I hope you are having a wonderful Summer. Even though I love summer, I find it challenging for photography. I have never been a big fan of the midnight sun or bright nights. The mist is something I find inspiring to photograph, yet there are only a handful of mornings when there is some mist in the summer. And as soon as the nights get darker and colder, I find myself inspired to go out and photograph. So for the upcoming dark season, I started writing a comprehensive and inspiration-filled tutorial about night photography. I hope you enjoy it.
As someone who has spent quite a few nights photographing different views, I find night photography fascinating and inspiring. As I was writing this post with the amount of knowledge I’ve gathered, I felt I needed to put this into an eBook, but then I thought to share it on my blog. If you enjoy my posts, you can support me by sharing this article or even buying me a coffee to keep me recharged and continue writing!
At night, our surroundings transform into a different kind of beauty. The sky becomes a vast canvas of stars, the moon casts a gentle glow, and the aurora comes alive in a luminous dance of lights and shadows. These mesmerizing views can be captured, making night photography a captivating genre full of creative opportunities and unique challenges.
The journey to night photography is planning, patience, and learning. It’s also understanding the nuances of light and darkness and mastering the technical aspects of long-exposure photography. The night presents a different kind of quiet and solitude, allowing introspection and creativity.
This tutorial explores my journey in night photography and guides those who wish to venture into this fascinating genre. Check out my Star Photography Masterclass eBook if you want to dive deeper into night photography and editing.
In this tutorial, we go into various parts of night photography, from capturing Milky Way and moon to vertoramas night. I’ll share the techniques, equipment, and settings I’ve found most effective for capturing stunning nighttime images.
Throughout this post, I challenge you to remember that photography is not just about capturing a scene; it’s about conveying a feeling and telling a story through your lens. The night reveals mystery, tranquility, and natural beauty, and I hope my experiences and insights inspire and guide you in creating unique stories under the stars.
Here are a few other night tutorials I’ve written before:
It is truly unique how the sky presents remarkable spectacles every night. There is always something captivating to observe, from stars and planets to the moon. Of course, those bloody clouds can block the views, but it’s part of the game.
Sometimes, we are blessed enough to witness extraordinary events like the Northern Lights or meteor showers. Although capturing these breathtaking sights through photography can be rewarding, it takes expertise and a lot of patience.
Planning
Photographing the night sky starts with planning. Unlike other genres of photography, where spontaneity can lead to the best shots, night sky photography demands careful thought and preparation. The key factors to consider include the weather, moon phase, light pollution, and the position of celestial bodies. Clear skies are ideal for capturing stars, while the moon’s phase can significantly affect your scene’s lighting. Light pollution can hinder your ability to capture the fainter stars, so venturing away from city lights is often necessary. Finally, knowing the position of celestial bodies can help you plan your composition. There are various apps available that can help you with these aspects of planning. PhotoPills, TPE and Stellarium, are great tools to use.
Camera Settings
The next step is understanding the crucial camera settings for night sky photography. Night photography is a game of light – or, more accurately, the lack of light. Because of this, you’ll need to adjust your camera settings to capture as much light as possible. This means shooting in Manual mode and understanding the “Exposure Triangle” – the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
Shutter speed is critical in night sky photography. Your aperture should be as comprehensive as possible to allow maximum light into the lens. For most lenses, this will be between f/2.8 and f/4. A common rule for shooting stars without creating star trails is the ‘500 Rule’: Divide 500 by your lens’ focal length to determine the longest exposure time before stars begin to blur due to the Earth’s rotation. However, this rule isn’t infallible and may require some adjustments based on your specific camera and lens combination.
ISO settings can be tricky. A high ISO increases the sensor’s sensitivity to light, which is beneficial in low-light conditions. However, pushing the ISO too high can result in a noisy image. Start with an ISO setting around 1600 – 6400 and adjust based on the results you’re getting. I might go as high as 8000 ISO in complete darkness.
Focus
Focusing at night can be challenging, as autofocus systems often struggle in low light. A common technique is manually focusing on a bright star or distant light. Some photographers use the infinity (∞) symbol on their lens as a starting point, fine-tuning from there.
