Tips for a Successful Landscape Photography Outing
Generally, you want to pack light when you are photographing landscapes but there are some accessories that I couldn’t live without. One is a tripod. This will help you compose the landscapes with a straight horizon. More importantly, it is necessary when using a slow shutter speed. A show shutter speed will show motion and is critical when photographing waterfalls. Next is a polarizing filter. This filter will reduce reflections and increase saturation in the landscape image. Another filter that I use is a neutral density filter. This filter blocks light from falling on the sensor and is needed when photographing outdoors on a bright day. Even at ISO 100 it would be difficult to shoot at a shutter speed of 15-20 seconds without it. I stack the polarizing filter and the neutral density filter which blocks even more light. Lastly, I have really gotten to like my tripod bracket. My camera is much more steady when I switch to a vertical shot.
Camera settings for landscape photography are usually: ISO 100, f/16 or smaller, and the slowest shutter speed possible. I set my picture style to landscape which increases the saturation of the blues and greens and renders a sharper image. I always shoot in raw so I can tweak the white balance settings and use the adjustment brush to paint highlights back into the shadows. Using some or all of the landscape photography tips that I provided will greatly improve your landscape photography images.
The photos below were taken at Amicalola Falls in North Georgia.
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