Landscape photography tips and tricks: What matters most when you are just starting out?

posted Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at 12:30 PM EDT

When pursuing great landscape photographs, what matters most? In his newest video, photographer Adam Karnacz discusses the "do's and don'ts" of landscape photography and takes a closer look at the fundamentals which he believes should be at the foundation of every landscape photographer's process, whether they are just beginning or are a master of their craft.

While there's certainly a baseline for acceptable and useful photographic gear, Karnacz argues below that its importance is often overstated. When you begin to view your photographic gear as a tool, it is easier to not be bogged down and you can focus on the image itself. A competent camera, a lens or lenses which cover wide-angle up to telephoto focal lengths and a sturdy tripod is a very good landscape photography kit.

Borrowing from Theodore Roosevelt, Karnacz remarks that "comparison is the thief of joy." What this means in the context of landscape photography is that you don't need to worry about what other photographers are doing. Today, there are so many places where we can be overwhelmed by amazing landscape photographs. Comparing your own work against what you see on Instagram, especially if you're a beginner, can be quite damaging. On the other hand, you can view the work of other people as being inspiring and it may very well help you become a more mindful and creative photographer to see all the different ways other photographers are using their cameras to capture beautiful landscape images.

For aspiring landscape photographers who don't live somewhere that may be considered traditionally beautiful, it can be difficult to feel inspired and all too easy to feel like you can't possibly make great images where you are. However, Karnacz has a really nice message, "It's not the location that makes the photographer, it's the other way around." In order to improve as a landscape photographer, or any kind of photographer, you simply must shoot and practice. You can't wait until you are somewhere beautiful to start shooting, you must work on finding the beauty around you. With that said, it is also a productive experience to plan a trip to somewhere famous or a place where you know there will be great landscape opportunities. Once you're there, one of the most rewarding experiences will be exploring the area and finding unique shots. For more great tips, watch Adam's full video below.