sources) can mean it’s harder to see as many stars, it can also add some much-needed colour to a sky. Light pollution will have the most dramatic effect on the sky when there is a new moon or the moon is yet to rise.

Using artificial lights can enhance an image by introducing more colours and complimenting the composition.

Take a spare torch and batteries

I often work in remote locations so I always carry a spare torch to find my way back to the car, as my main rechargeable torch often runs out of power. I find a spare wind-up torch works well, as you are then not reliant on battery power. Long exposures can quickly drain camera batteries so make sure they are fully charged and that you have a spare. Also shooting at night means you will often have to shoot with temperatures dipping below zero. In such conditions, the life of batteries can be cut to around half their usual duration. To avoid the cold draining your batteries keep them close to your body, (inner pockets for example) to keep them warm, and make them last longer.

Night landscape photography: On the night

Step 1.  Choose your composition

Arrive at your location while it’s still fairly light to help you easily compose your images. When setting up your camera make sure that your tripod is placed on secure ground and ensure that it is not going to move during the long exposure.

Long exposure shot of architecture.

Step 2. Shoot RAW

By shooting your images in Raw format you will have more flexibility and be able to apply a wider range of changes to your images at the post-processing stage. Small adjustments to white balance, exposure and noise can all be applied when editing the Raw files.

Using car lights or lights from buildings is a great way to capture city nightscapes.

Step 3. Set up your camera

Attach your cable release, set your camera to bulb mode and select your aperture. Alternatively, If you don’t have a cable release you can set your camera’s self-timer with a few seconds delay to avoid camera shake or connect your camera to your smartphone and use that as a remote release. Finally, focus the lens on your subject, and once this is completed remember to switch to manual focusing so that the lens doesn’t start to hunt after dark.

Step 4. Take a test shot

Once it’s dark, lock open the camera’s shutter using your remote release. Remember to take note of the total exposure time. If you would like to focus the attention to a certain part of your scene try illuminating your subject with a flash or torch light, again keep track of your exposure time and roughly the amount of light applied to your subject.

Step 5. Review your test shot

Review your test shot and work out what areas need more or less light, as getting the correct exposure involves a little bit of trial and error. Once you have decided on what exposure changes to make, simply re-take the shot and keep reviewing the images until you get a result you are happy with.

Night landscape photography: tips to help you take better night photos

Focus using a torch

To aid with focusing in the dark, shine a powerful torch on your chosen subject. Once your camera gets a focus lock, switch your lens to manual focus so that it doesn’t hunt when you press the shutter button.

Compose using high ISO

To compose your night landscape photography shots in the dark, change the ISO setting to your most sensitive available then take a test exposure and recompose as required. Remember to lower your ISO setting back to 100-200 once you’re done.

North star

Take a compass with you and work out the position of the North Star. As the Earth rotates the North Star will appear to stay fixed and the rest of the stars will appear to rotate around it. Sky.., app

Two’s company

Night photography can be quite spooky so having a friend with you will keep you company and make you feel safe, they can also help you with illuminating the scene from different angles, or you can ask them to stand in your composition and use their silhouette to indicate the scale in your image.

Photo: Unsplash, Dimitry Bessonov

Dress warm

It can get very cold at night, particularly when standing around waiting for long exposures, so warm clothing is essential.

Noise reduction

If your camera has a noise reduction facility, turn it on for your final shot of the evening. Once the main exposure is completed you can pack away your camera while it’s still exposing for the dark frame. When you arrive home it’s exciting to view the completed image for the first time.

Submit your night photos to APOY!

Happy with your photos? Submit your night landscapes to our Amateur Photographer of the Year competition. The Low Light round is now open and closes 11:59pm on 13th November.

Further reading:

Fright Night: ghost camera takes spooky London Photowalk

Complete guide to outdoor light in photography

Art Wolfe on his approach to night photography

How to photograph low light urban landscapes

Essential guide to Astrophotography

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James Abbott’s tips for using filters for long-exposure landscapes

Every landscape photographer strives to put their stamp on the locations they shoot, and while most are best shot at a specific time of day to take advantage of the best light possible, one way of finding your unique voice is to take control of exposure times using ND (neutral density) filters.

