Can you imagine coming across an article where you can find everything, absolutely everything you need to know to start take amazing landscape photos?
A complete and detailed guide to landscape photography where you can find the answers to all your doubts related to this photographic genre…
Well then… stop imagining. You have it in front of you 🙂 .
I have set out to make this article the most complete guide on landscape photography ever created in Spanish on the face of… the Internet.
Presumptuous purpose, yes I know.
But in these more than 10 years of life that this website has, we have published countless articles dealing with various aspects of landscape photography.
Today, I have decided to bring together all those tips and tricks in this very complete mega-guide with which I want to help you make those landscape photos that you have been dreaming of for a long time come true.
And if in addition to the landscape, everything that has to do with nature photography attracts you, I have also prepared another guide that is just as complete and ambitious as it is full of tips and tricks.
Important: Before starting, I recommend that you add this article to your favorites. In this way you will be able to refer to it in the future whenever you need to review some aspect or want to review some advice before going out with your camera to take landscape photography.
Another thing: do not let yourself be overwhelmed by the length of this guide, I have made an effort to present it to you in the most visual and structured way possible, so that those who are in a hurry can go directly to the section or sections that interest them.
Even so, I recommend that you prepare your favorite drink, a notebook and pencil to gather inspiration and ideas, and that you sit down to dedicate the time that this landscape photo guide deserves.
Clever? Let’s go there.
INSIDE THIS ARTICLE… 📖
What types of landscape photography exist?
Here are some of the most popular types of landscape photography:
- Natural landscape
- urban landscape
- night landscape
- winter landscape
- Rural landscape
- black and white landscape
- tourist landscape
- misty landscape
- aerial landscape
- panoramic landscape
- minimalist landscape
- Long Exposure Landscape
If you want more inspiration on landscape photos that you can take with your camera (even for someone at a beginner level), take a look at our article with 25 landscapes that you could photograph with your camera.
What is the ideal photo camera for landscape photography?
Unlike other photographic genres such as sports or animal photography, for which it is appreciated to have a camera with advanced features, landscape photos are not very demanding in this regard.
Any camera (yes, with manual controls) will allow you to obtain very good results.
At the level of photographic equipment, the camera is where you will have the least problems.
The objective that you attach to that camera can have crumb.
Let’s see it.
Although before I leave you a list of my recommendations of the best SLR cameras to start in photography.
What is the best lens for landscape photography?
Here are the most suitable lenses for landscape photography:
- Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5
- Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5
- Nikon AF-S DX 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G
- Tokina AF 12-24mm f/4
- Sigma 12-24mm f/4
- Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS II USM
- Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G
If you hit a good target, you have half the job done.
To photograph a landscape it is essential to have a lens whose focal length is minimal, if it is a wide angle, better than better.
In the market you will find an infinity of lenses and objectives for landscape photography, for all budgets, but if you feel somewhat lost, take a look at this article, in it we have prepared a careful selection with the best objectives that there are right now for landscape photography .
And if you want to know more about lenses in general, types, terminology, acronyms, focal lengths and more, don’t miss the mega guide that we have prepared for you.
What accessories do I need to take landscape photos?
When it comes to photography accessories, I am rather a minimalist, I prefer to use as few accessories as possible.
Now, if an accessory is useful, I want it with all my might and I never part with it.
If you are going to take landscape photography, in addition to your camera and lens, you will mainly need the following accessories:
- Filters (especially the Polarizing Filter)
- Tripod, to stabilize the shot.
- Remote trigger, also to stabilize the shot.
For more information, we have prepared this more detailed article with the accessories for the landscape photographer.
What is the best filter for landscape photography?
Filters are small crystals that, attached to the lens, add some effect or provide some extra utility.
They are very useful in landscape photography and there are endless types, each serving a different purpose.
For landscape photos, my favorite is the Polarizing Filter, I think it allows you to capture incredible landscapes, but if you want more information on the subject of filters for landscape photography, we have dedicated a special article to it here, I invite you to take a look at it.
Composition for landscape photography
Composition is an essential element in landscape photography.
