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Mount Everest at Dusk
Photograph by Jeff Davids, Your Shot
Travel is all about escape, and the urge to get away often leads us out of cities and into the countryside. In this gallery, get tips for taking the best landscape shots.
Here, Mount Everest (at left) glows at dusk. This panorama photo was taken shortly after sunset from Gokyo Ri, Nepal, in 2004.
(This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot.)
Photo Tip: When shooting in cold weather, or extreme conditions such as snow and sleet, it's important not to change your lenses outdoors. You never want to get moisture or condensation inside the camera body.
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Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Photograph by Jen Eudy, My Shot
Sunset falls on a Maasai boy on Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve.
Photo Tip: After you’ve made the image you have in mind, walk or drive closer to the subject and try again. Proximity will make the subject strike you in a different way.
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Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
Photograph by Jim Richardson, National Geographic
The craggy Cliffs of Moher wrap around the western coast of County Clare, providing a stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean. The rocky cliffs reach 702 feet (214) meters at their highest point and stretch nearly five miles (eight kilometers) across.
Photo Tip: When your subject is of indeterminate size—a mountain, a body of water, a snowscape—add a sense of scale by including something of known size, such as a person, a car, a tree, or an animal. This helps viewers understand what they’re looking at.
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Potato Field, India
Photograph by Johnny Haglund, My Shot
Women in the village of Mawsynram in the Indian state of Meghalaya (known as the wettest place on the planet), use homemade "umbrellas" when they work in the potato field.
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
Photo Tip: Rain can damage or ruin your camera, but it can also make for great pictures. Carry a good umbrella, a box of plastic bags, perhaps a small tarp (some are specially made for photography), and a towel with which to dab your equipment.
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Manarola, Italy
Photograph by Paul Hogie, My Shot
A scene of the tiny village of Manarola on the Cinque Terre coast of Italy. I camped on this spot for some time waiting for the right balance of light as the sun set. I was rewarded with many great shots of the late afternoon and even in moonlight. This long exposure captures the essence of the village with the locals all joining for a party near the boat ramp.
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
Photo Tip: The best building shots balance light from three different sources: skylight, streetlights, and lights from within the building.
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Scottish Sheep
Photograph by Marc Lanciaux, My Shot
Sheepherding in Scotland has a long history, not all of it pleasant. Many of the pastures in the Western Highlands—where these sheep peer through a fence—were created during the "clearances" of the late 1800s, when wealthy landowners seeking greater profits brutally evicted their tenants and converted their subsistence farmland to pasture.
Photo Tip: Photograph animals where they live. A favorite composition of photographer Michael Melford’s is an environmental shot showing the animal surrounded by its habitat—rather than the usual tight shot taken with a long lens.
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Baobab Trees, Tanzania
Photograph by Tom Schwabel, My Shot
Baobab trees frame a serene view of night skies in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania. Some species of baobab trees can live for a thousand years—potentially reaching a stunning height of 80 feet (25 meters) and a diameter of 40 feet (12 meters).
Photo Tip: Nighttime photographs almost always require long exposures. This means using a tripod to hold your camera perfectly still while the shutter is open, though you can sometimes find a solid surface to rest your camera on and trip the shutter with the camera’s self-timer.
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Thermal Pool, Yellowstone National Park
Photograph by Shant Neshanian, My Shot
This photo was taken in the few minutes of blue skies I had after one storm and right before another.
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
Photo Tip: Look at the scene through different lenses, from wide-angle to telephoto, and think about how each lens affects it.
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Horse Ranch, Argentina
Photograph by Patricia de Solages, My Shot
Men and horses pause near El Calafate, a town just beyond Lake Argentina in the southern reaches of Patagonia. With its stunning backdrop of Andes peaks, the town is one of the country’s biggest tourist draws.
Photo Tip: Add layers to your composition—that is, multiple elements beyond the main subject, such as foreground and background elements.
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Tuareg Tribesmen, Sahara
Photograph by Carsten Peter, National Geographic
A Tuareg tribesman leads his camels through the dunes of the Sahara. The Tuareg have historically roamed the desert from southern Algeria and Libya to eastern Mali. Tuareg caravans once dominated trade routes; today, many of those who have not settled in cities and towns make their livings herding livestock..
Photo Tip: Take time to explore. Part of the joy of landscape photography is being out in nature. Wander around and get a sense of the place. It will take time and patience to discover the best way to show what makes it unique.
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Miyajima Torii, Japan
Photograph by Paul Whitton, My Shot
Standing at low tide, the torii on Miyajima is thrown into silhouette as the sun sinks behind a mountain. The famous vermilion gate was built in 1875 and is the largest in Japan, standing about 53 feet (16 meters) high. Torii are traditionally built as entrances to Shinto shrines.
Photo Tip: Get out (to shoot) before sunrise and stay out after sunset—the times when the light is best. Use the harsher light of midday to scout.
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Lake Como, Lombardy
Photograph by Davide Necchi, My Shot
Lights line the banks of Lake Como, as seen from Monte San Primo in Lombardy. After visiting the lake in 1875, composer Franz Liszt remarked, "When you write about two happy lovers, let the story be set on the banks of Lake Como."
Photo Tip: In unusual or mixed lighting conditions, or with subjects of one predominant color, try to manually set your color balance.
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Cable Cars, Brazil
Photograph by Craig Hayman, My Shot
Cable cars ascend through low clouds to reach Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf), a true symbol of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The landmark, which is actually two mountains, has been accessible via cable car since 1912
Photo Tip: If shafts of sunlight penetrate the clouds, be careful not to take your reading from them because they will fool the meter.
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Kerala, India
Photograph by Vikram Singh, My Shot
Fishing is an important source of income in Kerala. People in the southwestern state also have the highest literacy rate in India and enjoy the best health.
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
Photo Tip: If you don’t have a waterproof case, use sealable plastic bags to keep your equipment dry. Never put hot silica gel in them.
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Nā Pali Coast, Hawaii
Photograph by Stan Feil, My Shot
This picture was taken just a couple of minutes before the clouds overtook the sun and the rain began to fall. A few minutes later and I would have missed this awesome view!
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
Photo Tip: If you are staying in one place for several days, check out the long-range weather forecast and plan your shoots around the weather that is best for specific subjects.
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Terraced Rice Field, China
Photograph by Thierry Bornier, My Shot
Yunnan, China, is a beautiful place for shooting rice field terraces.
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
Photo Tip: When shooting aerial photography, stay pretty low, usually at about 1,000 feet (300 meters) above the ground. High equals hazy in aerial photography.
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Cornfield, São Paulo, Brazil
Photograph by Christiano Pessoa, My Shot
An old and great example of a Jequitiba tree in a cornfield in Pirassununga city, interior São Paulo state.
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
Photo Tip: Find leading lines. Landscapes are full of linear elements— roadways, train tracks, fencerows, ridgelines, tree branches. Use these lines to lead the eye into your picture. Leading lines are most effective as diagonals.
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