A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO TAKING AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS

Shooting from the air can be equally as exciting as it is daunting. A doors off, helicopter experience is one you won’t forget. But there’s lots to consider when taking your first flight, so here’s some tips I’ve learnt over the years of flying:

 

1. DON'T BE SHOOTING ALL THE TIME 

Relax, enjoy the experience, marvel at the wonders of the world, and soak it all up. Don’t have your camera to your eye the whole time - you’ll miss stuff and you’ll also miss the experience of being up in the air. Take your time to enjoy the moment, be present and then something catches your eye, frame it up for the shot. 

 

2. LOOK AHEAD FOR WHAT'S COMING UP

If you concentrate on what's below you, you’ll miss the shot. Anticipate what’s coming to make sure you get it!

 

3. KEEP YOUR SHUTTER SPEED HIGH

Given you’re shooting from a fast-moving plane or helicopter, it’s important to maintain a fast shutter speed to prevent any camera shake or blur. I switch my camera to Shutter Priority and set the shutter to at least 1/1000s. 

 

4. KEEP ISO AS LOW AS POSSIBLE

The best quality photograph comes from keeping the ISO as low as possible, regardless of whether you’re in the air or on the ground. I aim for ISO 200 when shooting aerials. It gives you more flexibility than ISO 100. However, you may need to bump up your ISO 400 or 800 if the light is low.

 

5. DON'T BE AFRAID TO DIRECT THE PILOT

If you get a good pilot, they should be willing to do what you ask. Most are very obliging. Especially if you’ve chartered the aircraft and they’re doing something different to what they normally do. If you’re not in the right position, tell them. They’re not photographers, so they don’t know - they often appreciate being told what to do. NEVER hesitate to ask to go back, go around again or go somewhere else as you’ll most likely never get that opportunity again.

 

Tom Putt was awarded the 2021 and 2019 International Photography Awards (IPA) Aerial Photographer of the Year.

 

Australia's leading professional landscape photographer Tom Putt gives his Top 100 Landscape Photography Tips for Beginners. With a career spanning over 20 years, Tom has won over 200 International and National Awards and was the 2021 & 2019 International Aerial Photographer of the Year (IPA).

Want to learn more? CLICK HERE to see the list of workshops we have coming up.

1. Look to the edges of the frame before shooting
2. Your tripod should be your best friend
3. Niche - find what you’re good at
4. Set yourself a project
5. A step to the left or right can make all the difference
6. Shoot backlit in forests when the sun is out
7. Use paths as leading lines in forests
8. Pretend you’re describing the photo to a friend…
9. The rule of thirds can be your greatest tool when starting out
10. Panos have never been so easy
11. Want to shoot differently? Crop differently
12. Use supporting actors to give the photo depth
13. Check your histogram after every shot
14. Be your harshest critic
15. 4 shots in every set up
16. A toilet bowl will always be a toilet bowl
17. Plan ahead - check the weather, tides, instagram
18. Check your camera every time for the right settings
19. Two filters - polariser and ND
20. Don’t clip your highlights!
21. Shoot in the blue hours
22. Clouds add drama
23. Give your subjects space to breathe
24. Use focus and brightness to direct the viewers eye
25. Less is more
26. Symmetry
27. Repetition
28. Snow, mist, fog
29. Steer away from HDR
30. Shoot for B+W
31. Walk around the tree
32. Fill the frame
33. Shoot to crop
34. Watch your backgrounds
35. Not seeing it? Sit down and observe
36. Wide angle - foreground, middle ground, background
37. Raise the bar
38. Take your hand at the start and end of a pano
39. Three digital copies at all times
40. 5 stars your favourites
41. Save your 5 stars to Dropbox
42. Drones are great!
43. Shopify to sell photos online
44. SEO is king
45. ISO 3200 for night skies
46. You don't need more gear
47. Download immediately
48. Buy a backpack twice as big as you need
49. Download the Photographer's Ephemeris app
50. Buy multiple tripod plates for all your cameras and lenses
51. Look for the best foreground
52. Invest in a good wide angle lens
53. F16 not F22
54. ISO100 
55. Focus stack
56. Get down low
57. Get up high
58. Shoot just clouds
59. F2.8
60. Shoot immediately after storms
61. Break the rules
62. Use leading lines
63. Get closer
64. Shoot into the sun
65. Use your long lens for abstracts
66. Challenge yourself to shoot as many different angles as possible
67. Be passionate about what you're shooting
68. Look for the WOW factor
69. The best photos aren't always a million miles away
70. No cable release? Use self timer
71. Focus one third into the frame from the bottom
72. Keep going back to the same location
73. Arrive on site at least 30 mins prior to the magic happening
74. Use dehaze to make your photos pop
75. Grad filters in LR 
76. Layers, Masks and Selections for PS - that's it!
77. Be patient
78. Shoot RAW
79. Better to get it on Auto than miss it on Manual
80. Previsualiation
81. Tell a story
82. Include the key elements
83. Exclude everything else
84. Shoot and learn from others
85. Take a course
86. Research locations with Instagram
87. You can't take the best landscape from your bed
88. Don't make it difficult
89. You won't get the best shot every time
90. Practice, Practice, Practice!
91. Educate yourself
92. Enter competitions
93. Visit galleries
94. Learn from your mistakes
95. LR - keep it real
96. Print your best work
97. Display your best work
98. Make multiple copies then crop each one differently
99. Continual learning
100. Come on my workshops!