Try different compositions, play with settings, and, most importantly, take the time to enjoy the process. The night sky is a fascinating subject that rewards patience and curiosity. So, step out into the night, and gaze upwards.
I’m excited to announce my new exhibition, ‘In the Solitude of Nature.’ It’s an exhibition including my best photography from the Nordics of the past ten years of my photography journey.
The exhibition is in the Redi Shopping Center, in Finnfoto Gallery in space A2-03, starting on the 1st of August 2023 and running until the 30th of September. The gallery is open 8-23, and it’s free entry. Below are the exhibition notes if you want to read about it.
Exhibition information
‘In the Solitude of Nature’ is a photography exhibition that showcases Mikko Lagerstedt’s profound vision of Nordic landscapes and atmospheric moments. Capturing unforgettable landscapes from the morning mist to the darkness of night. The images do not just capture places; they capture emotions, bringing you closer to the silence of nature.
On display are photographs from Finland, Norway, Iceland, and Sweden, revealing the hidden treasures of these places. The photos are stories created through light, shadow, and color. They are an invitation to step away from everyday life, take a deep breath, and step into the heart of the Nordic countries, where the beauty of the landscapes is untouched, and time seems to stand still.
The exhibition photos present images from both near and far, reminding us that we do not always have to travel to the ends of the Earth to experience magnificent landscapes. The ‘In the Solitude of Nature’ exhibition beautifully manifests different seasons, weather conditions, and locations.
Each photograph in the exhibition holds a story or message. It is up to you to find them.
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Mikko Lagerstedt (b. 1982) is an internationally acclaimed landscape photographer specializing in minimalist and atmospheric landscape images. Born and raised in Finland, the rural landscapes of his childhood in Kauhava have instilled in him a love for nature and art. His photographs are like visual poems, telling stories through light, shadow, and color.
Lagerstedt’s initial inspiration for photography was born in 2007, on a trip to a relative’s cottage when rain turned into sunshine. It created a stunning combination of fog and light, which he captured with his compact camera— this beautiful moment sparked the desire to document and photograph such atmospheric moments. More than 1.7 million people worldwide follow Mikko’s images on social media.
His images have gained widespread attention and recognition globally. They can be found in the book “Masters of Landscape Photography,” which features photographs from the most renowned landscape photographers. His works have been featured in prestigious publications, including BBC, Business Insider, Daily Mail, and The Telegraph. Additionally, Mikko has worked with photographer Konsta Punkka on the YLE mini-series Exploring Earth, filmed in Patagonia, Chile. One of his most famous photos, “Reflect,” gained special attention when renowned real estate agent Ryan Serhant shared it on social media.
Lagerstedt’s style is characterized by a minimalist approach, capturing the essence of the world in all its splendor – from the peace of a foggy morning to the ethereal brightness of the Northern Lights. He aims to evoke emotions by capturing fleeting moments of nature and creating a deeper connection between the viewer and the landscape.
The meditative nature of landscape photography is emphasized in his work, where being present in the moment and capturing the diversity of nature in his own way is vital. The goal of his images is not just to interest people but also to make them feel something when looking at them as if they were in the picture themselves.
In Finnish – Suomeksi
Luonnon hiljaisuudessa
‘Luonnon hiljaisuudessa’ on valokuvanäyttely, joka esittelee Mikko Lagerstedtin syvällisen näkemyksen Pohjoismaiden maisemista ja tunnelmallisista hetkistä. Aina aamun usvasta, yönpimeyteen taltioiden unohtumattomia ja ajattomia maisemia. Kuvat eivät vain vangitse paikkoja, ne vangitsevat tunteita, tuoden sinut lähemmäksi luonnon hiljaisuutta.
Esillä on valokuvia Suomesta, Norjasta, Islannista ja Ruotsista, jotka paljastavat paikkojen piilotetut aarteet. Valokuvat ovat tarinoita, jotka on luotu valon, varjon ja värin avulla. Ne ovat kutsu pois arjesta, hengittää syvään ja astua Pohjoismaiden sydämeen, missä maisemien kauneus on koskematon ja aika tuntuu pysähtyvän.
