12 WAYS TO
ROCKLANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHY
ALEXA MILLER // @ALEXALMILLER // ALEIGHM.COM
#1 FIND A FOCAL POINT
Landscapes should still
draw the eye using
effective composition &
the rule of thirds.
#2 LOOK FOR LINES
Eyes follow lines.
#3 SEEK
NATURAL
FRAMES• Trees and rocks are great for framing.
• Horizons don’t HAVE to be straight.
•Try to avoid positioning horizons at the center of the photo.
#4 CAPTURE
MOTION
• APERTURE + SHUTTER SPEED
• TRIPOD + REMOTE
• DON’T FORGET ABOUT
COMPOSITION!
#5 THINK ABOUT DEPTH OF FIELD
• APERTURE
• The narrower the aperture, the wider the depth of field.
• The larger the F-Stop, the narrower the aperture.
• You may need a longer exposure to achieve maximum depth of field.
#6GET THE
LIGHT RIGHT
• WHERE IS THE SUN?
• BRACKETING + HDR
• YOUR TRIPOD IS STILL
YOUR FRIEND
#7GET THE LIGHT WRONG
Because
sometimes, it just
looks cool.
#8PLAN.• GOLDEN HOUR – Sunset & sunrise, when the sun is low in the sky. Light is less intense at these times.
• TIME OF YEAR
• APPS LIKE LIGHTTRAC – Plan for a specific geographic location, know when the sun will disappear behind hills, etc
www.LightTracApp.com
#9 POLARIZE
Use a circular polarizer to darken blue skies, saturate colors, and eliminate reflections from water and windows.
Photo credit: randomSPACE
CIRCULAR POLARIZER NO FILTER
#10 DON’T FORGET THE FOREGROUND
It’s easy to get in the habit of using the sky as the point of interest. Don’t forget to consider the foreground when composing your landscapes photographs.
#11 CAPTURE MORE
• It’s easier than ever to stitch multiple photos together. Automate in
Photoshop or download free software
• Tip: Capture even more by stitching vertical photos to create a horizontal panorama
• YOUR TRIPOD IS STILL YOUR FRIEND
#12 SHOOT RAW
Maintain the ability to adjust your photos while retaining quality.
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