Want to learn more? CLICK HERE to see the list of workshops we have coming up.

I get asked all the time what filters I use. It seems that landscape photographers are obsessed with filters. Perhaps they seem them as absolutely necessary. Maybe they're the missing link. Perhaps they feel more professional in using them.

 

I don't often use them but one I never leave home without is my ND filter. I love it! I have both a 6 and 10 stopper.

 

What are they? Basically they're a piece of dark glass that limit the amount of light coming into the camera.

 

Why would you want that? Well a slow shutter speed of 1 second or more is great for blurring water down the beach or in a waterfall. If there's too much light around, no matter what you set your camera to, you just won't be able to achieve that shutter speed on it's own. You need help (don't we all!).

 

That's where the ND filter limits the light and therefore means that you HAVE TO use a slower shutter speed to allow enough time for light to come into the camera.

 

Make sense?

 

Here's a shot by participant Peter van Zeyl on our One Day Camera and Lightroom Workshop here on the Mornington Peninsula yesterday. Being the middle of the day - sure not the best light but they wanted to see Dragon's Head - the light was bright. It was about 1/60 @ F16 ISO 100.

 

To get that shutter speed down to the magical 1 second mark, I leant Peter my 6 stop ND filter and BINGO! Perfect movement in the water to really make this photo sing.

 

I think you'd agree it's a great result. If you haven't got an ND filter and want one, jump onto my website where you can purchase it now. I have other strengths and sizes available so email me tom@tomputt.com if you need something in particular.

 

 

I've judged many photo competitions in my time and I've entered plenty as well. Here's what I've learnt from both sides of the coin in entering photo competitions and what to look out for.

1. YOU WON'T KNOW UNLESS YOU ENTER

Most of you reading this are thinking, "My photos aren't good enough". Perhaps that's true. Perhaps it's not. But you'll never know unless you give it a go. Guess what? Most pros think the same - my work isn't good enough to enter competitions.

Do you how many times I've thought the same thing then said at the last minute, "Fuck it! Just do it!" Can you imagine if we lived our lives the same way? We tend to overthinking most things and miss out on a lot in life because of it. If I self-destructed each time I thought "my photography isn't good enough" I wouldn't have over 150 awards to my name.

 

2. YOU PROBABLY WON'T WIN ANYTHING

This seems to contradict my first point, however it's reality. Competitions are that - competitive, and therefore you really have to be fortunate to win an award. I enter thinking nothing more will come of it - when it does it's a nice surprise. But there's so much good photography out there, you really do have to have the stars align to do well.

 

3. MOST OF MY AWARDS HAVE COME FROM PHOTOS I DIDN'T EXPECT TO WIN

This relates to my first point about overthinking things, however I believe it also has to do with my poor judgement. Most of us are 'too close' to our photos and find it hard to see the good ones or choose what's best for competitions. The best way around this it to shortlist a group of photos you're considering and then email them to a few trusted people in your group.

 

4. KEEP ENTERING

I've been entering photo competitions for over 20 years. The first few years I was all enthusiastic and thought I was going to smash it. Of course this didn't happen and I got despondent. But I believed my photography got better so I started again and got a few awards. The key is to keep entering - it's a numbers game. The more you enter, hopefully the more chances you'll have of getting something. 