Näyttelyn valokuvien tarkoitus on esitellä kuvia läheltä sekä hieman kauempaa. Muistuttaen, että aina ei tarvitse matkustaa maailman ääriin, jotta voi kokea upeita maisemia. Eri vuodenajat, sääolosuhteet ja paikat näkyvät upeasti ‘Luonnon hiljaisuudessa’ -näyttelyssä.
Jokainen näyttelyn valokuva kätkee sisäänsä tarinan tai viestin. Sinun tehtäväsi on löytää ne.
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Mikko Lagerstedt (s. 1982) on kansainvälisesti tunnettu maisemavalokuvaaja, joka on erikoistunut minimalistisiin ja tunnelmallisiin maisemakuviin. Syntynyt ja kasvanut Suomessa, lapsuuden maalaismaisemat Kauhavalla ovat luoneet hänen rakkautensa luontoon ja taiteeseen. Valokuvat ovat kuin visuaalisia runoja, jotka kertovat tarinoita valon, varjon ja värin kautta.
Lagerstedtin ensi-inspiraatio valokuvaukseen syntyi vuonna 2007, matkalla sukulaisten mökille, kun sade muuttui auringonpaisteeksi. Tämä loi upean sumun ja valon yhdistelmän, jonka hän taltioi kompaktikamerallaan. Tämä kaunis hetki herätti halun tallentaa ja valokuvata tällaisia tunnelmallisia hetkiä. Sosiaalisessa mediassa Mikon kuvia seuraa yli 1,7 miljoonaa ihmistä ympäri maailmaa.
Kuvat ovat saaneet laajaa huomiota ja tunnustusta eri puolilla maailmaa. Niitä löytyy kirjasta ”Masters of Landscape Photography”, joka sisältää tunnetuimpien maisemavalokuvaajien valokuvia. Töitä on esitelty arvostetuissa julkaisuissa, kuten BBC, Business Insider, Daily Mail ja Telegraph. Lisäksi Mikko on työskennellyt yhdessä kuvaaja Konsta Punkan kanssa Ylen lyhytsarjassa Exploring Earth, joka on kuvattu Chilen Patagoniassa. Yksi suosituimmista valokuvista, “Reflect”, sai erityistä huomiota, kun tunnettu kiinteistövälittäjä Ryan Serhant jakoi sen sosiaalisessa mediassa.
Lagerstedtin tyylille on tunnusomaista minimalistinen lähestymistapa, joka vangitsee maailman olemuksen sen kaikessa loistossaan – aina sumuisen aamun rauhasta revontulien eteeriseen kirkkauteen. Pyrkien herättämään tunteita tallentamalla luonnon ohikiitäviä hetkiä ja luomaan syvemmän yhteyden katsojan ja maiseman välille.
Maisemavalokuvauksen meditatiivinen luonne korostuu työssä, jossa on oltava läsnä hetkessä ja taltioitava luonnon moninaisuus omalla tavallaan. Kuvien tavoitteena on, että ihmiset eivät vain kiinnostu niistä, vaan myös tuntevat jotain katsoessaan niitä, aivan kuin he olisivat kuvassa.
Today, I’m excited to announce something entirely new! Photography challenge I’ll participate alongside you. This challenge is designed to push our creative boundaries, help us improve our skills, and, most importantly, have fun! This is an experiment and I don’t know how many participants we will have, but I’m looking forward to seeing as many as possible. There might be a small reward at the end of the challenge, but the main reward is to inspire yourself!
The Challenge: “Discovering the Unseen”
The theme of this challenge is “Discovering the Unseen” The goal is to capture something people often overlook in your local area. It could be a hidden corner of a park, a unique architectural detail, or an unusual perspective on a familiar scene. The aim is to encourage us to look at our everyday surroundings with fresh eyes and discover beauty in unexpected places.
Challenge Guidelines
Location – The location should be within a 20 km / 12-mile radius of your home. This is to encourage exploration of your local area.
