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Landscape Photography is the
Oldest Photographic Theme

From the very first photograph ever taken, landscape photography has fascinated and frustrated the photographer. If you are reading this, landscapes probably fascinate you as well. However, the thousands of brilliant landscape photographers of the past have produced tons of magical images. This makes it more difficult for you and me to come up with good original images worthy of publication.

In this section I tell you how, where and when you can take landscape pictures that will not only give you personal satisfaction, but will be worthy of publication as well.

The land allows you to photograph it as it lies, from whatever viewpoint you can reach, at any time. Wait, think about that for a second...

In almost all other forms of photography you can manipulate your subject to a greater or lesser extend. Not when photographing landscapes. Here you need to take what you get! And its not always pretty...

However, you can manipulate the way the landscape looks on your pictures. The skill to get that normal landscape to look special or to trigger a good emotion in the viewer, is what separates good landscape photographers from the rest.


Countryside

Countryside near Grabouw, South Africa
Copyright © Dries Cronje


This presents a number of challenges. And we like challenges, right! Especially if they can improve our photography... The biggest challenge in creating successful landscape picture is to find the ideal viewpoint, in the ideal lighting and weather conditions.

Your favourite landscape may make for a great, award-winning photograph under stormy skies, but look pretty dull in bright sunshine. Or the other way round!

On the next few pages I discuss the factors to be considered before you can unleash that world beating landscape photography. Click on any of the links below, and consider each point carefully.

  • Location, location, location (no, not for property buyers)

  • Nature Conditions

  • Filters

  • Representing the scene


  • Reading is easy. Please do not stop there. Try to implement what you read here next time you are in the field... You will be very pleased with your results.



    For excellent further reading on the subject of landscape photography, I suggest John Shaw's Landscape Photography. One of the first books I have read on landscape photography was John Hedgecoe's Photographing Landscapes, also a very rewarding read.

    I will be writing articles on other aspects of landscape photography that I deem is necessary to help you improve your landscape pictures, and as I experience certain hardships and feel the desire to share my solution. Please watch this space...

    Return from Landscape Photography, to Africa Nature Photography


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