Lower-strength ND filters can be as simple to use as attaching them to a lens and shooting normally, while the more extreme filters ranging from 6-stops and above require a little more care and attention to ensure correct exposures. In this long-exposure masterclass, we’re going to take a closer look at long-exposure landscapes and how to successfully shoot them using ND filters to achieve a range of effects.

Filter densities explained

Filter manufacturers use different methods of displaying ND filter densities. These include how many stops of light the filter reduces, which is the easiest, optical density, and ND factor. Once you buy into a filter system, it pays to familiarise yourself with the method used so you can quickly identify filters.

ND filters compared

ND filters come in a range of light-reducing densities, and with screw-in filters you can get variable ND filters with strengths ranging from around 1.5 stops to 8 stops. For ultimate flexibility and control, the four filters that you need to control overall exposure are: a polarising filter, a 3-stop ND, a 6-stop ND and a 10-stop ND.

You can buy other densities, but with these four filters you’re covered for practically every eventuality. The four images here were shot in bright conditions so exposure times show a clearer progression of blur as filter strength is increased.

Polarising filter 1/10 sec: Polarisers are often used in combination with ND filters as they remove surface reflections from water and can deepen blue skies, but, with the ability to reduce exposure by up to 1.5 stops, can also be used as a weak ND filter.

3-stop ND 0.8 sec: The humble 3-stop ND filter is arguably the most versatile of all ND filters since it’s ideal for shooting in low light conditions and around golden hour when you wish to achieve a longer exposure but not one that’s several minutes long.

6-stop ND 5 seconds: 6-stop ND filters require exposure to be calculated, either by counting stops or using an exposure calculator app. This filter is best used when a 3-stop ND doesn’t extend exposure time enough, but a 10-stop filter makes exposure times unnecessarily long.

10-stop ND 1 minute: 10-stop NDs were the first ‘extreme’ ND filter to be released and provide the ability to shoot extremely long exposures in low light conditions, or even exposures that are 30 seconds or longer in bright and sunny conditions.

How to use extreme NDs

Learn how to correctly calculate exposure when using high-density ND filters that throw the standard rules of exposure out of the window

Extreme NDs, Big Stoppers and Little Stoppers are all names you may have heard of. In a nutshell, these simply refer to ND filters that reduce light entering lenses by more than 4 stops. ND filters in this category can’t be used like lower-strength NDs where you simply attach them to the lens and shoot as normal; these ones require you to calculate exposure based on what the ‘standard’ exposure should be, then shoot in Bulb mode and manually time exposures if they’re longer than 30 seconds.

Unfortunately, most cameras have a maximum shutter speed/exposure time of 30 seconds, which is often too short when using extreme NDs. Owners of higher-end Fujifilm cameras such as the X-T4, GFX100S and X100V can set exposure times up to 60 minutes in duration so you don’t have to shoot in Bulb mode.

For everyone else though, Bulb mode is the key to long-exposure success. On a technical level, a long exposure is essentially any shutter speed that’s too slow for the camera to be handheld without causing camera shake. However, for the aesthetics of landscape photography, it’s often not until shutter speeds are around one second that photographers consider exposures to be long.

Exposures up to 30 seconds using extreme NDs can be dealt with by the camera; beyond this we have to manually time exposures and hold the shutter open in Bulb mode. Let’s take a look at how it’s done.

How to calculate correct exposure times

1. Attach ND grads: Securely attach your camera to your tripod to ensure that it can’t move during the exposure, and compose the shot. At this stage, attach a filter holder and any ND grads required to maintain sky detail. Manually focus 1/3 of the distance into the scene beyond the foreground for a large depth of field and to lock focus.

2. Identify ‘normal’ exposure: Select aperture priority mode at f/11 with ISO 100 and apply any exposure compensation as required for a correct exposure. The shutter speed here was coming in at 1/4sec, but if it was much slower than this it would have been beneficial to increase ISO to 200 to halve the exposure time.