In order to capture incredible landscapes, it is important to look at some composition rules and try as much as possible to follow them.
So that you have this part covered, here are some of the most typical mistakes that I have seen beginning photographers make when it comes to composition in landscape photography.
How to photograph sharp landscapes
It’s easy to come across some amazing scenery, have some great photography equipment, and still suck it all up with a fuzzy or blurry photo.
When composing your landscape photo, make sure you work on the sharpness part.
In this article that we have prepared for you, you will find specific steps and instructions on how to photograph sharp landscapes correctly.
How to photograph spring landscapes
One of the seasons that lends itself the most to landscape photography, being able to give us incredible landscapes, is spring.
Here are 20 tips to help you achieve stunning landscape photos the easy way this spring.
How to photograph winter landscapes
Contrary to what many believe, winter with its rains, storms, snowfalls and bad weather hides true photographic opportunities that are only available to those who dare to go out and look for them.
When it’s winter where you live, I recommend that you spend an afternoon going out to take pictures of nature and capture beautiful landscape photos.
That you don’t know where to start?
Here you have a very complete article dedicated to the matter of photographing winter landscapes.
How to photograph sunrise and sunset landscapes
Two of the most rewarding times for the landscape photographer are sunrise and sunset.
The soft light characteristic of these two moments, the degree to which the light falls on the landscape, the color and the quality of that light turn both sunrise and sunset into spectacular landscape photographs that all photographers strive to find.
If you like sunrise and sunset landscape photography, I invite you to read these tips on sunrise and sunset photography.
As well as this other article, with the settings that you must configure in your camera to achieve spectacular results of sunrises and sunsets.
night landscape photography
Night landscape photography is one of the types of photography least explored by amateur photographers, in large part, due to the apparent complexity that it entails.
The truth is that such complexity does not exist.
Actually it is the effect “the whiting that bites its tail”.
The less you practice night photography, the more difficult it will be.
So, if you like night landscapes, you should consider grabbing your camera and start planning night photography outings for night landscape photography.
If the first few times you get better photos, it is important that you do not throw in the towel. You will not expect to embroider it the first time, friend, right?
But don’t worry, we’ll go out a second night, and a third, and with each outing you’ll see that your nightscapes improve.
Are you missing some inspiration? Let everything be that 🙂
Here are 17 examples to fill you with inspiration for your next nightscape photography.
Panoramic Landscape Photography
The landscapes are the ones that abound the most in the panoramas, it must be for a reason.
In this guide we teach you how to get impressive panoramic photos, step by step and regardless of the camera you have.
Black and white landscape photography (easy)
Black and white never goes out of style. The absence of color in a photograph has a special charm in all photographic genres, so in landscape photography it was not going to be less.
If you like black and white landscape photography, here are a handful of very simple tricks with which you can get incredible black and white landscapes very easily.
Common mistakes when photographing landscapes
If you are taking your first steps in landscape photography, this article will save you more than one disappointment.
Here is a list that we have prepared with 10 of the most frequent mistakes in landscape photography (and how to solve them).
landscape photography editing software
The same photo editing and developing programs work for your landscape photos.
If you ask me for a recommendation, my favorite program is hands down Lightroom.
For a very reasonable subscription price it allows you to completely transform your landscape photography.
If Lightroom isn’t much for you for whatever reason, here are other options that are just as good:
- CaptureOne
- Adobe Camera RAW
- light up
- RawTherapee
- dark table
- DxO Photo Lab
- Affinity Photo
Mobile phone apps for landscape photography
Here are some amazing apps that are rarely talked about and that can help you in one way or another to get splendid landscape photos:
- GPS Kit: Incredible app, mainly intended for hikers and people who practice outdoor activities like hiking or climbing, but I think it can help you as a photographer to get your bearings, not to get lost on the way (works even if you don’t have phone/data coverage) , as well as allowing you to be able to return to a given site accurately over and over again.
- Focusware: Very famous app, very widespread among photographers and videographers. It helps you organize yourself to plan your photographic outing when…