Everything that we do has something to teach us. The same is true in photography as well. Every photo that we click can teach us something new. Landscape photographer Mark Denney came across a question asking him about the single most important thing that he’d learned from photographing landscapes. He tries to answer that question and lists down 6 valuable lessons that he’s learned in landscape photography:
To start, he learned a simple equation. Smart effort equals better photos. Landscape photography is not just about showing up to a location and taking photos. Better research and planning will help you to take photos that are way better. There are various tools available that give you an insight of the lighting and weather conditions. Use them. Also, make a habit of arriving early at your location, and stay late. That way, you don’t need to rush and chase light. You’ll also be surprised to see how magical the conditions can be during the early and late hours.
Next, Denney shares that out of everything he’s learned from his experiences, composition is king. If there’s one thing that you can’t learn enough about, it’s composition. Become a student of composition. With a good composition idea, you can come out with striking photos even from a bland location and unfavorable conditions. Ask yourself how including a particular element will add value to the image. And remember, composition is not only about what you can include in your frame. Learn to see what you can exclude from your composition to make your images clutter free and more effective.
“What you exclude from your frame is just as important as what you include in your frame.”
Most importantly, as Denney shares, you shouldn’t just consider landscape photography as a means to create pretty looking photos. The photographs are the end result to a long sequence of events. Certain photographs evoke emotions that are very personal to a photographer. But, sometimes such emotions can’t be read by others. It’s difficult to express the fun you had in that hike, or how good you felt from your landscape photo. So, don’t worry if the images aren’t coming out perfectly. Enjoy the location and create memories. At the end of the day, happiness is what matters.
Like This Article?
Don't Miss The Next One!
Join over 100,000 photographers of all experience levels who receive our free photography tips and articles to stay current:
This was a fantastic article and video! I was truly touched with his number 1 most important thing he learned! His emotional response brought out such a strong emotional response within me that really resonated! I will never forget what he said because of that connection he made! Very powerful video and tips! Thank you for sharing this – his video was extremely compelling! I’m not a landscape photographer but everything he said applies to every photographer.