3. Use a calculator app: Use a free exposure calculator such as the LEE Stopper app or NiSi Filters app. Both allow you to select which filter density you’re using, and you simply need to input the standard exposure time for the app to then give you the exact exposure time required. Both apps feature a timer.

4. Shoot the long exposure: Set the camera to manual mode and if the exposure is longer than 30 seconds, rotate the thumbwheel until Bulb is shown. Make sure aperture and ISO are the same as in step two, and you’ll need to use a shutter remote to release the shutter at the same time as starting the app timer.

5. Reattach filters and shoot: Attach your chosen ND filter and then the graduated ND if you used one. Release the shutter with the remote, at the same time as the app timer, and make sure it locks to hold the shutter open – depending on model. Press the shutter button to end the bulb exposure when the timer ends.

Approaches to long-exposure

All landscapes have moving elements, whether it be grass, water or clouds etc. Many even have a combination of some or all of these factors, so there’s always a huge amount of potential for creative long exposures. The most dramatic, and often interesting, movement can be found in water and clouds, and exposure time itself can produce drastically different results depending on what you’re aiming for.

Scenes with clouds in the sky look great when you use a long exposure to capture them streaking towards the camera. The exposure required could be anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes, depending on how fast the clouds are moving. With water, exposures between 1 and 3 seconds provide the most texture and definition in it, while exposures of 30 seconds and above create a silky water effect in waterfalls and the completely smooth water in lakes and the sea.

The latter is a popular approach when it comes to shooting minimalist images of a tree, for instance, surrounded by silky-smooth water.

Getting the look

One thing that will always make long exposures effective is a static visual element within the scene that remains pin-sharp. Not only does this contrast and accentuate the movement within it, it also acts as a visual anchor that avoids images becoming a pure blur and ultimately abstract.

Personal preference will often dictate which exposure time you opt for, but light levels can also be a factor; it’s easier to extend exposure time than reduce it, which is why it’s essential to carry several ND filters with you when shooting landscapes. For instance, when shooting waterfalls, you’ll often be in dark locations so a 3-stop ND filter may allow you to achieve exposure times of 1-15 seconds while shooting in the morning.

However, shooting in the afternoon might require a 6-stop or 10-stop ND to be used to achieve an exposure long enough to blur clouds.

Fake the effect in Photoshop

You can fake the look of ND filters by shooting five to ten exposures of a subject with the camera on a tripod. You then need to sync the raw files in Lightroom before opening all the exposures as Layers in Photoshop. Next, go to Edit>Auto-Align Layers and leave the Projection set to Auto and hit OK.

On the Layers panel left mouse click on the top Layer, hold down Shift and click on the bottom Layer so all are selected, then right mouse click on the Layers and select Convert to Smart Object. Once the Smart Object has processed, go to Layers>Smart Objects>Stack Mode>Median. Once the mode has been applied the image will look like a long exposure.

Finally, flatten the image and crop the edges to remove space left after the image alignment.

James’ Kit list

Tripod
A tripod is essential for long-exposure photography because the camera must be kept completely still during exposures to avoid camera shake in areas of the scene that should be sharp.

Shutter remote
Using a shutter remote allows you to fire the shutter without touching the camera and causing camera shake. They’re also necessary for shooting in Bulb mode to manually hold the shutter open.

Exposure calculator apps
The LEE Stopper and NiSi Filters apps allow you to dial in the standard exposure and will calculate the exposure required for a variety of ND filters including 6, 10 and 15-stop NDs.

Filter holder
If you plan to combine ND filters with graduated ND filters to maintain sky detail, you’ll need a filter holder where 100mm filters slot in place and can be stacked according to requirements.

Variable ND filter
Variable ND filters are a budget option providing a variable density ranging from roughly 1.5 stops to 8 stops, which is controlled by rotating the front part of the filter.

NIKON D810 · f/5 · 1/50s · 85mm · ISO800

James Abbott
James is a freelance photographer and photography journalist specialising in creating shooting and editing techniques that help photographers improve their skills. His first book, The Digital Darkroom: The Definitive Guide to Photo Editing in Adobe Photoshop and Affinity Photo, is on sale now. www.jamesaphoto.co.uk.

