Learn Landscape Photography: Fieldwork to Post-Processing

Turbulent storm clouds swirl overhead, but breaks in the sky allow shafts of sunlight to streak through, creating a dramatic contrast against the darkening sky. Below, a vast Icelandic plain stretches across the bottom third of this panoramic image, with distant mountains fading into the clouds. On the left, a solitary white church with a red roof stands in the distance, facing west as is customary in Iceland. The church, isolated on the wide, empty plain, adds a striking focal point to the otherwise wild and rugged landscape. This breathtaking scene captures the untamed beauty and atmospheric conditions of Iceland. — Rif Church, Iceland

Unlock Your Landscape Photography Potential—Learn with Expert Guidance: The lessons, handouts, and videos on this page are designed to help participants prepare for our workshops. However, they are open to everyone who is eager to improve their landscape photography skills. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced photographer, you'll find valuable resources to enhance your fieldwork techniques, improve your composition, and master post-processing.

A beautiful cascade of water flows over many red sandstone shelves in the deep canyon of the Left Fork of North Creek in Zion National Park, Utah. This striking cascade makes up more than three-fourths of the image, with vibrant fall leaves scattered across the stream. The autumn colors create a stunning contrast with the textured sandstone. Above, yellow autumn trees frame the spillover point, and the dramatic canyon walls rise behind, completing this picturesque scene. This stunning autumn landscape showcases Zion's natural beauty, with a perfect blend of seasonal colors and geological features. — Left Fork, Zion

Landscape Photography Lessons: Master the Art with Structured Learning

Our comprehensive landscape photography lessons, available in downloadable PDFs, are designed to guide you step-by-step through key concepts. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to refine your skills, these lessons cover essential topics to help you create stunning landscape photos.

1. Composition: A detailed guide to mastering the art of composition in landscape photography. Learn how to frame your shots and create visually compelling images. (File Size: 168 MB)

2. Camera Settings for Landscape Photography: Explore the ideal camera settings for various landscape photography scenarios. From aperture to shutter speed, learn how to optimize your settings for perfect shots every time.

3. Exposure: Understand the fundamentals of exposure in landscape photography. This lesson teaches you how to balance shutter speed, aperture, and ISO for perfectly exposed images.

4. Manual Metering: Master manual metering to gain full control over your exposure. Learn how to use your camera's metering system to capture landscapes with precision and accuracy.

5. Histogram: Learn how to read and interpret histograms to ensure proper exposure and avoid overexposed or underexposed areas in your landscape photos.

6. Depth-of-Field / Hyperfocal Distance: This lesson covers depth-of-field techniques and how to calculate hyperfocal distance to achieve sharp focus throughout your landscape photos.

7. Landscape Photography Focus Settings: Explore various focus settings and techniques to ensure your landscape shots are crisp, clear, and properly focused.

As the sun sets on the horizon, its rays pierce through a gap in the clouds, creating a breathtaking starburst effect. The sun's golden light reflects off the waves, shimmering over the water to the left of the scene. Above, the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse stands tall on a cliff, bathed in the last warm rays of the day. Below, the waves break forcefully against the rugged rocks at the base of the cliff, adding a dynamic contrast to the serene beauty of the landscape. This iconic coastal view of Maine captures the dramatic interplay of light, water, and nature. — Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

Photography Handouts: Essential PDFs for Every Landscape Photographer

Our handouts are a valuable resource to enhance your landscape photography skills. Each PDF provides practical, easy-to-follow guidance, whether you're just starting out or refining your techniques. Below are the downloadable handouts that cover everything from fieldwork to night photography and camera settings.

1. CFDER—Landscape Photography Field Workflow: This comprehensive guide outlines the CFDER workflow, an efficient step-by-step process to help you capture stunning landscapes from start to finish while preventing common mistakes.

2. Andy's Camera Settings: Unlock the best camera settings for a variety of landscape photography scenarios. This handout includes Andy's personal recommendations for exposure, ISO, and other key settings to achieve professional results.

3. Tripod Tips & Techniques: Learn how to use a tripod effectively to stabilize your camera and ensure sharp, steady shots. This handout covers the essential tips and techniques for tripod use, from positioning to long exposure setups.

4. Steps to Photograph a Panorama: Master the art of panorama photography with this practical guide. Follow step-by-step instructions on how to capture sweeping landscape vistas. Print them for use in the field.

5. How to Test for Lens Sharpness: Practical Guide (No Math): Testing for lens sharpness is essential for ensuring the quality of your landscape photos. This guide provides a straightforward, no-math approach to testing your lenses to ensure they perform at their best.

6. Night Photography Instruction: Delve into the world of night photography with this step-by-step guide. Learn essential techniques for shooting stunning landscapes after dark, including settings, composition, and tips for low-light conditions.

7. Night Photography Rule of 400: Shutter Speed Guidelines: This handout introduces the Rule of 400, a guideline for determining the shutter speed in night sky photography. Please keep in mind, the NPF Rule, found in PhotoPills, is often a better option for determining the optimal long exposure for sharp stars.

This stunning nightscape captures the beauty of Second Beach in Olympic National Park, where the Milky Way rises at a dramatic angle into the clear, star-filled sky. The bright, glowing galactic core hovers just above the horizon, casting a soft, celestial light over the landscape. In the mid-ground, tree-capped islands break the skyline, adding depth to the scene. In the foreground, a large, calm pool of water reflects the Milky Way's brilliance, with scattered rocks enhancing the tranquil, otherworldly atmosphere. This breathtaking scene showcases the unique beauty of Olympic National Park at night. — Olympic National Park

Landscape Photography Videos: Master Key Techniques with Expert Guidance

Our collection of concise, easy-to-follow videos is designed to help you enhance your landscape photography skills in no time. Whether you're looking to improve your fieldwork, or learn post processing techniques, these videos provide practical, hands-on instruction.

1. Learn CFDER—Landscape Photography Field Workflow (6 Minutes): In this quick, 6-minute video, you'll learn the CFDER workflow, a step-by-step method for capturing stunning landscape photographs, ensuring that you never miss a shot. This video is ideal for photographers who want to streamline their approach in the field.

2. How to Photograph Panoramas with a Tripod (6 Minutes): In just 6 minutes, this video guides you through the essential fieldwork techniques for capturing breathtaking fine art panoramas with a tripod. Learn how to align your shots perfectly to achieve professional-quality results with seamless stitching every time.

3. Auto Exposure Bracketing: Is It Still Necessary for HDR Photography?: Explore the role of Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) in capturing high dynamic range (HDR) images with modern cameras. In this video, we'll examine whether AEB is still necessary, or if today's cameras can handle HDR without it. Perfect for photographers looking to deepen their understanding of exposure control and HDR techniques.