9 tips on how to improve your Landscape Photography skills
I’m sure you all (including me) asked yourself the questions already, “how do I become better in landscape photography?”
If so, then that's a good thing because it's the main question you should ask yourself almost every single day, in regards to photography!
It doesn't matter if you're a pro or a beginner photographer! Only with the right mindset, you’ll be able to move forward.
So whether you’re in landscape photography for a couple of years now or if you’re just starting, my following tips will help all of you to get better in your own photography.
And guys, even when it’s just little steps, every single improvement counts!
Don't be too confident
As I mentioned in the intro already, the right mindset is probably the most important part of any craft or skill you want to develop.
If you think that you’re better than everybody else and how you should improve any more, then this will only hold you back.
When you read interviews of super talented people in the world about how they got where they are now, then you will almost always get the same answer.
Hard work - every single day and open to learning from their mistakes to move forward!
Do the same with your photography, and you will 100% evolve as a photographer and as a person in general!
Analyze the work of others
There are so many amazingly talented photographers out there, and we live in the perfect time to watch their work by simply using your phone.
You don’t have to visit any exhibitions or art galleries to see it. It’s so easy to get inspired, and this helps you a lot to improve your own photography.
Keep checking the work of the landscape photographers you admire and analyze why you like it.
That’s something that still helps me with my own photography.
Ask yourself why you love the specific foreground element and how it fits the background choice. What would you have done when in the field?
Would you have even found the foreground they placed in the shot?
What about the leading line the photographer used to guide your eyes?
Is that something you would have done as well? If not, why?
What about the color choice? How do you like it? How does it fit the general look of the image, and how does it improve it?
Ask yourself those questions and apply the answers to your own work.
I don’t say to be a copycat by any means, though. I tell you this to get inspired by the work of others!
Go to the same location multiple times
Especially at the beginning of my career, it was beneficial for me to revisit the same location over and over again.
It doesn’t matter if you live close to a beautiful place or not; everything can work to practice on!
Is there a specific tree that stands out of the landscape?
Are there some creeks and rivers in your area?
Do you live close to the mountains?
Whatever it is guys, it’s crucial to practice in your backyard and to learn from your mistakes!
Go to a location with an ordinary subject and try to make it look appealing.
Pick a different perspective to capture it interestingly.
Maybe get low with your tripod or place the main subject in your frame using the rule of thirds.
When you’re back at home on your computer and analyze your photos from that day, ask yourself, what do you like about them?
What did you do wrong”? Was the low perspective the right choice, or did it block the view towards the background subject?
How could different light benefit the scene in general?
When you revisit the same location, bring your old photos with you on your phone, so you still know what you did “wrong” before.
Now try something different!
Repeat this process a couple of times, and you will quickly realize how you got better eventually.
The knowledge you gathered is something you can apply to every single other landscape location later on!
Become a Photoshop master
In my opinion, it’s essential to master Photoshop as a landscape photographer.
If you want to develop a unique style, then you simply have to know all the tools which help you to improve your images.
There are two key ways to set yourself apart from other photographers, that' composition and post-processing style.
I’m talking about the second part now. Mastering Photoshop can take years, and you will probably never stop discovering new techniques or methods to edit your shots.
My advice is to practice as often as possible. Try out how certain adjustments affect your image and what you like about them.
Also, watch other photographers how they do their editing.
That’s how I learned the most in the past.
Everybody does it differently, so there is always something to pick up, even when it’s just a new way to add local contrast or how to organize your workflow.
Force yourself to try something new, so you don’t get caught in the same editing steps over and over again!
It might cause some headaches, but it still helps me to improve.
Every single photo is unique, so it needs different adjustments than other images from your portfolio.
You most certainly don’t need to know every single tool available in Adobe Photoshop, but it’s crucial to master the stuff which helps you to get your desired results.
Check out my premium Photoshop Courses to become a master in photo editing!
Re-edit your older shots
This topic is closely related to the previous one. If you want to become a Photoshop master, it’s essential to know which adjustment you need to improve your images.
As your taste and skills change over the years, it’s really helpful to develop your skills by editing older shots of yours.
You will be amazed and shocked at the same time how you were able to like your previous versions.
Old version
New version
Pick some of your favorite older photos and apply some new techniques to them.
Trying new ways to adjust your shots is so important! The more you have in your tool-box, the better!
You most likely will want to spend more time editing the images which you already loved in the past rather than some mediocre ones which are still lying unedited on your harddrive.
