5 Ways to Keep Landscape Photographs Interesting

Landscape photographs can become a bit tiresome over time. Whether you’re shooting with a point-and-shoot or a DSLR, some people have the tendency to view a breathtakingly beautiful landscape, hold up the camera, click the shutter button, capture the entire landscape, and keep moving along. What are ways to keep landscape photographs storytelling, compelling, and interesting?

5 Ways to Keep Landscape Photographs Interesting

1.) Keep the horizon straight.

This is by far one of my biggest pet peeves in photography, especially landscape photograph. When photographing the horizon, I always aim to make sure that the horizon is straight. To me, a sloping or crooked horizon can be quite a distraction in an otherwise beautiful landscape photograph. The trickiest part when trying to get a straight horizon is that it’s important to accomplish the straight line while capturing the moment. If you wait to correct the line in your editing software, you’ll most likely have to crop out some of your photograph.

2.) Get in close.

So many people take photographs of the overall landscape. To me, those photographs are always incredible because they really add to the photographic journey and story. However, what elements are found throughout the landscape? I love getting up close to objects in the landscape to help share details about the story of the landscape.

3.) Direct the eye.

The eye can get very confused when looking at a disjointed and busy photograph. To help direct the eyes, use angles, shadows, light, roads, arrows, people, etc. to help direct the eye.

4.) Add layers.

What makes the landscape unique? What make the landscape interesting? What makes the landscape beautiful? Capturing the layers of a landscape help to share the details of where the photo was taken, what the weather was like, and how the mood was during that time of day.

5.) Play with viewpoints.

Instead of holding up the camera and simply clicking the shutter button, figure out unique angles and places to stand to help capture what you find unique and interesting about the landscape. What will help you accomplish the rule of thirds? What will help you share the details of the landscape? What will help you tell the story about the landscape? Try to answer these questions through various viewpoints.