Guy Edwardes’ tips for creative long exposures in landscape photography

I think it’s important to start by stressing that I never use long exposures just for the sake of it! I always consider whether a long exposure is appropriate, as well as how long it should be. There are certainly times when a longer exposure is beneficial, but at others it can be detrimental. My incentive for using longer exposures is to help inject life and a sense of movement into otherwise still images of the landscape. The exact length of exposure required for this will vary and may depend upon several factors.

I always work in manual exposure mode when shooting long exposures. This allows me to choose the perfect aperture, ISO and exposure time, and to then use neutral density filters to control the brightness of my image. I also use manual focus, as stronger neutral density filters can cause the autofocus to hunt. In this article I will run through the three main reasons why I might consider the use of a long exposure in my own landscape photography.

Capturing cloud movement

Long exposures can add a dramatic effect to a landscape scene, especially when clouds are moving quickly and in the right direction! The best effect will be achieved when using a very wide-angle lens and when clouds are either moving towards the direction you’re photographing, or directly away from it. You may need to experiment a bit to find out exactly how long your exposure will need to be, as this will depend upon how quickly the clouds are moving. It could be anything from a few seconds to several minutes, and you would control this using neutral density filters. Whenever you shoot long exposures it’s worth taking several frames to choose from later, as the effect will be slightly different in each one.

Creative control of water movement

For me the most effective use of long exposure times is to control the way moving water is recorded in my landscape images. In coastal locations I may be looking to smooth out the texture and contrast of ripples and waves to help emphasise features such as boulders, piers, sea stacks and rock arches. In poor light I often use very long exposure times of several minutes to create minimalist seascapes by smoothing out the water to an almost glass-like state.

A longer exposure time can also be used to create separation between the flowing water in a river and static rocks within the river and along the riverbank by reducing contrast and texture in the water. Using a fast shutter speed to capture landscape images that include moving water can result in a ‘frozen in time’ look that seems unnatural to my eye. To overcome this, I will decide upon an appropriate exposure time that I feel suitably captures the flowing nature of the river at the time.

Working with the conditions

In windy weather when vegetation is blowing around, I often choose to work with the conditions, rather than fighting against them. The latter usually results in compromises to image quality from using high ISO settings and wider lens apertures to achieve a shutter speed fast enough to freeze wind movement.

Therefore, try sticking to a low ISO setting, along with the aperture you require for sufficient depth of field, and simply allow the vegetation to blur during the resulting long exposure. This approach can help to capture a more atmospheric result, indicative of the weather conditions at the time. It should be obvious that you deliberately intended to blur the vegetation, so a neutral density filter may be required to set a long enough exposure time, although in overcast light a polarising filter is normally sufficient.

Problems to overcome

Always take the time to use neutral density filters to achieve your long exposure, rather than expanded low ISO settings or a very small lens aperture, both of which are detrimental to image quality. Remember to turn off in-camera and lens stabilisation when shooting long exposures, otherwise the stabiliser can blur the whole image. Long exposures cause the camera sensor to get hot, which in turn can lead to ‘hot pixels’ showing up in your image. For this reason, it’s best to turn your camera off whenever you’re not taking pictures to allow the sensor to cool. Some camera bodies include the menu function ‘pixel mapping’ to remove hot pixels – it is worth running this before taking any long exposures.

Another option is to use in-camera long exposure noise reduction, but this takes time and is therefore impractical when shooting very long exposures. Perhaps the best solution is to shoot a final long-exposure image with your lens cap on. This black frame will still show the hot pixels and can be used to perform a dark frame subtraction in Photoshop. Place the dark image as a new layer on top of the image you’re working on and change the blending mode to subtract. Most hot pixels will vanish, and the remainder can be removed using the spot healing tool.

There is certainly a degree of trial and error in long-exposure landscape photography, but as a creative technique it may help to elevate your landscape shots to the next level.