Timing – The challenge will run for one month. From the 14th of August to the 14th of September 2023. This should give you plenty of time to scout locations, plan your shots, and experiment with different techniques.
Sharing Your Work – Share your final image on Instagram using the hashtag #DiscoverWithMikko. At the end of the challenge, I’ll feature some of my favorite entries on my Instagram Stories. If you don’t have Instagram and want to participate, please send me your photographs at hello@mikkolagerstedt.com.
Feedback – Feel free to comment on other participants’ photos and share your thoughts and love. This is an excellent opportunity to learn from each other and build a supportive community.
Challenge Ideas
If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few ideas:
Night photography. Try capturing a familiar urban or landscape scene at night. Look for interesting light sources, reflections, or shadows.
Minimalist landscapes. Try to capture a landscape in a minimalist style. Look for simple compositions, clean lines, and a limited color palette.
Details. Explore the tiny world of your backyard or local park with macro photography. You might discover a whole new world in the patterns of a leaf, bark texture, or an insect’s intricate details.
Abstract architecture. Look for unusual angles or details in local buildings that can be turned into abstract images.
Remember, the goal of this challenge is not to take the “best” photo but to push your creative boundaries and see your local area in a new light. I can’t wait to see what you all come up with!
It’s been one month since I introduced a challenge to all of you who follow me on my blog. The #DiscoverWithMikko challenge was to capture something nearby (no more than 20 km’s away) where you live. It was also to encourage you to try to capture something unique. The month flew by, and I can say that it was a tough challenge for me as well. Not many participated in this challenge, but I saw some beautiful entries on Instagram, which I’ll share in my stories @mikkolagerstedt.
I went out to photograph 15 times in the past month, whether to a nearby field or around the nearby lake. I didn’t take photographs each time because I couldn’t find anything to capture, but that’s how it goes at times. What this challenge reminded me of is that I really enjoy having options. In the future, I want to get a macro lens to capture those details and different perspectives.
There weren’t many great opportunities with the weather, but I eventually captured something I enjoyed. It wouldn’t be a challenge if it weren’t challenging, right?
Each of the challenge photographs I captured was edited with my EPIC Preset Collection. See the descriptions for more information of each edit and camera settings.
1. Keep an open mind and Find new places nearby
Finding something new from nearby places can sometimes be challenging. However, it was easier than I thought. I have driven, biked, and walked around a lot of the area where I live. But I still found a few spots I had never seen before. Keeping an open mind while searching for something to capture is essential. If you want to improve your craft, this approach will move you forward more than anything else.
The first capture was on a beautiful night about 11 kilometers from where I live. The night was amazing and misty. The light pollution wasn’t so evident because of the fog. I ventured to this field and saw this beautiful small bridge. I ran to the bridge while my camera was taking long exposure photographs. I stood there for a few minutes to ensure one of the 20-second exposures was sharp.
The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own. I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before. In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find. Please DO NOT send me your work. I do not take submissions.
For the past six years I’ve photographed local newsrooms from Alaska to Florida, documenting the dedicated but dwindling local news landscape. As a photographer with over 15 years of experience in newsrooms, I have a great deal of respect for the institutions that bring small communities the news.
An average of two newspapers shut down every week. In the wake of these closures many communities become news deserts. In their place is an information landscape of nationalized, and increasingly partisan, news that is ripe for misinformation. Studies now show that local government spending goes up, voter participation declines and cities often lose their bond rating after the loss of a local newspaper. Local Newsrooms needs to convey these insidious and largely unseen impacts.
With a growing catalog of images, video and interviews, I’m working to create a visual story of regional and national relevance. I plan to display some of this work in small town libraries, and similar spaces to make local newsrooms more visible in their neighborhoods. My goal is to use this work to engage communities in the search of and support for trusted local news while at the same time raising the importance of this issue to a national audience that may not have fully realized what has already been lost, and what is at stake.
The Conway Daily Sun newspaper morgue in Conway, New Hampshire on April 21, 2023. The free newspaper was founded in 1989. The printing press connected to the newsroom ceased printing in 2023.
