Landscape Photography

During my stay in the Peak District in England I also took the time to visit many of the other great places. I went to south Wales and to the Lake District.

Four Landscape Photography Errors To Avoid

When taking shots of a landscape, there are certain things you can do to ruin the integrity of your photo. While professional photographers know exactly what to be on the lookout, it is not always strikingly clear to others. If you are looking to produce a high-quality picture, it would be a good idea to avoid the following errors.

1. An Empty Sky

One thing many people do not realize about landscape photography is the fact that the sky actually matters. There is no way that your picture will be interesting if the only thing to be seen is the sky is clear, blue nothingness. Even something as simple as a bird or a cloud will change the entire tone of the shot. If it is not possible to capture anything interesting, you should crop out as much of the blank sky as you possibly can.

2. No Focal Point

When taking landscape photos, it is important that every shot has a focal point. Whether this is a pier in the background or an errant ball, there has to be something in the photo to capture the viewer’s attention. Even if your goal is to capture the naturalness of the scene, the lack of a focal point will minimize the beauty if the moment.

3. Bad Lighting

There is nothing that can ruin a picture like terrible lighting. When you are taking photos, you have to consider things like the position of the sun. Many people take what they believe is the perfect shot, then things like shadows and glare make the picture far different than they intended. You should always consider lighting when taking pictures of any type, but it is far more important when you are capturing landscapes.

4. Failing To Use A Tripod

The only thing worse than not getting the shot you desired is thinking you did and having it ruined by a shaky hand. Even if you feel reasonably steady, you should always use a tripod. This will stop your pictures from being blurry due to the movement of the camera mid-shot. Once this happens, there really is no way to fix it, so make sure to get things right the first time.

If you are trying to take the best landscape photos possible, you must avoid all of the mistakes mentioned here. That is the only way you will be able to ensure a shot that you will be satisfied with.