Fun Photography Project: Creating Jaw-Dropping Landscape Photography (with Camera Settings, Tips & Examples)
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NOTE: This is a photography project taken from the Action Cards set. For more, take a look here – Learn Photography Through Projects
Total Time: 4 Hours
Difficulty Level: Very Easy
Skill Points:
- Basic composition
- Spotting problems: crooked horizon, trashcans
- Finding interesting light
- Creating sharp photos
"Landscape photography allows you to slow down with your photography..."
Landscape photography allows you time to think through your process before clicking the shutter. In order to instill ‘visual excitement’, and a ‘story’, into landscape imaging, you have two primary tools: composition and light.
Key Lesson: Create your landscape images within 2 hours of sunrise or sunset. Watch out for manmade objects that will ruin the composition and mood. Focus on these tools of composition: leading lines, layering, focal point, and juxtaposition with an object of known size. Also, look for motion and reflections.
Equipment
| Camera | Any camera including a smartphone |
| Lens + Lens Hood | Any lens, but typically you want a wide-angle to a moderate telephoto |
| Tripod | Optional (but highly suggested) |
| App software | Photo Pills |
| Notepad | Take notes and be sure to record location Metadata on the camera |
Tips
| Shooting Mode | M or A / Av |
| Shutter Speed | 1/60th or faster for wide-angle to normal lenses; 1/200th or faster for moderate telephoto lenses |
| Drive Mode | Single Shot |
| Aperture | f/5.6 - f/16 depending on desired depth of field |
| White Balance | AWB / Auto |
| Format | RAW; JPG optional |
| Metering | Matrix / Evaluative |
| Focus points | All focus points |
| ISO | 200 (and adjust to facilitate shutter speed) |
Sample Photographs
A. Winter scene: Watch out for man-made objects that destroy the composition (see red arrow).
B. Lake & mountains: Layering is a powerful tool to indicate depth perception.
C. Ducks & mountains: Reflections increase interest, objects of a known size create depth perception.
D. Desert: A focal point can help lead the eyes into the shot. It can also add story and mood.
E. Waterfall: Motion can add visual excitement to a static shot.
Action Assignment
1. Study the sample photographs:
A- Watch out for man-made objects that destroy the composition (see red arrow).
B- Layering is a powerful tool to indicate depth perception.
C- Reflections increase interest, objects of a known size create depth perception.
D- A focal point can help lead the eyes into the shot. It can also add story and mood.
E- Motion can add visual excitement to a static shot.
2. Self-assign a landscape location that you can return to.
3. Study your location for the recommended composition tips and setup your camera. Recommended: Use a tripod and include an object of known size.
4. Visit your location more than once. Use the Photo Pills app to help you predict where the Sun will be when you return.
How Did You Do?
- Did you properly place the focus for the composition?
- Is your image sharp and free of camera shake?
- Did you compose using the tools in the Key Lesson?
- Does your image convey the location with beauty & story?
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The above content is taken from our hugely popular Action Cards – printable project sheets that will give you over 200 photography assignments, covering everything you can imagine. You can see the Complete Photography Action Card collection below:
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About Kent DuFault
Kent DuFault became a photographer in September of 1974. He took a “Basic Photography” class in high school and was hooked for life. His best-selling product, The Printable Action Cards have helped thousands of photographers worldwide learn photography through a unique, project-based learning system.