Top Ten Landscape Photography Essentials

We need landscape photography essentials, though as landscape photographers we are quite fortunate, a camera, a few lenses, filters and tripod and we are pretty much all set to go. I know, from experience, that there is often a temptation to buy additional equipment in the belief that it will produce better photos or make you a better photographer.

To a degree this is true but I would only consider adding to the list of landscape photography essentials when necessary. Only buy the very best equipment that your budget will allow, this is particularly true of lenses.

We will probably have to carry our photo gear to our preferred location and being weighed down with an abundance of photo gear could make the journey tiring and uncomfortable. So my advice, bearing in mind we need to carry our landscape photography essentials is to travel as light as possible. Think carefully about what is required for a particular landscape photography shoot.

List of my Top Ten Landscape Photography Essentials

Personally I have always used Canon but of course this is very much an individual choice. Whilst the latest SLR camera and lenses have many features there are some that I consider to be landscape photography essentials.

1. Control of exposure

We do not want to have to rely on the cameras Auto Mode and need to be able to choose a Manual or Aperture Priority setting as required depending on the circumstances.

2. Depth of field preview

For landscape photography work this is a must. It enables the lens to be closed down to your selected aperture to see a preview of the depth of field. It takes a little time to get used to using the preview because at f16 for example it will appear very dark at first. However, be patient, let your eyes adjust to the low light level and the preview will appear brighter making it easier to see and assess the depth of field.

3. Camera Spot Meter (or Hand Held Meter)

I prefer to use the spot meter exposure setting for most of my photography as it offers a greater degree of exposure control, it does take practice and time to become confident in its use but it is well worth the effort.

4. Electronic Remote or Cable Release

This is extremely useful as it will prevent camera movement when the shutter release is pressed.

5. Mirror Lockup

Extremely beneficial as it enables the mirror to be raised early ensuring vibrations dissipate before the shutter opens. Best used in conjunction with the cable release and can also be combined with the use of the Self Timer.

6. Lenses

For me landscape photography covers everything from grand sweeping views to smaller details so a camera system that offers a range of quality lenses is important.

7. Tripod

A sturdy tripod and head with a range of movements from high to low level. Essential to hold the camera rock solid.

8. Polarising Filters

Used for saturating colours, improving skies and cutting through reflections on water, damp leaves and rock.

9. Neutral Density Graduated Filters

A set of three in 1, 2 and 3 stop strengths. Essential for controlling the dynamic range (contrast) of the scene. It is possible to do this by using the High Dynamic Range (HDR) technique but for most of my landscape work I still prefer using filters.

10. Neutral Density Filters

Available in various strengths, I normally carry ND filters with a 2 and 5 stop strength. Perfect for reducing the amount of light reaching the sensor and thereby slowing the shutter speed, can be used for creating movement in a scene, for example blurred water.

So there are my Top Ten Landscape Photography Essentials, all we need now is to combine the above with a strong camera bag or rucsac to protect our valuable equipment and we are ready to head out into the great outdoors for an enjoyable and rewarding day of landscape photography.

Why not add a comment listing your Top Ten Landscape Photography Essentials.

Photo Articles for your website or blog

Photo articles, if you want to use any of our Photography Articles on your website or blog you are welcome to do so providing you include the text and live link as shown below. Thank you.

Article by Phil McDermott - Commercial, stock and wedding photographer.

Choose from the following list of photography articles,

Backlighting, Contre-jour Photography Contre-jour is a photographic term meaning “into the light” and contrary to popular belief stunning photographs can be taken when shooting into the light.

Photo Trip to Ben More, Isle of Mull Ben More, the highest point on the Isle of Mull is the only Hebridean Munro outside of the Isle of Skye and is therefore held in high regard on the island.

Close Up in Nature Photography Without doubt there is something awe inspiring and wholesome in the big view. Every year there are vast arrays of calendars all full of pretty landscape pictures adorning our high street shops.

Hilbre Island Photo Trip Hilbre Island and the Dee Estuary are justly famous for their ornithological importance, particularly during spring and autumn migration.

Photographing Patterns in Nature “Always remember the importance of detail”. I can still clearly hear these words that were repeatedly drummed home by my college lecturer. Whilst they seemed unimportant and irrelevant to me at the time, they have over the years taken on a much greater significance and have become ingrained in my philosophy and nature photography.

Autumn Reflections, Photographers View “Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower” ~ Albert Camus (1913-1960). The beauty of autumn is something to behold, rich vibrant colours all competing with each yet forming such a harmonious blend, but it is also tinged with sadness as another year ticks away.

The Importance of Lighting The word photography comes from the French photographie and is based on the Greek for light and stylus or paintbrush or graphe (a representation by means of lines or drawing), basically meaning “drawing with light”. Read more…

Photography Exposure Controlling the exposure of our image is one of the most important aspects of photography and fundamental to the principle of our photographic knowledge.

