You’ve heard a few times that the photographer is more important than the team, he may even have a bit of truth, but when it comes to landscape photos, everyone can change their minds. Of course, the professional photographer’s skill counts a lot when it comes to taking amazing photos, however, without the necessary photographic equipment, his efforts will not work.
Professional photography work, like any other specialty, requires essential tools to carry out a fantastic project, stop thinking about a carpenter for a while, you will not be able to create a piece of furniture without the basic materials, right? Right! You can even try to “improvise”, but the result will probably not be the same if you use the right instruments.
- So this is for landscape photos.
- You can even replace one camera with another.
- Only when you save money to invest in professional photographic equipment.
- However.
- There will come a time when you will have great difficulty continuing your work.
The fact is that if you’re a landscape photographer and want to photograph a perfect sunset, you won’t achieve that goal with just your iPhone. Landscape photography needs multiple facilitators to make your work much easier, these photographic equipment can help you get great landscape photographs and even get you out of trouble.
You may not even agree, however, taking pictures of landscapes is one of the most difficult photographic activities. After all, your workplace will be outdoors and a number of factors can affect images and your photographic equipment.
To help you, here are some tips on some photographic equipment to have in your backpack, the next time you take photos of landscapes, both the main photographic equipment, the professional camera, the tripod and lenses, as well as any other accessories. more preamble, let’s get started!
Don’t just focus on the brand when choosing your professional camera for landscape photographs, you should focus primarily on the technical characteristics of this main photographic equipment. Don’t forget that she will be directly responsible for the quality of her landscape photographs. or your absence, so investing a lot of time and money in this election can be interesting to avoid surprises when you arrive at the photo studio.
Knowing that all of today’s cameras have all the basic functions, we won’t repeat them all in this article, in addition, if you browse the eMania blog, you’ll see other tips for choosing a professional camera, so for landscape photography, all you need is a camera with a wide dynamic range and a weatherproof case.
Dynamic range is essential because it defines the camera’s ability to capture and enhance shadow details at the same time. The determining factor in dynamic range is the exposure value (EV), and a value of 14EV, or more, identifies an excellent camera for your landscape photos.
Now, when we talk about a sturdy case, it means your professional camera has to be rugged over time, which doesn’t just mean waterproof. Remember that you will not take pictures comfortably sitting in your photo studio, so you should do so. prepare for moisture, rain, snow, excessive heat, lots of dust, etc.
So which professional camera to choose to take great landscape photos?
An ad campaign for mirrorless cameras has been launched in the last few months and you might be tempted to buy one. They really may be the future of digital photography, but not today, at least not for landscape photography. The only real advantage of mirrorless cameras. cameras is their reduced weight, but in a 10 kg backpack, saving 0. 5 kg is totally useless.
Also, don’t get carried away by the number of megapixels. To take photos of incredible landscapes, you will only need a 42. 2 MP camera to print images larger than 24 × 16, and even then there are large cameras with a large number of megapixels on the market for digital SLRs.
Landscape photos in one thing can be quite simple, they don’t require many photographic lenses in your backpack, not enough, as long as they are of quality. When you stop to think about the high value of these photographic equipment, you will understand why it is an advantage, at the same time, that can save a lot of space in your backpack.
However, to ensure amazing landscape shots, you should choose lenses with a wide-angle aperture. For a full-frame camera, for example, lenses with a 14-35mm range are great options, but if you have an APS-C sensor, a 10-22mm lens will be better. Zoom lenses are good, but fixed lenses are obviously better at ensuring the sharpness and overall quality of your landscape photos.
Another point in favor of DSLR cameras is that while their lenses are also compatible with mirrorless cameras, when you use them with an adapter, you can say goodbye to the quality of your landscape photos.
Ah! It should be remembered that, like the body of the camera, its lenses must be resistant to the weather, since humidity can be a serious problem and shorten the life of this photographic equipment.
