Last Updated on March 3, 2023
If you’re like the majority of people then you will probably find you’re regularly compelled to take scenic shots – and especially when you’re on holiday. What happens is that you come across a very beautiful sight, and you are instantly so overcome by awe and wonder that you feel you need to capture it right away.
The only probably is, that when you’ve taken a whole bunch of such pictures, you then inevitably get home in order to find yourself instantly bored by lots of pictures of the same thing with no one in it.
There is an art to taking photos of scenery and if you want to make yours look just a little bit better then there are some considerations to bear in mind. Here are some suggestions as to how you can make your scenic shots look a little more professional and be a little more interesting.
Consider the Layers
Image Credit: Depositphotos.com
When you take a photograph you have various layers to consider – a foreground, a background and everything in between. Now if you are just taking shots of the horizon this is always going to be somewhat boring because it has no sense of depth. This is all ‘background’ and so it doesn’t have any sense of depth.
What’s important then is to consider including a foreground, even for shots of scenery. For instance then, if you are on top of a mountain somewhere and taking a shot of the view, then you should try to get a tree, some foliage or even some grass in the foreground and this will then make the background seem all the more impressive.
Another common technique is to use something to draw the eye and lead it into the background. A road can work this way for instance, as can a path or a river. This way you get a real sense of three dimensions as you can see the large start of the road at the front and then the tiny end of the road in the background, so that the person looking almost feels that they could stroll into your picture.
Frame the Picture
Another great technique is to try and fame the picture by using objects as borders. You can do this for instance by taking a photo of a view with a statue in the foreground down the right side of the image in order to create a partial border. Likewise you can use things like logs across the bottom, or even take a photo through a gap in some leaves. It’s a nice shot that shows some thought has gone into the construction.
Consider the Sky
Image Credit: Depositphotos.com
The sky is an important element in photos of the scenery and if it’s just a grey flat backdrop then this will make your picture feel grey and flat too. Make sure the exposure is right and try taking the photo ‘of’ the sky so that it looks ominous and foreboding, or alternatively bright and clear. It’s a great way to add drama to your picture.
Consider Scale
Meanwhile there are many ways to create a sense of scale, by including something smaller in your image to act as a visual reference – of course you can always add this yourself by dragging a log or a park bench into your shot. If you want to make something look bigger or smaller, then another trick you can use is to take the photo from a higher or lower angle, and up shots of statues and buildings are a great way to create scale and drama once again.
Check our our previous photography articles:
- 50 Visionary Examples of Creative Photography #9
- 8 Digital Photography Tips to Tell Your Children
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- How To Shoot Professional Quality Family Vacation Photos
- Outdoor Sports Photography – Get The Winning Shot
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