Practical Approach to a Photo Trip In this article we will look at a photography field trip, describing each stage from initial preparation to the final image; some is obvious, some less so.

Photography Composition Photography images are made by you the photographer, they are an amalgam of many elements, including your own inner vision, interpretation and aspiration. If any of these elements are missing then the image fails.

Landscape Photography Essentials All the major camera manufactures produce SLR cameras that can be built into complete systems and the build quality is excellent. However, there is often a temptation to stock up on equipment; this particular lens, that particular filter in the belief that it will produce better images or make you a better photographer.

Basalt columns, Staffa, Inner Hebrides

Basalt columns – The Staffa Group is the name given to the series of Olvine Tholeiite Basalts found in the region of the Isle of Mull which erupted 55 – 58 million years ago. Its volcanic origin consists of a base of tuff underneath colonnades of Tertiery Basalt.

There is another layer of Basaltic lava lacking a crystalline structure. Slow cooling of the second layer results in patterns that we see today which makes up the walls and face of the columns. The columns have between three to eight sides (though mainly six), and are divided by cross joints. Similar formations can be seen on the headland of Ardmeanach and the tiny Isle of Ulva close to the Isle of Mull.

From the Old Norse for Stave (Pillar Island), this name was given by the Vikings as it reminded them of their homes which were built from vertical tree logs.

Staffa came into prominance in the late 18th Century after a visit by Sir Joseph Banks, who later purchased it in 1772. He renamed it to Fingles Cave. Over the next two centuries many other prominent people visited Staffa including Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and also the musician Felix Mendelssohn who wrote his famous overture.

Other famous visitors include Robert Adam, Sir Walter Scott, John Keats, Turner, Wordsworth, Jules Verne, Alice Liddell, David Livingstone, Robert Louis Stevenson and William Wordsworth.

Staffa is an isolated little island now owned by the National Trust for Scotland and has been uninhibited since 1800.

PhotographyBB Online Magazine 10th Issue

PhotographyBB online Magazine celebrates it’s 10th Issue this month. This free online magazine offers excellent articles, news and product reviews along with much more. It is certainly worth a look, I would recommend it highly to all photographers.

The below Press Release includes links to both the PhotographyBB homepage and the magazine download page.

PhotographyBB Press Release :

VANCOUVER, CANADA, NOVEMBER 20th, 2008 – PhotographyBB announced today, the release of the tenth edition of the PhotographyBB Online Magazine. The PhotographyBB Online Magazine is quickly becoming a leading resource in the future of free information distribution, offering our readers: Digital Photography tips and techniques, DSLR camera function training, and image post processing tutorials in Adobe® Photoshop™, and RAW processing in Photoshop Lightroom™.

This month’s release includes a tutorial on better night photography, a guide on keeping your camera gear (and yourself) safe when shooting in winter conditions, Photoshopping your own personalized (to each recipient) holiday cards, “Is CS4 worth the upgrade?,” a look at infrared photography, and much more.

Editor in Chief, Dave Seeram had these comments regarding this recent release:

“What began as a small PDF e-zine for digital SLR beginners has now grown into a popular resource for digital photographers of all skill levels. We’ve been so fortunate in receiving article contributions from a generous team of hard working volunteer writers. As a result, we’ve been able to expand the magazine considerably, giving our readers new article columns with useful tutorials and techniques for every digital photographer.”

By way of download in either PDF or ZIP formats, PhotographyBB continues its trend through the future of free downloadable magazine distribution. In a completely ad-free format, each issue contains informative and educational tutorials for amateur and intermediate level photographers.

In addition to articles which aide photographers in getting the most from their DSLR cameras, the PhotographyBB Online Magazine also features useful and applicable tutorials on how to use post-processing tools such as Photoshop and Lightroom, to build on digital photography post-processing skills.

PhotographyBB Online Magazine is available for free download through the PhotographyBB Website at: http://www.photographyBB.com/magazine

PhotographyBB was founded in Oct, 2006, and is a division of PowerButton Central (2004). For more information, visit the PhotographyBB website at: http://www.photographybb.com

Short Eared Owl (Asio flammeus)

Short Eared Owl are often seen feeding during daytime hours in areas of open grassland for the hunting of small mammals and birds. It enjoys perching on fence posts in order to obtain the best vantage points and quarters the ground at low level. However, when displaying they can rise to great heights.

Its plumage is mainly buffish brown and is heavily marked with dark spots and streaks. When seen head on, it has a round facial disc with bright yellow eyes and short ear tufts. Its flight is leisurely and slow on rounded tipped wings with pale undersides.

Breeding mainly in Northern Britain the short eared owl nests at ground level amongst clumps of moorland grass. During the wintertime its range can extend to much of Southern Britain where it may often be seen on coastal and downland grassland.

This particular bird was photographed recently in late evening sunshine with a 500mm / f4 lens, set at 1/1000 sec at f5.6 giving a very shallow depth of field thus creating a soft and diffused background.