Finally, don’t waste time with unnecessary functions, for example, if you plan to shoot between f/8 yf/11, at least 95% of the time, you don’t need an f/2. 8 lens. The lens is also useless as it will already use a tripod, so the stability of landscape photos will be maintained anyway.
Remember what I said about improv there? The tripod is an example of photographic equipment that cannot be replaced in landscape photos. I know you’ve already read that you could use a flat surface instead, in landscape photos it doesn’t work, you need a real tripod.
Like most of the photographic equipment that we have discussed here and also the following ones, the tripod can be quite expensive depending on what you are looking for. To get great value for money, just focus on a few key features – after all, you need endurance the most, right?
The purpose of a tripod is to take pictures of the landscape without vibrations, so you need one that is wind resistant. The perfect models are those with independently adjustable legs, they can make a difference if you are filming under a rock or on any other uneven surface.
As for the composition of the tripod, that is, whether it is aluminum or carbon fiber, it is your decision and the budget that you have for this photographic equipment. However, it should be remembered that a carbon fiber tripod is much lighter and will not be affected by galvanic corrosion of water, so if you plan to take pictures of landscapes in places with high humidity, a tripod made of carbon fiber can last a long time. More.
Finally, the danger of using a carbon fiber tripod during a thunderstorm is just an urban legend. That said, feel free to use this photographic equipment in your landscape photographs, even on stormy days.
To further reduce the possibility of introducing vibrations, you can use a remote shutter. There are many types of remote controls and it can be difficult to decide which one is best for you. What you should consider is to avoid wireless infrared remotes and go for the traditional and more reliable solution.
If you like taking long exposure or interval photos, choose a programmable shutter. Avoid smartphone apps as they will drain your phone’s battery very quickly and your phone may not be weatherproof, leading to risks.
Original or compatible? Of course, the original remote controls are more reliable, but they are also very expensive, especially the most programmable ones. There are several compatible remote shutters that provide great functionality and last a long time, you just need to look for the best that can be used with your professional camera.
Although your professional camera has the best dynamic range available, it is far from the human eye. You can overcome this limit in two ways: in post-production or by using in-camera lens filters.
Of course, this may change depending on each professional, but as in this article we are talking about photographic material, we suggest that you use filters directly on your professional camera, this advice is also valid for photographers who prefer to spend more time in the field, than in front of a computer when editing their landscape photos.
In addition, some filters, such as neutral density and polarizers, cannot be simulated with computer software. There are also many different types of filters and hundreds of uses for them. We could talk about this for hours, so for now let’s think of them as something you can’t miss in your landscape photographer’s backpack.
Since we talked about using filters, be sure to always carry a filter bag with you. In addition to helping organize your bag, these photographic equipment also helps protect filters. Moving to the top of a cliff or in the water is always a problem. risk of breaking or losing your filters.
These filter bags can be placed on your belt, around your shoulder, or on your tripod. It’s a great way to keep your photographic equipment safe and always at your fingertips.
Even if you’re an old-school photographer, consider the incredible benefits of having a smartphone or tablet to take pictures of landscapes; However, if you’ve never stopped thinking about it, here are some of these benefits:
1) GPS? Download a free map app and you will never get lost. Some apps allow you to download the entire map for offline use, a great option so that you have everything you need at your fingertips, even when you don’t have internet access, which is common in this area. type of photography.
2) Weather forecast? To make sure your landscape photo shoot doesn’t go unnoticed, you should be aware of the weather forecast and, with the weather craziness we’ve been experiencing in recent months, seeing the forecast once a day isn’t enough. Forecast app to stay up to date on the weather and load your widget with your camera equipment.
3) Planning? Anticipation is best to make sure you succeed in any of your projects. In landscape photos, the same thing happens: plan all your steps and simulate the likely settings of your professional camera allows you to get great landscape photos at the right time. There are many different apps that perform these tasks, but only one allows you to do everything in one app: PhotoPills.
4) Is there anything better than having the perfect breakfast after a sunrise session or a hot and delicious soup after a rainy sunset?Is keeping an app that shows restaurants and cafes close to your location great for doing this?among the landscape photos.
