Landscape photography shows the spaces within the world, sometimes vast and unending, but other times microscopic. Landscape photographs typically capture the presence of

nature Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are ...

but can also focus on man-made features or disturbances of landscapes. Landscape photography is done for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the most common is to recall a personal observation or experience while in the outdoors, especially when traveling. Others pursue it particularly as an outdoor lifestyle, to be involved with nature and the elements, some as an escape from the artificial world.Caputo, Robert
"Landscape Photography Tips"
''National Geographic,'' August 2007, (from ''Photography Field Guide: Landscapes and Ultimate Photography Field Guide: Landscapes'')McNeal, Kevin with interviewer Dimitri Vasileiou
"In Conversation... Kevin McNeal"
, ''Landscape Photography Magazine'', 2014 Edition, p.34Ellement, Brad (U.K.
"Featured Artist: Brad Ellement"
, ''Landscape Photography Magazine,'' 2014 Edition, p.56Vasilakis, Konstantinos
"Portfolio"
, ''Landscape Photography Magazine'', 2014 Edition, p.88 Many landscape photographs show little or no human activity and are created in the pursuit of a pure, unsullied depiction of

, devoid of human influence—instead featuring subjects such as strongly defined landforms, weather, and ambient light.Mary Warner Marien (2006). ''Photography: A Cultural History''. Laurence King Publishing. Page 136. As with most forms of art, the definition of a

landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the ...

photograph is broad and may include rural or urban settings, industrial areas or nature photography.Waite, Charlie with interviewer Keith Wilson
"In Conversation... Charlie Waite"
, ''Landscape Photography Magazine,'' 2014 Editio
"The Big Free Edition"
), p.120Purdue Univ.

from 'Visualizing Nature: Promoting Public Understanding and Appreciation of Nature,'' epartment ofEarth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, retrieved October 4, 2015.

Environmentalism

Some of the most important and celebrated landscape photographers have been motivated by an appreciation of the beauty of the natural environment and a desire to see it preserved. The work of

William Henry Jackson William Henry Jackson (April 4, 1843 – June 30, 1942) was an American photographer, Civil War veteran, painter, and an explorer famous for his images of the American West. He was a great-great nephew of Samuel Wilson, the progenitor of Am ...

in the mid-19th century was instrumental in convincing Congress in 1872 to create

Yellowstone Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellow ...

, the first national park in the United States. Photography produced by Philip Hyde for the

Sierra Club The Sierra Club is an environmental organization with chapters in all 50 United States, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The club was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by Scottish-American preservationist John Muir, who b ...

found extensive use in promoting the preservation of natural places in the

Western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the We ...

during the 20th century. Renowned landscape photographer

Ansel Adams Ansel Easton Adams (February 20, 1902 – April 22, 1984) was an American landscape photographer and environmentalist known for his Monochrome photography, black-and-white images of the American West. He helped found Group f/64, an association ...

received both a Conservation Service Award and a Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of the influence of his work on the preservation of wilderness and fostering of environmental consciousness.

Subjects

Champ de colza Côte-d'Or Bourgogne avril 2014

Landscape photography commonly involves daylight photography of natural features of land, sky and waters, at a distance—though some landscapes may involve subjects in a scenic setting nearby, even close-up, and sometimes at night.Audley, Alice
"A beginner’s guide to garden photography"
''The ondon DailyTelegraph,'' (Kent, England, U.K.), August 30, 2014, retrieved October 3, 2015 Photography of artificial scenery, such as farm fields, orchards, gardens and architecture, may be considered "landscape" photography as well. Even the presence of man-made structures (buildings, roads and bridges, etc.) or art (such as

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable ...

) may be considered "landscape" if presented in artistic settings or appearing (or photographed) in artistic style. Further, landscape photography is typically of relatively stationary subjects—arguably a form of "

still life A still life (plural: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or man-made (drinking glasses, bo ...

." This tends to simplify the task, as opposed to photography of kinetic or live subjects. However, landscape photography often overlaps the activity of

wildlife photography Wildlife photography is a genre of photography concerned with documenting various forms of wildlife in their natural habitat. As well as requiring photography skills, wildlife photographers may need field craft skills. For example, some anim ...

and the two terms are used somewhat interchangeably; both wildlife and landscapes may be elements of the same picture or body of work.Freeman, John
"Photographing Namibia"
, ''Landscape Photography Magazine'', 2014 Edition, p.96

Tourism

Landscape photography has become a big part of local economies throughout the world. Countries such as Scotland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, New Zealand, USA, Canada and countries in the European Alpine region are very popular with photography tourists and welcome people from all over the world. As a result of this, landscape photography workshops and tours have become big business in these countries. Apps have formed part of this experience telling users how to find the most popular locations and how to photograph them once there.