How to shoot moving water with long exposures in high-contrast lighting

1. High-contrast scenes require exposure bracketing and blending if you don’t use graduated ND filters. However this can cause problems when shooting long exposures with moving water, as the water effect will vary in each bracketed frame. I overcome this by using a variable neutral density filter (VND).

2. Choose the ideal camera settings for your shot. This would normally be a low ISO to minimise noise and a middle aperture for the best image quality. You can also set what you consider the perfect exposure time for the effect you’re trying to capture.

3. Turn the VND filter until the scene appears dark enough to capture plenty of detail in the brightest highlights. This can be judged by using the live histogram on your rear LCD screen. Note that if you have the sun in the frame this first image will be very dark indeed! Take the first image.

4. Without changing any camera settings, carefully turn the VND filter until 1-2 stops brighter. Take a second image. Repeat this process until you’ve captured a final image with plenty of detail in the darkest shadow areas. The number of images required will depend upon the contrast in the scene.

5. The water movement in each frame will be similar, as the exposure time remained the same. Therefore, the resulting set of images can be blended, in Adobe Lightroom (Merge to HDR) into a single DNG RAW file with expanded dynamic range. This can then be processed as normal, but with the increased capacity to recover highlight and shadow areas. If using an exposure time of only a few seconds, it may be necessary to refine the end result by blending the best single exposure for the water with the HDR file using layers and masks in Photoshop.

Why it Works

For this shot of Porth Nanven in Cornwall I used a very long exposure time of five minutes. This was achieved using a 15-stop neutral density filter. It is a single exposure at f/11 and ISO 100 to maximise image quality. I opted for such a long exposure for two reasons. Firstly, as the clouds were moving directly towards me and I was using a 16mm wideangle lens, I knew that a long exposure would transform the clouds into streaks that would help to draw the viewer’s eye into the centre of my composition. Secondly, I wanted the nice smooth boulders to form a prominent and important element in the foreground. The water flowing around the boulders during the long exposure has helped to isolate individual boulders, as well as simplify the overall composition by smoothing out the texture and contrast in the waves and ripples; otherwise the image would have looked very busy.

Guy’s Kit list

Wide-angle lens
Although lenses from wide-angle to telephoto can all be used successfully for shooting long exposures, ultra- wide-angles tend to produce the most dramatic effects if you’re trying to capture water or cloud movement. My Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L is my most-used lens when shooting long- exposure landscapes.

Tripod
A sturdy tripod and head are essential for long- exposure landscape photography. Spiked tripod feet and a weighted bungee cord can help improve stability, especially in windy conditions. I use a Sachtler Flowtech 75 video tripod and Really Right Stuff BH55LR ballhead.

Neutral density filters
I recommend having a minimum of 3-stop, 6-stop and 10-stop ND filters available. Even 15-stops can be useful in very bright conditions. I use a set of Breakthrough drop-in ND filters and variable ND filter via my Canon EF-RF drop-in filter adapter.

Remote release
For exposure times longer than 30 seconds you may need a remote release to use the bulb setting on your camera. However, many modern cameras allow bulb to function through the use of touch shutter, or the setting of longer exposure times directly.

Guy Edwardes

Based in his home county of Dorset, Guy has been a professional landscape and nature photographer for almost 30 years. He is represented by major picture libraries, and he runs a series of photographic workshops and tours around the world. See his latest work and available workshops at www.guyedwardes.com.

Further reading:

• The top three filters you need for superb landscape shots
• Lee filters Super Stopper targets long-exposure photography
• Guide to fine art landscape photography
• Guide to Moonlight Landscape Photography

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The first thing to remember when using a smartphone for more serious work is to stop thinking of it as a ‘snapshot’ camera and treat it like a DSLR or mirrorless set-up. Composition and lighting are equally important for mobile phone photography.