 

5. SUBJECT MATTER

Ok let's get down to a few HARD CORE basics on photo choices. Subject matter is HUGE! Just because it's a nice sunset doesn't make it a good photo. If there's a whole lot of junk in the foreground distracting your eye, the judges will mark the photo down for sure. Choose your subjects wisely. Shoot what you're passionate about and hopefully you'll create good photos. Go to exotic locations and shoot amazing pictures. That's what the judges want to see! Don't shoot the same old - it's been done to death!

 

6. LIGHT

Amazing light in a photo shows the judges that you're a good judge - of light! Light makes all the difference - use it wisely and hunt it down. Set your benchmark high and search for best light with the best subject matter and you're half way there.

 

7. COMPOSITION

Good compositions rock - we all know that. But what is a good composition? To me it's where all the elements fit nicely in with each other. It all makes sense. It might have a lot going on, it may be very little. But what's included is there because it helps tell the story. It helps convey the message. No more, no less. If you struggle with your compositions, look at other photos you admire and ask yourself what composition they've used to make it look so good. Copy that!

 

8. SIMILAR ENTRIES

Culling your photos to include unique entries will mean you're case will be stronger. There's no point entering two or more images that are similar. Decide on one and be happy with your choice. Two the same can be picked up by the judges and possibly impact on one or both of your photos negatively. Don't just choose similar photos to say you've entered more. It's about quality not quantity. And if you're paying per entry, save your dollars for another trip away rather than spending it on your extra entry.

 

9. COLOUR

Good colour can make all the difference. I see many photos where the colour is off - more often it's where there's too many colours competing against one another. A bright blue competing with a dusty brown in the sky with a luminous green in the foreground. Tone it down, be more realistic with the colour and know that sometimes a more subtle colour can work well. Black & whites work tremendously if the contrast is strong between the blacks and the whites.

 

10. FUNKY COLOURS

I'm a landscape photographer. More specifically I'm a chocolate box photographer - I like pretty pictures. Whenever I come to process my photos, I look to replicate what my eye saw and the beauty of nature. Therefore I stay away from the funky colours that look unrealistic and ridiculous. The unnatural reds, blues and greens are not my style.

 

11. CONTRAST

There's been an overuse of HDR of late and it sux. Contrast is great in photographs and can add impact. So don't be tempted to slide the highlights slider to the left and the shadows slider to the right. Keep some contrast to mimic our eye. Use light and dark to direct the eye and create a sense of mystery and magic.

 

12. OVEREXPOSED HIGHLIGHTS

If you don't know how to control your highlights, please watch any YouTube videos on histograms. Learn that the histogram should be as far to the right without blowing out the highlights (in most cases). Nothing puts a judge off more than overexposed highlights where there shouldn't be!

 

13. MUDDY SKIES

Dragging down your Highlights slider unnecessarily to make your skies darker will only result in muddy skies. And muddy skies suck! I'm not sure I've ever seen one so why would you think it's ok to enter this is a competition? The sky is either blue, has white clouds in it, or storm clouds that are dark. But not muddy. Stay away from mud. It's dirty.

 

14. AESTHETIC APPEAL 

Is your subject interesting? Unusual even? Not often seen? All these factors can help your photo stand out amongst the thousands of entries in a photo competitions. Online competitions attract thousands of entries each year. The judges want to see something different. They don't need to see another sunset, a pier or a dog on the beach. They want to see that you've gone outside the box and seen something that other people don't often see. Show off your originality.

 

15. GO FOR THE DIFFERENT CROP

We don't need to see another 3:2 ratio photo. A square or panoramic crop stands out from the crowd and works well for certain subjects. Try it!

 

16. IGNORE HOW LONG IT TOOK TO TAKE, HOW LONG YOU WAITED etc

The judges judge based on what they see. Unfortunately they don't know the backstory to your photo. They don't know how much you spent to get that photo, how long you waited, how many people you asked to move to get a clean shot etc. It's tricky because if they did they many appreciate it more and score your photo higher. But they don't so you have to look at your photos at face value and ask yourself, "If this was someone else's photo, what would I score this?" That can help in removing you from the emotion of it all.

 

17. CLARITY

Don't underestimate sharpness - seeing a clean, sharp image is important. All RAW digital files need sharpening so make sure you do it. 

 

18. SOFT FOCUS

There's a trend for some landscape photographers to add a soft focus look to their photos, perhaps for that dreamy look. I'm not a fan. It looks cheap and often doesn't work in creating emotion. To me it screams of not knowing how to process a photo correctly. 