Methods (technical)

Landscape photography typically requires relatively simple photographic equipment, though more sophisticated equipment can give a wider range of possibilities to the art. An artist's eye for the subject can yield attractive and impressive results even with modest equipment.Ruiz, Kathleen, Associate Professor of Integrated Art
"Landscape Photography"
Department of the Arts - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY., retrieved October 15, 2015

Camera

Any ordinary (or sophisticated) camera— film camera or digital camera—can be readily used for common landscape photography. Higher-resolution and larger-format digital cameras (or larger-format

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmospher ...

cameras) permit a greater amount of detail and a wider range of artistic presentation.Hay, David (reviewer)
"Book Review: The Art Of Adventure"
(by Bruce Percy), ''Landscape Photography Magazine'', 2014 Edition, p.164 However, a larger-format camera yields a more limited

depth of field The depth of field (DOF) is the distance between the nearest and the furthest objects that are in acceptably sharp focus in an image captured with a camera. Factors affecting depth of field For cameras that can only focus on one object dis ...

(range of the scene that is in focus) for a given aperture value, requiring greater care in focusing (see: "Shutter Speed and Aperture", below).Wilson, Keith
"Gear Test: Pentax 645D"
(camera review), ''Landscape Photography Magazine'', 2014 Edition, p.112 A camera with "panorama" function or frame can permit very wide images suitable for capturing a panoramic view.

Lens

For "wide open spaces," a

wide-angle lens In photography and cinematography, a wide-angle lens refers to a lens whose focal length is substantially smaller than the focal length of a normal lens for a given film plane. This type of lens allows more of the scene to be included in the ...

is generally the preferred lens, allowing a broad angle of view. However, medium-range to

telephoto lens A telephoto lens, in photography and cinematography, is a specific type of a long-focus lens in which the physical length of the lens is shorter than the focal length. This is achieved by incorporating a special lens group known as a ''telephoto ...

es can achieve satisfying imagery, as well, and can enable the capture of detailed scenery of smaller areas at greater distances. Telephoto lenses can also facilitate limited ranges of focus, to enable the photographer to emphasize a specific area, at a fairly specific distance, in sharp focus, with the foreground and background blurred (see:

). A big difference between a wide-angles lens and a telephoto lens is the compression of the landscape; the wider the angle the more distance will appear between the foreground and background elements; however, a telephoto lens will make the same elements appear closer to each other. Other lenses that can help include the fisheye lens for extremely wide angles and dramatic effect, and the macro/micro lens for extreme close-up work. While variable-range zoom lenses are widely used, some landscape photographers prefer fixed-range prime lenses to provide higher clarity and quality in the image.

Medium: film or digital sensor

The sensitivity to light, of the medium—the film or the digital camera sensor—is important in landscape photography, especially where great detail is required. In bright daylight, a "slow film" (low- ISO film), or low-ISO digital camera sensor sensitivity setting (typically ISO 100, or perhaps 200), is generally preferred, allowing maximum precision and evenness of image.Ruiz, Kathleen, Assoc. Prof. of Integrated Art
"Photography Basics"
Department of the Arts - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY., retrieved October 15, 2015 However, if there is movement in the scene, and the scene is in lower light—as with cloudy days, twilight, night, or in shaded areas—a higher ISO (up to the limits of the film or camera sensor, depending upon the shortage of light) may be desirable, to ensure that fast shutter speeds can be used to "freeze" the motion.

Lighting and flash

Port and lighthouse overnight storm with lightning in Port-la-Nouvelle

Normally, landscape photography—being focused primarily on natural beauty—tends to be done with only naturally occurring ambient light. In some cases, however, artificial light is recommended or unavoidable. Careful use of flash, continuous artificial lighting or reflective surfaces (e.g.: reflectors) for "fill" in shadowy areas is often used in close-up landscape photography (e.g.: garden spaces, small areas of dark forests, etc.). However, given the broad expanses of open space that tend to dominate in landscape photography, artificial lighting is typically ineffective, or even destructive (causing the foreground to be wildly over-lit, and the background to become overly dark). Light at dawn or dusk, or just before or after those times (especially at sunrise, or during the "golden hour" just before sunset), is often considered the best for capturing detail, showing scenes in the best colors of light, or otherwise generating impressive and attractive images.Vasileiou, Dimitri, editor
"Dedication To Duty"
, ''Landscape Photography Magazine'', 2014 Edition, p.64Plant, Ian
"PRO Feedback, "
, ''Landscape Photography Magazine'', 2014 Edition, p.186

