Settings Breakdown
The sweet spot for most lenses. f/8-11 provides excellent sharpness across the frame while maintaining deep depth of field from near to far.
Always use base ISO for landscapes. With a tripod, you can use any shutter speed needed. Maximum image quality and dynamic range come from lowest ISO.
Focus approximately 1/3 into the scene (hyperfocal distance concept). This maximizes sharpness from foreground elements to distant mountains.
Matrix metering balances exposure across the entire scene — ideal for landscapes with varied brightness. It handles most situations well.
A sturdy tripod is essential for sharp landscapes. Use a remote release or 2-second timer to eliminate camera shake from pressing the shutter.
Circular polarizer cuts reflections and boosts color saturation. Graduated ND filters balance bright skies with darker foregrounds.
Pro Tips
Foreground Interest
Include compelling foreground elements — rocks, flowers, patterns. They create depth and lead the viewer's eye into the scene toward the background.
Level Your Horizon
Nothing ruins a landscape faster than a tilted horizon. Use your camera's built-in level or gridlines. Fix in post if needed, but get it right in-camera.
Shoot RAW
Landscapes often have extreme dynamic range. RAW files capture more highlight and shadow detail, giving you maximum flexibility in post-processing.
Wait for the Light
Great light transforms ordinary scenes. Arrive early, stay late. The 30 minutes around sunrise/sunset often deliver dramatically better results than midday.
Rule of Thirds for Horizon
Place the horizon on the upper or lower third line, not dead center. Emphasize sky or foreground depending on which is more interesting.
Focus Stack if Needed
For extreme depth (macro foreground to infinity), take multiple shots focused at different distances and blend in post for front-to-back sharpness.