 

19. ATMOSPHERE & DRAMA

We all love a bit of atmosphere and drama in our photos. An approaching storm, some menacing clouds, rain falling from a distant cloud, etc all work well to create a sense of atmosphere and emotion.

 

20. LEVEL HORIZONS

Sounds obvious right. But it's amazing how often I see horizons that aren't level.

 

21. POOR POST PRODUCTION

Less is more and more often than not, I see post production that is way over the top or unnecessary. Taking the time to learn how to process your photos from an expert is invaluable when polishing your images. You would be astounded with how little time I spend processing my photos. One to two minutes per photo.

 

22. GRAD FILTERS

We all know that grad filters can help with balancing out our exposures - darkening the sky and keeping the foreground bright. But I see far too many grad filters added unnecessarily or added post and very heavy handed. I shouldn't be able to see that a grad has been added. That goes for most post production. Be subtle not obvious.

 

23. OVERUSE OF SELECTIVE LIGHT

99% of the adjustments I make to my photos are global adjustments - it happens across the whole image. Where I see photos running into trouble is where selective light has been painted into certainly areas - light or dark - and it look unrealistic and overdone. Be very wary when doing this. For example, you could paint light into the shadows. My preference would be to use the shadows slider instead.

 

24. HALOS

This comes sometimes with the point above and using selective adjustments - sometimes the adjustment spills over the line, creating halos in the sky for example. At other times it comes with dragging sliders all over the place, creating halos in areas of contrast. Halos tell me your post production techniques aren't up to scratch.

 

25. STUDY PAST WINNERS

I could go on, but let me finish with this last point. Nothing beats looking at the past winners from the competitions you're entering. It doesn't suggest that's what will win in the future, but it gives you a feel for what has been noticed and rewarded by the judges. It will indicate the standard they're looking for so aim for that and hopefully something will come of your efforts!

GOOD LUCK!

If you want more advice on entering competitions, I offer one-on-one critique sessions of your photos.

 

Just send me an email at tom@tomputt.com for session times.

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Cheers,

 

 

Tom Putt

 

 

Choosing the best tripod for landscape photography is essential for getting the shots you want.

There are many factors to consider and it's not just a matter of going to a shop and buying one that looks good.

 

Here's a 6 key points to consider:

 

1. PRICE 

Don't think that because it looks good and it's cheap that it will be suitable. Not all tripods are the same and you need to consider many of the factors below before price is a factor - read on. Ideally you'll be spending a minimum AUD$300 - $400 so that you'll get a tripod that is suitable, sturdy and will last more than 5 minutes!

 

2. MATERIAL 

Don't buy a plastic tripod. They break easily and really are not for anyone getting out to shoot landscapes. An alloy or carbon fibre material is for more durable and will last longer. Alloy is cheaper whereas carbon fibre is more expensive due to the weight saving.

 

3. HEIGHT

When you fully extend the tripod legs, the tripod head should sit at about neck height for you. This is without the centre column extended upwards. You don't want to use the centre column often, if at all. Extending this to get the camera higher just creates instability with your tripod, making it liable to tip over or shake in a strong wind. Some top end tripod manufactures no longer include a centre column at all!

 

4. WEIGHT 

Sure we all want a tripod that weighs next to nothing so we can take it anywhere. But that's not going to happen. A study tripod that will last more than 5 minutes will weigh a little and just like your camera bag with camera, lenses, water, etc, it will weigh a bit and need to be carried.

 

5. SCREW LEGS or CLIPS 

There are two basic ways of fastening the tripod legs once they've been extended. Each are fine - it just depends on what you like. The screw legs frustrate some people because they forget which way they go to tighten - clockwise or anti-clockwise. The clip legs frustrate some too because they have a tendency to loosen over time when them being open and closed so often. This can easily be fixed with a simple tool that is supplied (like Manfrotto does) to tighten them. I don't mind either. Each are fine. It's personal preference.

 

6. PRICE (AGAIN)

This should be the last consideration. As said before, the best tripod is one that is easy to set up, is the right height, sturdy and one you'll take anywhere without hesitation. Spend a bit of money to get a good tripod that will last you. You won't regret it.

THIS IS WHAT I CURRENTLY USE - 

https://tomputt.com/collections/sirui-tripods/products/sirui-w-2204-carbon-fibre-waterproof-tripod-with-k-20x-ball-head

 

What do I love about it?

It's light (carbon fibre), sturdy, the right height for me (I'm 6ft), screw lock legs that are quick to tighten.

