What Makes a Good Landscape Photo

When you ask what makes a good landscape photo, what comes to your mind? Is it the landscape? Is it the lighting? Is it the foreground? What makes a good landscape image?

I don’t think it’s about what is in the foreground. For instance if I took a photo of a field beside a house on a beautiful spring day, and it was totally night, then I’d call that “daylight” photography.

But what if it was a light foggy day with no visible sunlight at all? That would be “rainforest” photography. If it was nighttime with a lot of moonlight, that would be “moonlight” photography.

So you see, what is in the foreground and what is NOT in the foreground has a great deal to do with what makes a good photo of a landscape.

Now some might say that lighting is all that is important and that the sky is the only thing we need to focus on. This is also true. But when taking photos outdoors, especially in the daylight, there is so much else going on around you.

And lighting is only one of many things to consider. Here are some other things that will really make a good landscape photo.

As mentioned above, what makes a good landscape photo is what is in the foreground. Think about this. If there are a lot of trees in the foreground, then you have plenty of space to take the perfect photo of the scenery.

If there are none in the foreground, then you have less open ground to play with and will need to make the most of your subject to make that photo work.

Another point that goes into lighting is color. The colors of your photos will be an important part of your overall theme and affect how your audience will react to them.

If you choose bright colors, like orange and red, then your photo will obviously look like it is in the summer. However, if you choose softer colors, like blue and green, then it will look more relaxing in the winter or fall.

Of course, the actual composition of your photo is also very important what makes a good landscape photo. If there are a lot of features in the background, like trees and mountains, then that will draw the eye to those objects, making them stand out more.

In terms of composition, think about the size of your photo, and how many different features you want the viewer’s attention to focus on. Is it the view, or the mountain or the water? These are just some tips to keep in mind.

In addition to the composition of your photo, another factor that affects how your photo will end up looking like is the lighting.

If you’re using artificial lights, make sure you’re only using them on one area of your photo. Otherwise, all the colors will look washed out and your photo will come out flat instead of having a sense of depth.

The same goes for the background; make sure you’re not shining a bright light on the background so that it distracts the viewer’s attention away from what really matters in your photo.

These are just a few of the things that go into making a good landscape photo. By doing your homework and understanding what makes a good photo of the natural world, you can put together an impressive image that people will enjoy looking at. With a little bit of practice, you’ll find that taking photos of the natural world becomes second nature to you.