APE contributor Suzanne Sease currently works as a consultant for photographers and illustrators around the world. She has been involved in the photography and illustration advertising and in-house corporate industry for decades. After establishing the art-buying department at The Martin Agency, then working for Kaplan-Thaler, Capital One, Best Buy and numerous smaller agencies and companies, she decided to be a consultant in 1999. Follow her on Instagram
As a photographer, I have discovered that starting a project can help me channel my creativity and bring new dimensions to my work. A project can be a way to explore new techniques, themes, and perspectives, leading to personal and artistic growth. Currently, I am working on a new photography series that will challenge me to think more deeply about my craft and explore new horizons. While I cannot reveal my project, I encourage you to consider the benefits of taking on your own photography project.
A project can provide purpose and direction to your photography work. It can help you explore a specific subject or theme, experiment with different techniques, and improve your photography skills.
To inspire you, I have compiled a list of project ideas that can help you enhance your photography skills in various ways. These ideas cover different aspects of photography, such as exploring different genres and experimenting with lighting, composition, and post-processing techniques.
Selecting the right photography project can give new life and meaning to your work. It can allow you to explore new themes, experiment with new techniques, and help you take your photography to new heights. To help you get started, I have curated eight project ideas that can benefit photographers, whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting.
Project Ideas
1. One Landscape, One Day
Capture a single landscape over 24 hours. This exercise in patience and timing, observing how light transforms the scene, is fundamental for mastering exposure and understanding the nuances of natural light.
2. Seasonal Series
Document the same location across different seasons. This long-term project highlights nature’s transformative power and tests your commitment. It’s perfect for studying changes in color, light, and weather. Below is my try at capturing this location in different seasons.
Here is an ongoing series of this beautiful tree I’ve captured with different seasons, from Autumn to the start of Winter to Mid-Winter. The only season missing is Summer. However, I’ve shot it multiple times and never really gotten anything special in summer.
I’ve got something a little different today. Call it a slight expansion of my teaching skills. Teaching to my passions, if you will. Or you can just think of it as little bit of Friday fun and entertainment.
Specifically, I show you the steps needed to shoot and edit a handful of clips, so that they’re all in sync with the music. Final Cut Pro makes this really easy, but if you don’t know where to look in the software, it’s hard to figure this out. To illustrate, I use the video clips from my own song and music video, A Very Cozy Christmas, which I released back in 2020.
Now, I realize, that a lot of my readers probably don’t use Final Cut Pro, or have any intention of every making a music video for that matter, but who doesn’t love a good music video? The classic ones have such cultural significance in our lives. Or at least they once did.
With that in mind, it might just be fun to watch this video, just to see how they’re made, and to support my efforts. If you enjoy my teaching style, this is a great way to help me expand my audience, which helps me continue to make more photography tutorials. So, even if you’re not a Final Cut Pro user, or a music producer, please consider watching and leaving a comment, just for that reason.
So whether you were raised on videos like Thriller, Jump, Every Breath You Take, Hungry Like the Wolf andSledgehammer, or not, thanks so much for your support and have a great weekend, and I promise, I’ll get back to making some more photography tutorials very soon!
The latest comprehensive revision includes all of the new features found in the X-H2, X-H2S, and revised/expanded information about all of the other current X Series models, including the X-T4, X-T3, X-Pro 3, X-E4, X-S10, X-T30/30 II, X100V and the X-T100.
If you’re a Fujifilm shooter, then this is the most definitive guide to the X Series cameras you can get. It explains every single feature and every single function, and it does so with clear descriptions, real world examples and a very easy-to-follow format.
X SERIES UNLIMITED – October 2022 Edition
It teaches you everything you need to know in order to become a better, more proficient, more creative photographer with your Fuji camera.
It has full coverage of all current and past models, all the way back to the 1st generation X Series cameras, and if you purchase the book, you’ll be entitled to free updates in the future when Fujifilm releases new models and firmware updates.
