How to Take Beautiful Nature Landscapes Photos Using a Standard Point and Shoot Camera

Nature landscapes or any Landscape photography is a great place to use creativity, and unique perspective, even if presented with a flat or unchallenging image. For example, you are on a road trip, you read the road sign that says "Scenic Overlook"; you pull in, get out the camera, hold it at eye height and take the picture. It is scenic; you shouldn't have to compose the image, right? Wrong.

Photographing nature landscapes and scenery should be a creative experience, even with a point and shoot camera. Look at the image, analyze it, look at it a different way, climb up on a picnic table or lay down in the grass, and experience the view through your own perspective, then capture that with your camera.

Don't be afraid to change the perspective. Lie down in the grass, climb on the roof of the car, and change the vantage point to an unexpected or unanticipated focus. The landscape may be unchangeable, but the way an artist views it is entirely up to the imagination and creativity with which their world is perceived.

A Few Technical Considerations in Nature Landscapes

Landscape photography does demand a few technical considerations and methods to keep constantly in mind. The first is to capture as much of a scene as possible in the landscape, so increase depth of field by decreasing aperture. This will affect lighting, so a photographer must take that into consideration by setting to a slower shutter speed, which leads to the next landscape suggestion:

Use a tripod. It is a good idea when taking nature landscapes photos to keep a tripod on hand as many images will require a slower shutter speed and the integrity of the image will only be maintained by a completely still camera, not held in the hand of a photographer who may shake and ruin the exposure.

Find a Focal Point in Your Nature Landscapes

The next significant consideration in nature landscapes photography is the focal point. That scenic overlook may be quite lovely to take-in, but photographically it may be a challenge as there is nothing for an eye to rest upon. Take this into consideration and find a point to capture within the context of the landscape, for example a farmhouse in the valley below, or a unique ridge feature in one of the hillsides, the point is to focus the eye into the image. This may be achieved also by finding a foreground as the focal point, this can be a field of flowers framing the bottom of the image, and the insertion of a foreground will always give a landscape image a tremendous amount of depth.

Look for Unique Features in the Nature Landscapes

A landscape photograph may also feature the sky as a focal point or dominant element, instead of a foreground. Flat, motionless or colorless skies may be enhanced by the use of a filter to bring out dramatic contrasts or tones that the image is missing. Weather is a great feature to photograph in the sky, heavy clouds or unique colors make for ideal photographic subjects.

Many landscape photographers insist that the only times of day in which landscape images are appropriate for photography are the contrasting hours of sunset and sunrise. The spectrum and contrast is quite unique during these times of day, but a creative photographer can use all hours of the day to their advantage.

Nature Landscapes at Dawn and Dusk

Many photographers find that they produce dramatic and unusual nature landscapes during the twilight and sunrise hours. This period of the day sees amazing color in the sky, sharply drawn shadows and silhouettes and the angle of the sun, or the moon, casting unique light across a scene.

There are also moments outside of the dawn and dusk hours that many photographers refer to as having the same "sweet light" or the natural light as just before sunset, and immediately after sunrise. However this "sweet light" is usually only available during certain weather conditions when natural light is rapidly changing, giving an object or an entire scene a certain radiance or added dimension that are not normally present around it. For example, heavy black storm clouds in front of the camera lens, with intense sunshine coming from behind the photographer. This is a moment of "sweet light" and high photographic drama.

One of the primary reasons that a photographer will set out to capture nature landscapes at these extreme hours is because the unusual set or angle of the sun reveals unusual textures and formations to elements of a scene. The brilliant light of day may greatly illuminate a broad expanse of land and sky, but this may not produce an artistic or unique view of the scene, and the brilliance of the sun may wash out patterns, depth and characteristics to the landscape.

Most nature landscapes are done with a wide angle lens, and a camera set at a smaller aperture, or f-stop, to increase the depth of the field. This can still apply to dusk and dawn photography, but the low lighting will require a longer exposure. Because of this most dawn and dusk images are taken from a tripod. Some photographers will also rely on certain filters to cool or warm the sunlight in the image. Photographers must remember that taking an image directly into the sun places everything else in the landscape image into silhouette or shadow.

For clarification, landscape photography requires a few basic pieces of equipment:

• A very wide lens such as a zoom like a 12-24mm, which most landscape artists consider necessary to accurately catch the images. An intermediate zoom such as a 24-120mm with f/3.5-5.6 variables can also work well.


• Tripod of adjustable heights, light enough in weight to be easily transported or carried with the photographer, but not so light as to topple over.


• Trigger cable – many photographers like to have access to a trigger cable to prevent any camera shake from ruining their well arranged shots.


• Assorted filters to add emphasis to scenes or to alter light, and these can include polarizing, graduated, neutralizing or even soft focus filters.

Nature landscapes at the dawn and dusk hours can give a photographer incredible results and the joy of experiencing a beautiful hour of the day or evening.

It's Your Turn to Share Your Nature Landscape Story or Tip

Do you have a secret for creating beautiful nature landscpe photographs? Perhaps you have a beautiful pictures of landscapes to share like Sarleen from Norway. No matter what your landscape photography story, I would love to see it.

Have Cool Nature Landscape Story to Share?

Are you a fantastic nature landscape photographer? Do you just like to walk in nature and capture the awesome beauty around? Maybe you have a tip for improving nature landscape pictures? This is the place to share your story!

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