 

I hope you found this useful - shoot me an email at tom@tomputt.com if you have any questions or need a hand.

 

Cheers,

 

 

OK, so you LOVE your photography and you can't wait to do more!  You've searched online and found dozens of photography workshops that ALL look fantastic!

 

Which one do you choose?

 

How do you know the best one for you?

 

Here are 7 questions you should be asking before enrolling in a photography workshop.

 

1.  WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP?

Find out what exactly is included in the photography workshop. Some offer tuition only where you have to pay for transport and accommodation on top of the tuition fee. Others, like ours, are ALL-INCLUSIVE, where everything is included once you land at the nearest major airport. All ground transfers, luxury accommodation, exquisite meals, and drinks are included in our photography workshop fee.

 

2.  HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS ARE THERE IN THE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP?

If it's a classroom-based course, the number of participants really doesn't matter - you'll be in a lecture-style environment learning from the teacher. If it's a location-based photography workshop, like ours, you don't really want to be standing with 20 other photographers, fighting for the best position to capture that elusive sunset shot!  

 

Our workshops are limited to just 4 to 8 participants only and book out many months in advance as a result. Make sure the course caters for your needs.

 

3.  HOW MUCH TIME WILL YOU BE SPENDING WITH THE COURSE LEADER?

To some extent, you enrol in a photography workshop because the leader has knowledge and expertise that you want to know. Spending time during the course with the leader is what you're paying for. Make sure the leader is available during the course for any questions and to chat. I've heard horror stories of leaders taking participants to a location then disappearing to capture their own images, leaving the participants to fend for themselves!!!

 

I'm available ALL DAY throughout our workshops - I pick you up from the airport, travel with you to the workshop location, dine with you at every meal - as well as obviously conducting the workshop with you every step of the way. There are plenty of opportunities for questions and chatting about photography. In fact, I find that much of the learning comes outside of the times you're out photographing!

 

4.  WHAT IS TAUGHT IN THE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP?

Make sure you understand what the course is about. What is it that is taught? Is it basic camera techniques, post-processing techniques like Lightroom or Photoshop?  Is it a workshop or a tour?  Most of our courses are photography workshops - we find that most participants want to photograph, particularly at locations that are hard to get to. We maximise your time by photographing as much as possible at the BEST locations at the BEST times of day. This is where I will spend plenty of one-on-one time with you to teach you more about your camera to get the best results possible, as well as critiquing your images ON THE SPOT to give you immediate feedback on how to improve your photography. You'll have the opportunity to download your images and have valuable time with me to critique your images in a group session, whereby you'll learn from myself and others on the course. I have extensive experience in post-production workflows and techniques using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

 

5.  HOW MUCH TIME IS SPENT AT EACH LOCATION?

If it is a location-based photography course, find out how much time you'll be spending at each location. I've read some itineraries where we wonder how it is even humanly possible to get to each location in the days allocated!  On all our workshops, we spend ALL THE TIME you need at each location - many hours are spent exploring and photographing in the best light available to capture the photographs YOU want. Our itineraries are carefully planned in order to spend THE MAXIMUM time at each location to have you coming away from the workshop with THE BEST photographs possible.

 

6. WHAT SUPPORT IS OFFERED AFTER THE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP?

Imagine doing a course, looking over your notes, and not being able to contact the leader AT ALL to help answer any key, lingering, unanswered questions???  VERY FRUSTRATING!!!

 

ALL my photography workshops offer UNLIMITED email support for a lifetime after the workshop. You'll have exclusive access to my 25 years of photography knowledge and experience to help you with your photography.

 

7. HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS ARE REPEAT CLIENTS?

This is probably the most important question and should be the FIRST question you ask. A business doesn't survive without repeat clients and repeat clients are a good indication that they've enjoyed their experience the first time round at least!  My photography workshops have AT LEAST 50% of the participants having been on at least one or more of our courses already. They just love it!  Often they realise that there's far more to learn than they realised, so they come back to learn more. At other times, they love the camaraderie and, therefore, love the experience of photographing at a different location with me and the other participants.

 

CLICK HERE to see all the testimonials from our past participants.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second only to light, composition is vitally important, yet one I find increasingly difficult to teach. To some, composition comes naturally; they have ‘an eye for a photograph’, so to speak. When taking a photo, they know what to include and what to exclude; they know where each element of the image should sit; they know how much space should be left on the sides; they know what looks good and what doesn’t.

 

So how do you drastically improve your photo compositions???  

