Keep your photos simple and fill the frame
with the subject.
Keep Focus Sharp
Hold the camera firmly with both hands — not with
one hand — to get sharp photos. Gently squeeze the
shutter so as not to shake the camera during the
exposure or the picture will be blurred. Landscape
photography requires a large depth of field to make
sure the subjects (up front) and in the background
are in focus. Select the ‘landscape’ setting on your
camera or an aperture f/16 or smaller to ensure
that all the elements in the photo are in focus. Use
a tripod to get sharp pictures. Include people in
landscape settings wherever possible because the
human eye will be drawn to them, which enhances
these pictures. If a person is the subject matter
and you’re using an autofocus camera, be sure to
focus on their eyes. Eyes are the main visual cue
that people will look at initially, simply because of
human nature.
A person in the foreground provides depth of field in
landscape photos.
Know Your Camera
The best pictures are taken with single-lens reflex
(SLR) cameras although point and shoot digital
cameras for folks on a budget are okay. Several
manufacturers make quality cameras that have
similar features in roughly the same price range.
Purchase one that feels comfortable and is easy to
handle. A 14–42-millimetre automatic focus zoom
lens is well suited for outdoor photography — it’s a
good lens for framing subjects. You’ll need a long
lens for wildlife photography, which is another
story. Read the instruction manual carefully to
develop an understanding of all the features of your
camera. SLR cameras have various modes that are
programmed for taking different types of photos
(for example, landscape, portrait, macro, action,
sunrise or sunset) in addition to an auto setting
that is a good fall back when lots of things are
happening at the same time.
The frame is filled with the subject whose head is featured
in the top left corner according to the rule of thirds.
An example of the rule of thirds framing in a
landscape photo
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