Click here to see what other people have said about the guide, and then let me help you get the most from your Fuji camera. Join thousands of other Fuji users around the world who have downloaded the guide and benefitted from the vast amount of knowledge and expertise I’ve put into it.
If you’re on the fence. rest assured; it comes with a 100% money back guarantee. If you don’t like the book for any reason, I’ll refund your purchase.
A couple weeks ago, I asked my subscribers to let me know what kinds of online photography courses they’d like to see me teach, and I got some incredible feedback! After reading hundreds of answers, I have some solid direction about how to proceed, and I’m looking to start filming some brand new courses in the next few weeks.
In addition, I’m now offering 3 different options for my signature 30-lesson course, Photography On The Brain, that are designed to better match a variety of budgets and commitment levels.
ESSENTIALS gets you unlimited access to all 30 lessons and downloadable PDF assignments, at the lowest price I’ve ever offered. (Even lower with the discount below!)
WORKSHOP adds full forum access where you can share you own insight, post your images for critique, and get input from me and other students.
MENTORSHIPgoes even deeper by adding personal coaching with a series of 4 one-hour video calls. This is the ultimate way to keep your motivation up and get targeted instruction and insight as you progress through the lessons.
Photography On The Brain is still the most thought-provoking instruction on composition and creativitythat I’ve ever offered.
I cover such a wide variety of topics that you are guaranteed to come away with a huge batch of new ideas, confidence and inspiration.
If you want to be better at composition gain more creative confidence, then I strongly urge you to check out this course, because I know it will help you expand your creative skills in a big way.
With three different video call options that range from 30-minute Quick Coaching sessions, 60 minute 1:1 sessions and an extended series of 4 one-hour monthly sessions, I can give you one-on-one advice, targeted instruction, and provide critiques, direct feedback and direction that will help you progress in your current photography life.
Whether you just need quick answers about a specific topic you’re struggling with, insight about how to better apply a certain creative technique, or if you want more in-depth feedback and ongoing follow-up, this is an incredible option for learning.
Awesome New Course Interface and iOS App
I’m so excited about my new course site, which is built with the Teachable interface. The user dashboard and lesson pages are so easy to navigate, and they look great! You can view the lesson videos and assignment briefs with unlimited access on any device, and there’s even a free iOS app you can use for streamlined viewing of lesson material when you’re offline.
I actually did a 12-week online singing/vocal course last winter that was built with the the same framework, and I was really impressed by the clean format and ease of access that Teachable offers. That’s why I’m using it for my own courses, and I think you’re really going to like how it looks and functions.
Limited Time Launch Discount!!!
Finally, to celebrate the launch of my new course site, I’m offering my readers a special limited time discount code for Photography On The Brain.
Use coupon code LAUNCH20 at checkout to save 20% on either theESSENTIALS or WORKSHOP tiers. (This code is only good for the next two weeks.)
My readers have been incredibly supportive over the years, and that’s why I’m so excited about my new course site. I know that you guys like to learn from me, and you deserve the best possible user experience to access and absorb the information that I share.
I’m looking forward to building and uploading more courses in the coming weeks and months, but for now, I encourage you to check out the site, try out my free color course, and the share my courses with your other photographer friends.
When you’re traveling, it’s always a good idea to travel light. The fewer things you’re carrying, the easier it is for you to move around. However, when you’re a photographer, it can be quite challenging since DSLR cameras are quite heavy and bulky.
A smartphone can be all you need for your next landscape photography adventures. You just need to know how to find the best exposure along with other tips and you should be able to produce really great images.
In this guide, you’ll learn about the 15 best smartphone landscape photography tips for your next nature travel!
Tips for Landscape Photography Using Smartphone
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Ready to get started?
Make sure to take note of the following tips. They’ll help you get the best landscape photos using just your smartphone.
1. Finding the Best Exposure
Sometimes when you shoot during the sun’s peak time, the exposure levels may be too much. You must do more than tap, focus, and shoot to have the best landscape images. iPhone users need to slide up or down the screen to adjust exposure levels. On an android phone camera phone like Samsung, find a light bulb at the bottom part and slide left to right to change the exposure.