 

Here are my 5 Proven Tips:

 

1. SLOW DOWN!

It’s all too easy these days with digital to run around, snap away and thinking that because you’re taking lots of photos, some of them will be good! To the contrary, I find! I know that digital technology has made me lazy. If I told you it costs $5 every time you take a photo, would you slow down a little more and think more about your compositions and what you’re photographing?

 

When I was shooting with my panoramic film camera, it was $10 per roll of film, plus $10 in processing, with four frames per roll. That’s $5 per image! Do you think I was careful about taking images? You bet! Was I pissed off when I got the exposure wrong? Left the lens cap on? Forgot to wind the film on from the previous frame? Sure was!

 

SLOW DOWN!

 

Use a tripod to help you slow down, for example, and really nail the composition is critically evaluating what’s in the frame and what needs to be excluded. Challenge yourself to take a few photographs as possible. Be selective in your approach.

 

2. SIMPLICITY!

With teaching photography over the years, I have noticed that beginners tend to include WAY too much in their images. They see a good photograph and feel the need to for everything in it. It’s like they have visual stimulation overload!

For me, it’s all about what to EXCLUDE, leaving only the good bits. If you find your compositions are weak, look to see what is important and what inspired you to take the photograph – include that! Then look at what’s in the frame that is distracting from those elements and get rid of them! 

 

3. THREE KEY ELEMENTS!

Leading on from the point above, I’ve found through critical analysis of my photographs that there are barely more than three elements in the frame. If I’m off the coast, it may be the beach, water and the sky. That’s it! There’s not a boat, a bird, a plane, a tree over to the far right, etc. Stick with three elements or less! 

 

4. WIDE ANGLES!

If you’re shooting with a wide-angle lens (35mm focal length or less), which I use for most of my landscapes, make sure you include these three elements - foreground, middle ground, and background. I point my wide-angle lens down, with the bottom of the frame only a few metres in front. I include a strong foreground - something interesting that’s pleasing to the eye like a river, a shoreline, rocks with leading lines - then I make sure there’s something interesting in the middle ground - about 10-15 metres away - then, background for my eye to rest on. Oh and with your foregrounds, make sure they’re just a few metres from your camera – no more!

 

5. ZOOM IN!

If I’m struggling for composition, I look for an image within an image. What do I mean by that? I might be at a location that I know is good - say the Great Ocean Road - but I’m just not seeing anything interesting...it’s not hitting me in the face, the WOW factor just isn’t there. I put on my telephoto lens - 70-200mm - and start picking out features in the landscape that are interesting. I love filling the frame with the same subject - a row of trees, ripples on the water, clouds.

 

Don’t just look for the obvious shot because it may not be there. Sometimes you have to go hunting and zooming in can help you do this.

 

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Join me, Tom Putt, on one of my many landscape photography workshops. I'd love to teach you more and help you improve your photography.

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

 

Through my many years of shooting photography, I've found myself teaching the same principles - look to the edges of the frame, use a tripod, step to the left or right...

 

Whether you're starting out in photography or have been doing it a while, here are my Top 13 Landscape Photography Tips to get you shooting better shots.

 

1. EDGES OF THE FRAME

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to check the edges of the frame before you take your photo. Often we’re so focused on our subject in the middle that we neglect the outer edges.

 

How often do we find half a person, a stick, or a seagull that really should be excluded? It’s not til we download the photos that we often notice these. Run your eye around the edges of your frame and recompose your shot if need be. Do this several times before taking the shot.

 

2. TRIPOD

Your tripod should be your best friend as a landscape photographer. Make sure your tripod suits all your needs - it is light enough, it’s heavy enough, it goes up high enough, it’s easy to set up. Too many people hate their tripod because the legs are hard to pull out, or they can’t seem to find which way the legs should be tightened. It should be a pleasure to use. 

 

3. STEP TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT

So simple, right? But it’s often not done and it can make all the difference to a photo. The reason being is that sometimes a little movement left or right can make objects in a photo separate a little more, which looks better. You don’t always want things to line up or be obscured, so a little step to the left or right will resolve this.

 

4. COMPOSITION - WHAT TO INCLUDE & EXCLUDED?

Identifying the key aspects, then including these in a photograph can be vital to telling your story. I often see photographers include unnecessary elements in their photographs which only dilute their story telling. One of the best ways around this is to think that you’re describing the scene in front of you to a friend. You tell them descriptively what you saw and what you liked. Then you show them your photograph. If you’ve done a good job at telling your story and your photo matches, your composition is spot on. If there’s a mismatch, it may be that your photo includes some things that are necessary or are distracting.

