It is important to know why you are taking a photograph,
and what your sales pitch is. If it is a travel shot of France, does
it say, “This is France”? If not, why would a buyer choose your
image over other images that might better communicate a sense
of place?
If your shot is not of any identifi able place, then it has to have
another message. Use strong, bold, compositions, dramatic skies, and
great color. The usual advice with landscape photography is to use a
wide-angle lens (or the wide-angle end of your compact camera lens)
for drama and impact. This is often true, but it typically only works if
you have some strong foreground interest that leads the eye into the
scene. You’re often better off with a long lens (or telephoto end of
your compact camera lens) used to select part of a scene for more
impact. See Figures 3.11 and 3.12 for examples of good wide-angle
and telephoto lens use, respectively.
“Paradise Island” uses the rocks as foreground interest. The rocks
lead the eye into the scene. A desert scene might use grass tussocks
or stones to draw the eye in to the picture. “Four Horses” selects the
horses and isolates them from their surroundings, with the landscape
FIGURE 3.11 “Paradise Island.” © Simon/
Shutterstock
LANDSCAPES AND TRAVEL 43