1
Start
handheld
While most
landscape
images benefit
from tripod
stability, it is
helpful to start
by shooting test images handheld. This
allows you to have freedom of movement
to find the viewpoint you feel works best
for the current scene. Try out multiple
shooting positions.2
Set
initial
camera
level once
you have found
the position
you feel best
represents
the scene, set up your camera on a
tripod to support the final shot. in many
cases beginning just below waist level
provides a good balance of foreground and
background attention.3
Vary
height
For a less
natural
perspective
to that of eye
level, lower
the camera
to around knee height. This shows the
scene in a less standard way and also
emphasises the foreground, while shifting
focus from the middle ground. This helps
bring near and far elements together.4
Change
focal
length Vary
your lens or
focal length
to see how
this affects
compression
within the scene. a longer lens will bring
objects closer and will minimise apparent
separation, potentially creating a tidier
scene, but at the expense of noticeable
depth of field and spatial depth.5
Change
the
orientation
By switching to
portrait format
it is possible to
make a greater
feature of close
foreground detail, while limiting extraneous
space along the horizon line. The taller
frame will also emphasise the sky, allowing
the viewer to focus on smaller details
without losing an expansive feeling.6
Adjust
pitch
When shooting
in portrait
format, too
much sky can
be revealed.
should this
occur, adjust the pitch of the lens to alter
the proportion of the frame allocated to
the foreground. angling the camera up or
down can also create eye-catching points
of view.find the best perspective
Try multiple framing options to discover how best to structure landscapes
When faced with a distant subject it can
be tempting to switch to a telephoto
lens and crop in tightly to fill the frame.
This can be effective in a landscape, as
telephoto compression is a strong visual
device, but there is a risk of stripping a
natural sense of distance. With a distant
set of hills, in a magnified image the only
clues to this distance may be features
such as heat haze or the compression
effect. For a natural view, try showing
more of the middleground.Adapt for subject distance
Make considered focal length choices to show natural scale and separation
Below
Converging lines
in urban landscapes tunnel-like perspectives are
commonly found when looking along streets. arrange
these so that they converge on a composition’s
‘sweet spot’ – a thirds grid intersection, for examplethe horizon in the middle of the image or at
one third up or down.”
Areas to focus on to improve this structure
include object separation and depth. Look for
layers in the landscape to provide gradients of
tone and colour, and to push a feeling of depth
through gradual reduction in saturation and
increase in brightness moving up towards the
sky. These aspects make variable distances
from the camera position clear, and can be
emphasised by using a longer focal length to
compress perspective.© Bogdan Maris©^Peterfenech43MasTer coMposiTion
1
Start
handheld
Whilemost
landscape
imagesbenefit
fromtripod
stability,itis
helpfultostart
byshootingtestimageshandheld.This
allowsyoutohavefreedomofmovement
tofindtheviewpointyoufeelworksbest
forthecurrentscene.Tryoutmultiple
shootingpositions.2
Set
initial
camera
levelonce
youhavefound
theposition
youfeelbest
represents
thescene,setupyourcameraona
tripodtosupportthefinalshot.inmany
casesbeginningjustbelowwaistlevel
providesagoodbalanceofforegroundand
backgroundattention.3
Vary
height
Foraless
natural
perspective
tothatofeye
level,lower
thecamera
toaroundkneeheight.Thisshowsthe
sceneinalessstandardwayandalso
emphasisestheforeground,whileshifting
focusfromthemiddleground.Thishelps
bringnearandfarelementstogether.4
Change
focal
lengthVary
yourlensor
focallength
toseehow
thisaffects
compression
withinthescene.alongerlenswillbring
objectscloserandwillminimiseapparent
separation,potentiallycreatingatidier
scene,butattheexpenseofnoticeable
depthoffieldandspatialdepth.5
Change
the
orientation
Byswitchingto
portraitformat
itispossibleto
makeagreater
featureofclose
foregrounddetail,whilelimitingextraneous
spacealongthehorizonline.Thetaller
framewillalsoemphasisethesky,allowing
theviewertofocusonsmallerdetails
withoutlosinganexpansivefeeling.6
Adjust
pitch
Whenshooting
inportrait
format,too
muchskycan
berevealed.
shouldthis
occur,adjustthepitchofthelenstoalter
theproportionoftheframeallocatedto
theforeground.anglingthecameraupor
downcanalsocreateeye-catchingpoints
ofview.find thebest perspective
Trymultipleframingoptionstodiscoverhowbesttostructurelandscapes
Whenfacedwithadistantsubjectitcan
betemptingtoswitchtoatelephoto
lensandcropintightlytofilltheframe.
Thiscanbeeffectiveinalandscape,as
telephotocompressionisastrongvisual
device,butthereisariskofstrippinga
naturalsenseofdistance.Withadistant
setofhills,inamagnifiedimagetheonly
cluestothisdistancemaybefeatures
suchasheathazeorthecompression
effect.Foranaturalview,tryshowing
moreofthemiddleground.Adapt for subjectdistance
Makeconsideredfocallengthchoicestoshownaturalscaleandseparation
Below
Converginglines
inurbanlandscapestunnel-likeperspectivesare
commonlyfoundwhenlookingalongstreets.arrange
thesesothattheyconvergeonacomposition’s
‘sweetspot’–athirdsgridintersection,forexamplethe horizon in the middle of the image or at
one third up or down.”
Areas to focus on to improve this structure
include object separation and depth. Look for
layers in the landscape to provide gradients of
tone and colour, and to push a feeling of depth
through gradual reduction in saturation and
increase in brightness moving up towards the
sky. These aspects make variable distances
from the camera position clear, and can be
emphasised by using a longer focal length to
compress perspective.
© Bogdan Maris©Peterfenech43MasTer coMposiTion