 

5. RULE OF THIRDS

This is one of the best rules in landscape photography. Yes, it’s a cliche, but it works and I use it all the time. Put your subjects off-centre. Have negative space. Place the horizon at the top of the frame.

 

6. HISTOGRAMS

The most maligned tool on a digital camera today. I’m amazed at how many people don’t know how to use it or have been told the wrong information. The perfect histogram is not one that is bell-shaped. Or in the middle. Or not peaking above the top. The best histogram is one that is as far to the right as possible without blowing out the highlights. It’s as simple as that!

 

7. CRITIQUE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS AS YOU GO

Many times we shoot without really thinking about what we’re shooting - and that’s OK. We’re out there practicing, making sure the settings are right or challenging ourselves to see as much as possible. If you want to take your photography to the next level, try critiquing your photographs as you go. Take a shot, look at it on the back of the camera, and ask yourself, “What won’t I like about this when I get home?” If there’s ways you can see to improve it, correct it there and then and that way you won’t be kicking yourself later wishing you’d done it differently.

 

8. FOUR SHOTS

I’m a big believer that there are four shots in every set up. What do I mean by that? Well, if you have a wide-angle zoom lens, you can take a shot as wide as possible, then zoom in and take another. Then you can turn your camera to portrait mode, and repeat - take a wide angle shot, then zoom in and take another. There’s four shots just like that!

 

9. PLAN AHEAD

I use several apps to help me plan ahead with my shoots. On the Mornington Peninsula where I live, the tide, weather, sunrise and sunset times and places can make all the difference depending on the time of year. I use the Weatherzone app for forecasts and rain radars, WillyWeather for tide times and heights, and the Photographers Ephemeris for sunrise/sunset times and directions. 

 

10. CHECK YOUR CAMERA EVERY TIME

Every time you pull your camera out, check the settings to make sure they’re correct - ISO 100, F16 and on Manual tends to be my default. Of course, it changes depending on what I’m shooting. But how often have I just shot away then realised my ISO is up at 3200 from an astro shoot the right before?? Arghhhh. Get in the habit of checking your camera each time you get it out.

 

11. LESS IS MORE

One of the most common mistakes I still make is trying to include too much in my photos. If you can get into the habit of including just 2-3 key elements in the frame, then your photos will be far superior to most others out there. Wide angle lenses are the biggest culprit. They include too much! It’s very difficult to tie everything together sometimes when you have so much in front of you!

 

12. WIDE-ANGLE LENSES

The best advice I can give you on using a wide-angle lens is to ensure you have a strong foreground, middle ground and background. Identify these three key elements first, then construct your composition around them. Make sure they are positioned nicely so they all work in together. And make sure you are within 2-3 metres of your foreground otherwise everything is going to seem miles away and lack impact.

 

13. GET CLOSER

Following on from above, if your photos lack impact, get closer! Your wide-angle lenses push everything back to include so much. So it’s vital that you get closer to your foregrounds so you can see them! And with your longer telephoto lenses, sometimes you’re just not closer enough. Take bird photography, for example. We take a shot, thinking it looks great, but then see that the bird looks tiny in the frame. Get closer and if you feel the need to back off, then you’re probably close enough!!!

 

Did you benefit from these? Got something to add? Or perhaps you've got a question to ask me...email me tom@tomputt.com

 

I'd love to hear from you.

 

Cheers,

Tom Putt

 

I know what it’s like to be in your position. You love photography, you love it as a hobby, but perhaps you want to take it to the next level. Reflecting on my career in photography, these are the things I did to improve: 

1. EDUCATION

Every month I would go down to the local newsagent and buy a magazine outside of the UK titled ‘Photo Answers’. It was a great publication, full of images and useful tips that I practiced all the time. I still have clippings from this magazine in my visual diaries!! 

 

These days, I subscribe to about 10 magazines, including Better Photography Magazine, Better Digital, Better Photoshop Techniques, Capture, PDN, Rangefinder, etc. Too many that I can even read each month. But I believe in continuing education and I never rest on my laurels. There’s always something to be learnt and I will give up photography the day I know it all (which will never happen thanks goodness so I’m here to stay!!!). 

 

I enrol in seminars through the AIPP and other organisations in order to keep myself up to date with changes in photography and improve my skill base. 