2. Use the Rule of Thirds
The next thing to do is to compose your shot. It would be better if you put a horizon line on your screen. Try searching on your settings app or directly within the camera app to add grid lines.
It would be best if you focused on your subject to make the rule of thirds. For instance, you want to take a flower with a landscape scene in the background. Often, we want to put the flower or the object at the center. However, in the rule of thirds, it will be more pleasing when the things are in the left-most or right-most quadrants of the grid lines.
Reading from left to right is ideal for putting your subject on the left vertical line. By doing this, your eye will be given a flow, which also conveys movement and direction.
3. Ensure a Straight Horizon
Aside from using the grid line feature for the rule of thirds, you can also use it to make sure to get the horizon straight.
As a landscape photographer, do this one right so you will save time in straightening up your smartphone images in the post-production.
4. Check Camera Settings
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Your phone can undoubtedly take a great landscape photo in its automatic settings, but let’s push things a little further.
Change into the “pro” mode on your phone if it allows you to adjust settings manually. If it doesn’t, you can modify settings like ISO, shutter speed, and white balance using an app like Moment, Lightroom, or MuseCam.
In landscapes, altering the white balance is often crucial. Being able to tone down some of the highlights from a bright sky or bring up the shadows in the foreground is essential. You also need to know how to alter your white balance after you have taken the shot.
It will give you much more flexibility in your editing (particularly on occasions when you want to warm up the tones in a beautiful sunset, for example).
5. Shoot Too Early or Too Late
The time of the day is a significant factor in landscape photography. No, it is EVERYTHING! I suggest you check the night before what time the sunrise and sunset will be. Then, set your alarm to capture the sunlight slowly rising. Also, ensure you are in a gorgeous location on top of a mountain, near bodies of water, or by the beach.
On the other hand, you can also stay out late. You will witness shades of yellow and orange when you wait for the golden hour. Note that midday is not a good time to shoot in raw format due to the shadows created by the overhead light.
6. Use the Autofocus or Auto Exposure Lock Feat
New smartphone cameras have the capability to autofocus subjects with every move of the lens same goes for the exposure. You can do manual control by tapping on the object you want to focus on, and the rest of the background will blur.
Long press the screen to lock in the amount of exposure and focus of your preference. This feature works well for iPhone mobile photography.
7. Try Wide and Zoom Lenses
You can also buy different interchangeable lenses available online or in tech shops to enhance your camera phone. Wide lenses enable you to widen and double the field of view. Meanwhile, telephoto lenses allow you to have a digital zoom without making the landscape photos pixelated.
Do not be afraid to experiment with your wide and zoom lenses in taking photos. Give it a try, especially since some smartphone cameras do not have a wide camera mode.
8. Post Edit Landscape Photos
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The debate about whether to shoot in raw and leave it as is or use editing apps has gone on for years. Some people would want to maintain the landscape photos they took without processing them afterward. However, did you know that you can enhance the scene’s colors when you post-edit the pictures?
There are free and low-cost editing apps available to install, like Snapseed and VSCO, with decent presets for landscape photography. VSCO is best used for minor adjustments like brightness, contrast, and sharpness. It will also let you adjust the filter intensity. You can opt for paid editing apps to enjoy more editing features.
Lightroom and Photoshop can help you remove distracting elements. You can use these editing tools using your phone and computer.
Therefore, you’ll need to load your images onto your computer anytime you need to make adjustments that demand more processing power, such as removing rocks, adding a dramatic sky, or making other changes.
9. Get Low
Since most mobile phones have wide-angle lenses, going close to the topic can make it much more intriguing. Your foreground will appear longer and more fascinating in your photos if you get down low. They will notice features that previously would not have stood out, like shrubs, flowers, and rock faces.
You may give your image a lovely balance by having the foreground and background meet in the bottom third. Mobile phones frequently include a thirds overlay that will help you do this more evenly while also assisting you in maintaining the alignment of the images.
The pictures don’t look all that attractive from above. However, the images seem more unique and intimate when you look at them directly down on your knees. It’s comparable to bending to take a child’s picture.
