There was a social media post today from an account that’s not mine, that purported to be my advice for better landscape photography. It included five tips, but I never said those things, and some of them were quite antithetical to what I believe, pretty much the opposite of what I would say. I would not have given much of the advice that the post claimed came from me. When I brought it to the attention of the account holder, they were very apologetic, and rectified the situation. Most of you probably never saw it, but a few of you might have.
But that made me think: what advice would I give? What are my five tips for better landscape photography? I contemplated that question this afternoon, and the answer might surprise some of you. At least a couple of the suggestions below are probably a bit unorthodox, and not the normal advice that you’re likely to find on the internet. Let’s dive right in!
1. Carefully Choose Your Fujifilm Recipes
Not every Fujifilm Recipe is ideal for every subject or situation. Just like film, you should carefully consider which one(s) are best for your specific subject, light situation, and desired aesthetic. For vivid landscapes, a Velvia-based Recipe is probably what you want; however, other Film Simulations can be good, too, infusing a different feel or emotion into the image. The new Filter By Categories feature is a helpful tool if you are unsure which Recipes are especially well suited for landscape photography. Using Recipes on your Fujifilm camera will save you time, allowing you to be more productive and efficient.
2. Look for Quality Light
Great photographs often require great light, and great light is most obvious and prevalent during Golden Hour, which is the first hour after sunrise and the last hour prior to sunset. If you look hard enough, you can find great light anytime of the day or night, or you can even add it yourself with a flash or other lighting equipment. Pay close attention to light, and recognize when it is especially good for photography. With that said, the easiest way to improve your pictures is to be out with your camera during Golden Hour.
3. Photography Rules Are Meant to be Broken
There are a lot of “rules” in photography. A lot of people will tell you what you should or must do. You need specific cameras. You need to use certain settings. You need a particular lens. You should compose your pictures this way or that way. You should only do this and never do that. The rules are there to ensure consistently good photos; however, great photos sometimes happen when you break the rules. Carefully following the rules might prevent you from creating better images. Do photography however you want to do it, and ignore all of the gatekeepers.
4. Invest in Experiences (rather than new gear)
Depending on where you live, there might be plentiful photographic opportunities close by, or you may need to travel someplace a good distance away. Beautiful photos are much more easy to create in beautiful locations. So, my advice is to spend less on new gear and more on going to interesting places with the cameras and lenses you already own. Invest more in experiences rather than gear.
5. You’ve Got to Go Back
In the September 1955 issue of Arizona Highways magazine, photographer Chuck Abbott addressed the question: how does one become a better photographer? His answer was to return to the same subject or location over and over again. Try it on a different day, at a different time, in a different season, and in a different light. Come back to it again and again, even after you create a photo that you’re satisfied with. As Chuck stated, you’ve got to go back to get the good ones.