I do this all the time, and it helps me so much to get better in post-processing.
Every time I finished re-editing one of my photos, I watch the new and the old versions, side by side and analyze what I like better and what I did “wrong” before.
You have to be very strict with yourself to evolve as a photographer!
Force yourself to try something new
Whether you’re in the field trying to find a composition or at your computer editing your images, it’s always crucial to force yourself to try something new!
I talked about the editing part before already, but I can’t stress enough to keep trying new things, so you don’t fall into a processing routine, which lets you apply the same adjustments to every single image.
Don’t do that, as every single photo is different!
It also applies to composition. If you never tried to get low with your tripod to capture a small ice pattern with your wide-angle lens, just do it!
If you fail, come back again.
Ideally, it’s a location close to your hometown. If you never tried picking out small details in the landscape with your telephoto lens, do it!
If you never tried a blue hour blend with the milky way, just do it.
Shoot your foreground during blue hour and wait until the milky way appears.
If you’ve never placed yourself in the image to add scale, then just do it!
It’s sometimes hard to force ourselves out of our daily routine, but the effort is mostly well worth it in the long run.
These are all simple examples of how to try something new in landscape photography, but they can make a big difference on your journey in becoming better.
Use a new type of lens
This point is also related to one I talked about before.
If you’re the wide-angle guy and you don’t see any growth in your composition skills, simply try out a new lens!
Get a super crazy long telephoto and zoom in super close to your subject in nature.
Maybe it’s a colorful tree on a mountain ridge which you can barely see with your own eyes or an unusual low cloud formation in the valley, or also a small flower which stands out as a beautiful contrast in the dark forest.
These are a few scenarios where it makes sense to try out another lens than your wide-angle, and it will open your eyes for new ways to capture compositions.
It can also help you to confirm what you already know.
If you are the wide-angle guy, then you simply are the wide-angle guy!
Get a super wide-angle lens with 12mm or less to achieve crazy extreme perspectives.
I got super close to the tiny stream to make it appear bigger.
Get super close to your foreground and make it appear huge in your frame, or if you’re close to a massive mountain, it helps you to make it look even more prominent by tilting your lens up or down.
There are so many different ways of how a new lens can affect your own landscape photography!
Use the new experience to take it a step further!
Go to a location with “fresh” eyes
In my opinion, there is a big mistake most photographers make when they visit a new location and trust me, guys, I did it as well!
When you do the research for your photography trip, it’s crucial to check the work of other photographers to find out which compositions are possible in specific areas.
There are also other things involved in planning your trip, so feel free to check out my article about how to plan your photography trip!
The problem with checking the work of other photographers is that your own creativity can get influenced, so you’re less likely to capture something unique as you still have the composition of other photographers in mind.
So when you do this kind of research, make sure to do it way ahead of your trip (I’m only talking about checking the work of fellow photographers).
It’s key to arrive at the desired location with “fresh eyes” without having the work of others in your mind.
If you want to evolve as an artist, in general, it’s absolutely important not to copy the work of fellow photographers!
Walk around the area and scan what you like and what you don’t like and then come up with your own composition and angle of view.
Of course, there are many locations where it’s very difficult to get something unique, but that’s the challenge.
If you’re standing at Mount Kirkufell in Iceland with ten other photographers, take your iconic shot and turn around and scout if you can find something else!
It doesn't have to be a unique subject, but a slightly different angle can make a huge difference already!
This makes photography so much more fun, and it helps you to create something you’re very proud of!
Take a break from working on your photos
Last but not least, I want to talk about the importance of taking a break shortly
I mentioned a lot about practicing regularly or on a daily basis, but at some point, you will realize that it was too much.
If you’re getting a headache when you only think about editing your photos or about going out to capture some new shots, then simply stop!
I was at this point a couple of times already, and what helped me a lot was to do something completely different.
Go out with your friends or visit your family.
Follow up with another hobby you might have or just do nothing!
It resets your mind, and you will come back stronger than ever.
For some people, a 3-day break is enough, and others need a couple of weeks.
Every person is unique, and so is your work!
Alright, guys, that’s it now with my tips about how to become a better landscape photographer.
Please keep in mind that every person is different.
There are so many ways to evolve as an artist and as a person in general.
I probably only scratched the surface, but these are things that helped me a lot in the past, and they still do.
So what is your favorite way to improve as a photographer?
What do you need to upgrade your post-processing/composition skills?
Please let me down in the comments, and if you have any questions, I’m always there to help!
Cheers,
Daniel Gastager