Photo by Linda Lin
Think for a moment. Is your home computer holding hundreds of photos of amazing landscapes that no one will ever look at? Is that because most of the photos just aren’t that good?
Every time you shoot a landscape you run the classic risk of turning something beautiful in real life into a really boring photo. Landscapes, architecture, sunsets, they all suffer the same affliction. To make matters worse if you are using a smartphone, like an iPhone, you don’t have as much control over depth of field or white balance which are key to taking professional-level landscape photos with a DSLR.
Thankfully, this is not the time despair. In the world of smartphone photography, all your limitations are actually blessings-in-disguise. You should really go that extra mile – no matter the camera – to add an interesting color pallet or some dynamism to your photos and with smartphones this is key to great landscapes.
Next time you come across a beautiful scene and just have to share it with friends, here are a few things to think about to make the moment as memorable for them as it is for you.
Foreground. So often a spectacular scene is made underwhelming by the simple lack of distance or contrast in the frame. Without it, your friends can’t tell how they’d fit into the landscape. Fix this by finding something to place in the foreground of your photos like these wine glasses, which set the mood perfectly and add depth to this glorious sunset.
Photo by Lisa Mayhew
Angle. Try to find a unique perspective that communicates the scene. This photo uses the trees and the low angle to establish the enormity of the sky. As a result the landscape below seems expansive and full of possibility – much more interesting than a straight 2/3 land 1/3 sky shot!
Photo by Rodrigo Domingueti
Filter. When you snap a landscape, often you’re trying to capture the feeling of the moment. There is nothing like watching the sun go down on a warm summer’s eve. Communicating this, on the other hand, is one of the hardest things to do in photography. Good news is your iPhone offers you a shortcut! Filters are a quick and easy way to add emotion to your photo. Choose the right filter and your audience will know immediately that the photo is sad, nostalgic, peaceful, or funny.
Photo by Joseph Lin
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