The latest smartphone sensors pack a mighty punch, with 48MP or more being common these days, but these sensors are quite small. This means a very deep depth of field even with the fast apertures that phone cameras have, which is perfect for landscape photography, and noise can be more of a problem in low light. However, the clever software engineers have found solutions that negate almost all these issues, with the latest phones being packed with firmware to simulate shallow depth of field and reduce noise significantly in low light.

iPhone 11 · f/1.8 · 1/2571s · 4.25mm · ISO32

There is also the issue of the lenses having a fixed, usually very fast, aperture. The latest iPhone, for instance, has an f/1.78 aperture on the main camera and f/2.2 and f/2.8 on the ultra-wide and telephoto respectively. While a fast aperture can be useful in low light or indoors, they are not adjustable, and this must be taken into account when shooting long exposures.

While phone batteries last a long time, when you are using it as a camera for a long period, the battery will drain quicker, so to be on the safe side it is best to pack a power bank when out shooting.

The same rules apply

Any landscape photographer will tell you that the best time of day is just before and just after dawn or before or after sunset when the sun is low in the sky (the golden hour), and this doesn’t change if you use a mobile phone.  

Rule of thirds and lead-in lines are two of the most commonly used composition techniques used for landscape photography and are relevant no matter what camera you use. Most camera apps have the ability to display a 3×3 grid on the screen and some even have a spirit level, both of which assist in composition, so it’s worth making use of these.

iPhone 15 Pro Max · f/2.2 · 1/950s · 2.22mm · ISO50

Lens selection

Most high-end smartphones have two or even three lenses giving a super-wide, wide and telephoto option built in. The latest iPhone 15 Pro has a 0.5x, 1x and 3x optical lenses built in, with the addition of a 15x digital zoom (5x optical and 25x digital on the Pro Max). Add-on lenses are also available, which increases the flexibility of the main camera.

Like all things in photography, you get what you pay for, and the cheap end of the market really isn’t worth bothering with. Moment, a US-based manufacturer, produces a set of five lenses – fisheye, wide-angle, telephoto, macro, anamorphic – which are built to a high standard with optical glass and metal bodies. 

iPhone 11 · f/1.8 · 1/3300s · 4.25mm · ISO32

Most smartphone cameras have one sensor with the headline megapixels (48MP in the case of the latest iPhone) and the other cameras will be lower resolution (12MP in the iPhone, for example). 

External lenses all use the main camera, so you can adjust the focal length of the main camera and gain the maximum image size with no loss of quality. The most useful lenses for landscapes are wideangle and telephoto.

iPhone 15 Pro Max · f/2.2 · 1/1000s · 2.22mm · ISO50

Apps

The camera app built into most smartphones is a very powerful tool, with lots of built-in features like ‘night mode’ or ‘live mode’ for long exposures. However, on the iPhone, these built-in app don’t allow for manual control of the settings. There are several camera apps available, such as ProCam8 and Pro Camera by Moment. I use the latter because it also provides in-camera corrections for any of the Moment lenses I mentioned earlier.

These third party camera apps allow manual control of the shutter speed, ISO, focus and white balance. It also allows other useful functions like focus peaking, histogram, highlight and shadow clipping. You can choose to shoot in JPEG or raw, or both, and the screen can be set to show a grid and a spirit level.

Like the camera app, your smartphone will come with editing software built in.  However, these tend to be rather basic and if you want more control there are plenty of photo editing apps available. I have used Photoshop Express, but my preferred mobile editing software option is Snapseed. It provides a number of useful tools for editing on the move and, most importantly, it allows edited files to be saved as a copy, so you don’t have to overwrite your original file.

iPhone 15 Pro Max · f/1.8 · 1/4000s · 6.86mm · ISO80

Smartphone Landscape Photography Kit List

• Smallrig Dual Handle Phone Cage: Keeps your phone secure and allows items to be bolted to the frame such as handles, lights and a tripod.  The handle also includes a Bluetooth shutter release. 
• Mini Tripod: A mini tripod is always useful. I recommend the type with flexible legs to allow it to be placed around poles or fences for added flexibility.
• Moment Lenses: Added flexibility allowing the user to get the highest quality from the main (larger) sensor.  The Moment 18mm wide and the 58mm telephoto are most useful for landscapes.
• Filters: Variable ND and CPL filters are always useful for landscape photography, and for smartphone photography it is no different.
• Peak Design Wrist Strap: This useful strap keeps the phone attached to your wrist when walking around. Using a wrist strap keeps it safe from theft and when working near water. Easy to remove when it’s not needed.

