How-To

10 Tips For Visionary Landscapes

There's a random element in any landscape. Learning to bring some order to that chaos will enable you to make your best photos.

As human beings, we’re all surrounded by the same visual information. So what is it that makes a great photograph stand out from the crowd? Visionary photographers have the unique ability to decode the visual information that surrounds us. They identify graphics, colors, patterns and textures that they translate into the two-dimensional world of photography. Somehow, they can build compositions that communicate with us in a nonverbal manner. So how can you decode that random landscape to make better photographs of your own?


Here are 10 tips

1 Connect with the landscape.

Tune into the frequency of the natural world without simply rushing in and starting to photograph. Absorb whatever you can by simply being there; observe and examine, then get the tripod and camera out. Look beyond the literal for special images—it’s a process of absorb, distill and create.

2 What does the landscape say to you?

If you’re inspired by a particular location, try to tune into what it is about the place that’s speaking to you. It’s a bit like trying to get a fix on a frequency—is it color, light, texture? Or perhaps it’s the contrast or interplay of adjacent colors. Establish what elements are responsible, and then begin the process of composing the image.

3 Find the graphics within the camera frame.

Pay particular attention to the interplay of colors, textures and shapes. Separate the elements that can add value to the photograph, or find ways to juxtapose colors, textures or shapes to build impact or contrast.

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