A Brief History

Some of the first natural landscape shots were what was known as ‘daguerreotypes’ taken by American and French photographers such as Samuel Bemis and Alexandre Clausel in the mid-1800s. The reoccurring theme of many of these images was the wilderness of the countryside or the expanse of the oceans as this was easier to shoot because photography technology hadn’t developed enough to capture moving or multiple subjects. In these early years long exposure times proved problematic as it meant it was difficult to capture people in any form of clarity.  In line with growing populations and the building of cities, the trend evolved to focus on urban and iconic man made landmarks.

Landscape photography remains hugely popular today, and with more people travelling, the invention of the Internet and smartphone cameras, we’re seeing more stunning scenic shots than ever before. For some truly beautiful landscape shots, check out our Mother Earth category. Have some beautiful landscape shots? You can always add them to this category.

So, what are some of the things to consider if you want to take a good landscape shot? Here are three of our top tips:

1. Finding the right time

Shooting at the right time is often crucial for landscape shots due to the quality of light. This has led many landscape photographers to shoot either early in the morning or late afternoons when the lighting is just right. Photographers are said to have named these times the ‘blue hour’ and ‘golden hour’ as it is during these periods when the sun is at it’s lowest; displaying less contrast and casting longer shadows.

2. Slow Exposures

Frequently used by landscape professionals are slow exposures. This technique could be used to optimise depth of field, something many great landscape photographers obsess over. In order to capture that amazingly detailed shot of a forest in winter exposures can be seconds long rather than milliseconds meaning a trusted tripod is essential.

3. Polarising Filters

Most landscape photographers make use of a circular polarising filter kit. Polarising filters are able to cut a hindering glare from a photo along with any unwanted reflections. Filters can prove very important when shooting landscapes and can be the difference maker, turning a good photograph into a great one!

Here are a couple of our recent favourite landscape shots on CoinaPhoto:

Jevgenij Scolokov’s ‘Landscape in Autumn’ presents a beautifully symmetrical vista of a peaceful lake with a reflection of the cloudy sky above. With the day’s sunlight hitting the yellowing leaves on trees surrounding the water it makes for a fantastic image, capturing what autumn means for a lot of people.  The symmetry, depth and contrast in colours highlight the photographer’s skill in bringing a scene to life.

Similarly Andrew Cowley’s ‘Dunes’ is another fine example of a quality landscape shot. It’s easy to imagine the cold sand blowing between the dry grasses on this one and allows users from the other side of the world to almost step foot in Bamburgh, Northumberland. The sand dunes draw the eye and take you deep in to the background of scene, giving this photo an almost 3D quality.

You’d be surprised just how many unique landscape shots there are to capture. From modern city skylines to barren wastelands, so many landscapes tell different stories.

Feeling inspired? Head out and shoot some landscape shots to share with the CoinaPhoto community this week or simply take a look at the images in our public gallery for more from CoinaPhoto’s talented landscape photographers.