2. PRACTICE

In the beginning, I would look for any excuse to practice. Down the beach, around the house, wherever I could and whenever I could! These days, I have a little less time and enjoy the admin side of running several businesses. However, I still get out at least once a week to shoot. Practicing your photography is like exercise - the more you do it, the more you’ll improve (you’d hope anyway!!!). I used to hate making the same mistakes after not picking up my camera for a while - it was so demoralising to go to the lab to pick up the lm and see that I’d stuffed it up YET AGAIN! Practicing my photography over 25 years means I make far less mistakes and get more predictable results. 

3. FIND A MENTOR

In my career as a sports photographer, landscape photographer and a portrait photographer, I’ve always had mentors who I could call on for advice. There’s no point reinventing the wheel and anything someone else has navigated the situation I find myself in. 

4. GAIN SOME RECOGNITION

Entering awards is the best way to gain some recognition these days. We’re fortunate that there are so many good online competitions for this. Even entering your local camera club competitions can help boost your confidence, give you some good feedback on your photography and get your name out there. 

 

Here’s a list of awards I enter each year:
- International Landscape Photographer of the Year
- International Photography Awards
- Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year
- Epson Pano Awards
- Australian Geographic ANZANG Nature Photographer of the Year 

5. HAVE A GOAL IN MIND

I’ve always got something to strive for. Today I’m striving for more awards, multiple galleries to have my artwork in people’s homes and to take my workshops across the world. I love having goals as they give me purpose. I know each day what I need to do - I do at least one small thing that will get me closer to achieving those goals. 

Have a goal in mind for yourself. It may be to have a solo exhibition; to publish a book to show your friends; to photo- graph people in your local area. Whatever it is, make sure it inspires you every day. 

6. RESEARCH

I’m constantly looking for ideas. Any magazine that comes my way I flip through, looking just at the images, searching for something to catch my eye. It may be a new landscape or a different angle that I haven’t tried myself. Whatever it is, I’m constantly looking to be visually stimulated.

 

 

I’ve done my fair share of shooting in the cold here in Australia, but nothing could prepare me for the -32 degree shooting conditions I recently faced in Swedish Lapland. It was seriously cold!

 

It was sensational photography with the air crisp and dry, the snow a dry powder not unlike the fake snow you buy at Xmas for the tree. Snow stuck to the trees like it had been sprayed on and waterfalls froze along roadside cliffs.

 

But these magical conditions presented their own set of challenges - handling cameras with three sets of gloves, auto focus not working, LED screens failing and noses sticking to camera bodies.

 

 

 

Here’s my tips for how best to prepare for shooting in -20 plus degrees cold.

1. YOU HAVE TO STAY WARM - pretty much nothing you buy in Australia will be suitable for this type of cold. When I say that, I mean that most gloves, shoes and outer clothing won’t cut it. See below.

2. SHOES - The shoes we have looked more like moon boots than snow boots, but they were amazing. Think gum boots but 10 times bigger! Plastic moulding on the outside with a thick fur lining on the inside. My feet rarely got cold. Coupled with two sets of socks - one thinner pair, then a thick merino outer pair. A fur-lined boot is a must with an unbreakable outer shell. The Sorels that everyone swears by won't work- they’re too thin on the sides around the calves.

3. GLOVES - I started with a pair of wind stoppers with Mountain Design mittens over the top and that wasn’t enough. I ended up buying merino liners, then a wool mitten followed by an over mitten. This was barely enough. My thumbs got cold. You can buy heated gloves and whilst this sounds ridiculous, when you can’t operate your camera because your hands are so cold, there’s not much point being there in the first place!

4. HEADWEAR - I didn’t suffer too badly with brain freezes, largely due to my woollen Faroese beanie. Having something to cover your ears and cheeks is ideal. A balaclava is a must - exposing your skin as little as possible is the aim of the game. My nose got hammered when the wind got up, to the point that it turned white - dangerous stuff. Having a merino balaclava will hopefully keep you warm as well as wick away any moisture from breathing through it.

5. CLOTHING - Buy the best thermals you can get (I had Icebreaker 260s), then a polar fleece, then a 700 down North Face puffer jacket, then our special outer suits. Whilst heavy, the suits were amazing. They kept out the wind and I never got cold when wearing one. I did feel like an oversized oompha lumpa, however.

Despite all of this, photographing in the cold can be one of the most memorable experiences a photographer can have. Just make sure you live to tell the tale!

 

My wife Mary - she was toasty warm, really!