10. Use a Tripod or a Stabilizer
Did you know that a DSLR camera has a more prominent camera shake than a smartphone one?
On the market, most mobile phones offer built-in image stabilization. However, if your phone has a high-megapixel sensor, it tends to be very sensitive to motion blur. And it can give your sharp photos. However, this won’t eliminate motion blur if you utilize long exposures, time lapses, or other features.
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Invest in a good tripod or stabilizer. The ones for smartphones do not cost a fortune. Make sure they are also handy and not bulky for your light travels.
11. Try Timelapse
This type of shot is quite simple, thanks to built-in smartphone stabilization and computational photography, which eliminates all the arithmetic and post-production work. With the help of time-lapse photography, you may view the passage of time in precise seconds. You can observe patterns and waves in the sky in even a minute-long clip that are too sluggish to be visible with the bare eyes.
A tripod or phone stabilizer will be essential for creating excellent time-lapses. Set it up, pick the recording speed, then allow the phone to record for however long it is necessary.
Tips for using timelapse for your smartphone landscape photography:
5x Speed – capturing people and their emotions
10x Speed – when the photographer is on the move, like walking, running, on car rides, and even on planes.
30x Speed – works well when using a tripod to record motion in a city or other setting. Excellent for recording weather for 10 to 30 minutes. A 15-second video is produced after 7.5 minutes of recording.
120x Speed – for dramatic weather changes and fluctuating light conditions. Imagine converting a downpour into a beautiful evening. Thirty minutes of the recording are needed to create a 15-second video at this Speed,
12. Feature a Strong Foreground
Spend a few minutes looking around for something you can include in your shot to help the area come to life when you’re shooting your photograph at the top of the hill. In your scenes, look for foreground interest. In landscape photography, you can use things like tree stumps, moss-covered boulders, and even some gorgeous wildflowers to draw attention to a location.
13. Flip Your Phone to Get Close to the Water
This trick will leave you completely astounded. You need to come up close to the surface to see reflections in puddles. When you look down at them, all you will see is the sky, not the scene that is taking place in front of you. But if you don’t want to immerse the bottom half of your phone in water, the way we hold our phones naturally makes finding the puddles challenging.
So, to get around this, simply flip your phone over and start taking pictures! I also employ this technique when photographing tiny flowers, fungi, or other difficult-to-approach subjects.
14. Play with Distance in Smartphone Photography
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Note: If your subject is a wild animal, disregard this advice. It would be best if you kept animals at a safe distance. If your background is dull, dimly lit, or very distracting, approach near and allow your subject takes up most of the screen.
Try to back up to a medium distance for dynamic action photos. Be in a position just far enough to fit your subject’s entire height in the frame.
Try backing up even more and using a person, animal, or item in the middle distance to produce a sense of enormous scale to highlight a beautiful background.
15. Try Burst in Moving Objects
When you have a moving objects like animals or vehicles in your smartphone photography, try using burst mode to capture them. It will give you a varied range of photo options.
Using the burst mode will reduce your chance of the camera shaking because you only need to touch the shutter when you start and stop taking pictures. As a result, you’ll be able to quickly shoot a series of photos that you may evaluate afterward to select the best and most precise ones.
Know Your Smart Camera Phone
For all these tips to work, you need to know your phone. Smartphones have different camera settings and features. Most of the time, quality precedes price.
Although most cameras on the market have built-in stabilization, this won’t be sufficient to prevent motion blur when capturing long exposure photos, such as time-lapses and other similar photographs. Perhaps the best investment you can make to steady your smartphone and save time is to purchase a small, affordable phone stand or tripod.
Smartphone landscape photography
Using smartphone cameras in landscape photography is a very convenient way of taking photos. However, if you plan to do this often, make sure to have enough phone memory or storage for your editing apps and pictures.
Also, remember that the key to getting great photos lies in your camera sensor size. The quality of your images will improve as the sensor size increases. It would also be nice if your camera phone had a great night mode feature, even in dark scenes and low-light places.