Useful features

Live Photo –Long Exposure

iPhone 15 Pro Max · f/2.2 · 1/4630s · 2.22mm · ISO32

Selecting Live Photo before you take a picture means the iPhone records a short video of 1.5sec. In post editing you have several options, with ‘long exposure’ being one of them, transforming moving water and fast-moving clouds with motion blur.

To enable Live Photo, tap the Live Icon so it doesn’t have a line through it. Tap the shutter release to take the image. Open the image from your photo folder. There is a Live Photo dropdown box in the top left. Select ‘Long Exposure’ from the dropdown menu.

Panoramas

iPhone 15 Pro Max · f/1.8 · 1/700s · 6.86mm · ISO200

Creating a panoramic image is simple and effective on a smartphone. Select ‘Pano’ on your camera app. This is on the bottom row of the iPhone screen. Make sure the arrow is facing the direction of travel you wish to make. Tap the shutter release and move the phone continuously across the scene, keeping the arrow on the line. Tap the shutter release to finish the image.

Night mode

iPhone 15 Pro Max · f/1.78 · 1/5s · 6.86mm · ISO1600

This mode allows you to take images in very low light, which is useful for late night urban landscapes. Images taken in Night mode can be taken handheld, but it is best to put the phone on a solid surface or on a tripod. Night mode usually turns on automatically when needed; the icon is at the top left of the screen. There will be a number indicating how long the exposure will be. You can adjust the exposure time by selecting Night mode in the bar just above the shutter button.

Jeff’s top tips for capturing an array of landscape scenes

The Postcard Shot

iPhone 11 · f/2.4 · 1/607s · 1.54mm · ISO20

This is the first shot of a scene, which is usually the most obvious angle or composition. I take this as my ‘banker’ shot, the image that I would be happy with if I couldn’t get anything else and wouldn’t look out of place on a postcard.

Frame the Shot

iPhone 11 · f/1.8 · 1/8850s · 4.25mm · ISO32

I try to find something to frame the main subject. This could be a tree with branches and leaves curling around the subject.  Alternatively, it could be a window frame, archway or another structure.  

Panorama

iPhone 15 Pro Max · f/2.8 · 1/500s · 15.66mm · ISO50

Does the scene lend itself to a panoramic view? Sometimes there is a lot of sky and foreground, which can either be cropped out at the editing stage or the smartphone’s panorama function comes into its own.  

Details

iPhone 11 · f/1.8 · 1/1072s · 4.25mm · ISO32

Once I have the ‘big picture’ I start to look for something making use of small details. At Seacliff, the small harbour has a lot of rusty machinery, which is great to photograph.  Getting in close and framing Tantallon Castle between the spoke but focusing on the rusty metalwork gives this shot a different and creative perspective.

Conclusion

One of the advantages of a smartphone is its portability and the fact most people have it on them at all times. The good news is you can shoot excellent images using just your phone no matter where you are, whether that’s a budget phone or a flagship phone. My favourite place for landscapes is the Highlands of Scotland or the beautiful coastline near to my home in East Lothian.

There’s an old saying that the best camera is the one you have on you at the time you need to take the shot. The latest smartphone cameras certainly pack a mighty punch and the ability to shoot in different file formats, to fit filters and additional lenses have increased the flexibility of the camera that is always in your pocket. Will it replace a DSLR or mirrorless camera? That’s down to us as individual photographers but the results you get from your phone are certainly not second best any more.

Article by Jeff Carter

With over 30 years of photographic experience, SE Scotland-based motorsports photographer Jeff Carter has travelled the world in search of that perfect shot. The former Fujifilm X Photographer has also carved out a reputation for his landscape work, running workshops in and around his home in Dunbar and further afield in the Highlands. Visit www.macleanphotographic.com and Instagram: @maclean_photo 

Related reading:

• Best UK landscape photography locations
• Questions to ask yourself before shooting landscapes
• Top tips on how to take great vertical landscape photos

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