Shutter speed and aperture

With cameras that allow a variety of shutter speeds and lens apertures, landscape photographers tend to prefer settings that allow all of the viewed area to be in sharp focus. This typically requires a small aperture (a high f-stop, usually between 11 and 13 is best for clarity and depth of field), which creates only a small hole for the light to come into the camera from the lens, ensuring that as much of the field of view is in focus as possible (see:

). With a small aperture, however, a slower shutter speed (longer exposure) may be required to compensate for the limited amount of light squeezing in through the small aperture. This can be a problem if there are kinetic elements in the picture, such as moving animals (especially birds), people or vehicles. It can also be a problem if the environment is kinetic (in motion), such as wind blowing and shaking all the trees and plants in the scene, or if water is flowing. Slow shutter speeds can also be a problem if the photographer is in motion (such as shooting a scene from a moving vehicle). Consequently, some compromise between shutter speed and aperture may be necessary, or advisable. To some extent, a higher-ISO film or digital camera setting can compensate without the need to alter shutter speed or aperture. However, higher ISO settings ("fast film") can result in grainy pictures and poor capture of details, especially at a distance. In some cases, a slow shutter speed is desired to show movement of the subjects, particularly moving water or the effects of wind.

Filters

Filters can serve a wide range of purposes in landscape photography. For instance, a

polarizing filter A polarizer or polariser is an optical filter that lets light waves of a specific polarization pass through while blocking light waves of other polarizations. It can filter a beam of light of undefined or mixed polarization into a beam of wel ...

can darken the sky, while allowing surface features to be shown in relatively sharper clarity. Polarizing filters also help with cutting glare from water reducing reflections, snow and ice—even facilitating greater transparency of water and ice.Leggero, Michael
"Washington State"
, ''Landscape Photography Magazine'', 2014 Edition, p.196 Neutral density filters are darkened with a neutral (colorless) gray tint which reduces the amount of light entering the camera lens. These filters are used to lengthen shutter speeds without the need to alter aperture or film/sensor sensitivity, or alternatively, to use large apertures without exceeding the maximum shutter speed of a camera. A variation of this filter, termed the graduated neutral density filter or simply 'ND grad', transitions from dark, neutral gray on one side to clear on the opposite side. Photographers use these filters to lower natural contrasts by reducing light transmission from the brightest portion of the subject landscape, while letting light from the darker portion of the landscape enter the lens unobstructed. UV-Zero haze filters reduce "purple fringing" caused by ultraviolet light, especially in digital situations. They are also recommended by some professional photographers as protection for the vulnerable lens, especially when outdoors or in dynamic situations.

Color filter Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associa ...

s can create other effects, or compensate for the appearance of unnatural lighting due to camera characteristics.

Other accommodations

In order to mitigate shaking associated with hand-holding a camera, landscape photography oftentimes requires a firm camera footing which affords the potential for sharper imagery. Tripods are specifically designed for stabilizing cameras and are widely regarded as essential equipment for landscape photography.Paterson, Morag and Ted Leeming
"Gear Test: Tripods"
(equipment reviews), ''Landscape Photography Magazine'', 2014 Edition, p.180Hay, David (columnist)
"Hay Fever: The Meaning of Letters"
, ''Landscape Photography Magazine'', 2014 Edition, p.170 However, any firm surface unaffected by vibration, wind or human contact may offer similar benefits. The use of a timer, remote control or cable release allows the shutter to be tripped without the introduction of vibration that might result from manually depressing the shutter button. Some modern, high-quality cameras also provide

image stabilization Image stabilization (IS) is a family of techniques that reduce blurring associated with the motion of a camera or other imaging device during exposure. Generally, it compensates for pan and tilt (angular movement, equivalent to yaw and pit ...

, which compensates for vibration by moving inner workings of the camera, or electronically correcting the photograph. Because landscape photography is normally outdoors photography, protection from the elements can be helpful. Shooting from inside a sheltering structure or stationary vehicle (engine off, occupants stationary) can be helpful. Use of an umbrella or other shield to keep camera and photographer dry can also be helpful. A waterproof container for the camera, with drying agent inside (e.g.: dry cloth) may be advised, and experts advise that the camera should be shielded from blowing dust, snow, and rain, and extremely harsh direct sunlight.