A landscape photographer is at the mercy of time and mother nature, you must bear in mind that a sunny day can turn into a rainy nightmare in a matter of hours, so you must be prepared.
First, be prepared to protect your camera and lens. Although they are weatherproof, it is not a good idea to test the quality of the manufacturer, especially if it is expensive photographic equipment. Can you buy a camera raincoat at a photo or photo supply store, or use plastic bags from the supermarket?work perfectly!
The quality of your landscape photos is also affected by the way you clean your cameras and lenses, so bring microfiber cleaning cloths to take care of that.
If you go out with your camera to capture a beautiful sunrise, it is very easy to remember to take one with you to get where you want. Do the same with the sunset! After sunset, the light disappears very quickly and you can get lost in the dark.
You can choose between a hand torch or a headlamp, you can easily find them in any camping store. The headlamp is the best solution, because it will leave your hands free. Remember, safety comes first.
You know what could be worse than a discharged battery or a full memory card?Nothing! Believe me, if you’re facing the perfect sunset with just your iPhone, it’s bad, being there with your camera and a discharged battery is even worse and you blame yourself for the rest of your life. Live View mode, or extreme cold, can compromise the load level faster than expected.
Always carry a free memory card with you, even if your main card has plenty of space and you just want to take some photos of landscapes, it can break or fail. If your camera has two card slots, use them at the same time, as having a backup of the photos you’ve already taken is always a good idea.
It’s hard to rate the images on your LCD monitor on sunny days, so try using a magnifying glass. They are also useful for more precise manual focus and can achieve a 2x magnification. I know, it looks like one of those exotic photographic equipment, but it can be useful at some point, it’s better to warn!
Every time you straighten the horizon in post-production, you automatically crop a small part of the image, so why not take your landscape photos correctly, with the correct horizon?
For most people, getting this level can be very complicated, if you have a modern camera, it can have an integrated virtual horizon function, but if your camera is older or simply doesn’t have this feature, consider buying a bubble leveler for your camera, which is also useful to protect your camera shoe from oxidation.
We are still talking about photographic equipment, you may be wondering: what does my outfit have to do with it? Don’t underestimate the importance of your clothes, they are as essential as your camera. or cold, you will focus only on yourself, not landscape photos
However, once properly dressed, weather conditions will no longer affect your activity. In summer, don’t forget to bring a bottle of water and a cap or hat. In winter, never forget your gloves, a warmer scarf and a wool cap. Always carry a raincoat or umbrella with you, which you can also use to protect your filters and tripod from rain and wind.
It is not very difficult to get hurt when you want to take pictures of landscapes, because the work is outdoors, the small falls become frequent and if this happens, you have to have the right accessories to heal the wounds, even if they seem small.
A bandage and a saline solution are enough to compose your photographic equipment, are very useful and are not expensive to carry in your bag.
But don’t think you should have a first aid kit just for yourself, your photographic equipment needs protection and care too. Having a Swiss Army knife and duct tape can go a long way in repairing your camera tripod, for example. If they can repair an airplane wing, they can also put away any of their photographic equipment.
To take great landscape photos, you need to be in a good mood and listening to your favorite music is the best thing you can do to improve your mood and inspire your work. Remember that you can have thousands of dollars of photographic equipment in your backpack, but they are completely useless if your creativity is not ready to use them.
So try bringing your headphones with your camera gear and add a favorite playlist to your phone or tablet too. You will see how landscape photos flow more easily and how the results will be improved, after all, photography is an art too.
Finally, very good advice related to your training. If possible, invest in your learning, skills, techniques and knowledge. As I said before, these are the most important things for anyone who wants to take pictures of landscapes or anyone else. Getting information from your photographic equipment can also be very useful to know how to make each of them work, because what is the best tool in the hands of those who do not know how to use it, right?
We have put together in this article the suggestion of photographic material to further enhance your landscape photos. We hope that these tips have been very helpful, if by chance you want to add a suggestion or leave your opinion on any of this, write in the comment field below.