5 Landscape Photography Mistakes I See All Beginners Make!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 มี.ค. 2024
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In this week’s episode, we discuss five landscape photography mistakes that I see all beginners make! My most viewed video of all-time was a video on this very topic five years ago. I've learned a great deal in the past five years, but most importantly have spoken with hundreds, if not thousands of photographers since then and feel more equipped than ever to deliver a video on the top five mistakes photographers make with landscape photography. In this video, I'll review the five most common mistakes I see beginners make, including myself, in hopes that if you're doing the same, you can correct these much quicker than I did. I hope you enjoy this week's video and as always thanks so much for watching! - Mark D.
💡VIDEO CHAPTERS
🔘 The Rule of Thirds...Always: 01:18
🔘 New Gear Focused: 03:58
🔘 Fundamental Avoidance: 05:38
🔘 Stop Thinking & Start Doing: 08:09
🔘 Not Leaning into Post-Processing: 10:00
🔘 Wrap-Up: 11:48
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✅QUESTION: Did I mention the mistake that got you the most?
I agree 100% with "Not Leaning into Post Processing". I am still intimidated by it, and am always questioning my skills. As you say, my skills have improved, but it is a work in progress. Thanks again for another excellent video!
Only shooting in good light….. a rare commodity. All good advice Mark👍🏻🇦🇺👍🏻
Too much thinking and not enough doing. Gathering information only takes you so far, so you definitely need to get out there.
Overuse of the rule of thirds - does make your photos a bit samey.
Hey Mark, the one and only - "STOP THINKING & START DOING". I think this is the most crucial reagarding progress!!! Thank you for the updated version. Good light and many strong moments.
My biggest takeaway as a 62 year old newbie - is to get out and start shooting. I have spent 95% of my time researching how-to's on YT and 5% shooting. That has got to change straight away! Thank you for another stellar video. 🙏
Thanks for checking it out my friend!
All great advice.. as a seven year beginner I followed the same curve. However, I did learn mainly by going out and shooting every day, even if it was out the kitchen window!
“Go outside and take photos!” 100% right. It’s easy to fall into over analyzing and planning. Doing and trying makes all the difference.
Looking at the world as a photographer (even without a camera), i see 100% more than before.
What a great gift this hobby could be!
totally agree with you!
I agree 100% @clauskirchner1983 , I'm always seeing great shots when I don't have my camera with me so I log them and go back with my gear and take the shot. Photography does change your perspective of what you see without a doubt. Happy photography mate👍
I saw your original video and it has guided my learning process. My own advice is to go out and shoot near your home and shoot something boring, not potentially interesting or exciting. I found that is how I trained myself to stop avoiding some of the fundamentals. When I shoot boring scenery, my only motivation is to play with the composition and exposure and take my time because I don't have the "risk" of losing a great shot as I already know I probably don't want to keep the photos.
Same for birds, birds in flight. I'm practicing with the song birds near my front yard. They are nondescript looking monochromatic black with no colors. Instead of getting excited by a potential great shot, I work on tracking birds and nailing the focus and other fundamentals so when I do take the time to venture out, I'm more prepared to get worthwhile results.
Great video. Two observations looking out another 5 years...first, your beard will have more grey (but you can fix that in post processing) and second, the term ‘avoid’ which you used repeatedly might change to ‘minimize’. By always avoiding something, you have now created another ‘rule’ which is another trap in being flexible and creative. Something to consider...
One of the good things I found was finding photographers that produce wonderful videos to further understanding. You were the first photographer I found 6 years ago and I am still following you with great excitement.
As a 70-year old newbie I found this to be extremely helpful.
Concerning ‘leaning into post-processing’ … that seems very daunting to me. I can’t yet justify a subscription to Lightroom or other photo editing tools. I do have ‘Photos’ on my iMac that I have experimented with. I think it must be pretty limited comparatively speaking.
Thanks for the great advice!
I'm (74)in the same boat !
I'm just over a year into my photography journey and I enjoy editing as much as finding and taking the shots. Critical part of the creative journey for me.
Thank you Mr. Spock of photography. Because your message and logic towards photography is spot on. I am guilty of the big one. Not getting out there enough. Your message is the truth. Great VLOG Mark.
Your comment about gear is spot on. A photographer who knows their gear and applies good creative fundamentals can take great pictures with a $200 entry level camera, but the most expensive camera won’t help someone with a poor skill set.
Just wanted to say Mark, that I appreciate all the info that you share on the channel, in tutorials and the vibe that you share it with. It is no secret that there is almost and endless choice on YT for this sort of stuff but in the 10 years I have been shooting you sir for some reason make me pay attention and more than that retain the info when out in the field. I have been a motorsports photog for most of that 10 or so years but have been dabbling in more and more nature / landscape styles of shooting and you have been very helpful in that regard. Anyway again, thank you for what you do, many of us out here truly appreciate it!
Really appreciate the kind words my friend!
Eyeballing the picture was priceless!!! LOLOLOL
Mark, another thought provoking video. For me the 2 points most applicable are get out and shoot and lean into post processing. I have learned more about Lightroom and post processing from your videos than all the others I have watched combined. Your teaching style is relaxed, comfortable, and easy to understand.
Thank you.
I always enjoy your videos. Very well thought out with a ton of value.
Your videos make a lot of sense. Photography is a journey and one we should enjoy. It is a learning process. One thing I consistently find though is that photographers who do TH-cam videos all eventually touch on the subject of too much attention to gear, but inevitably, if you look at their equipment, they are all shooting with top of the line cameras, expensive tripods, and expensive lenses. I have some nice equipment, but the journey to that equipment was slow. I bought, used , and as I learned more, considered what an upgrade would mean for my photography and whether it would be worth it. I have a regret or two along the way, but I chalk it up to live and learn. Thanks for the videos Mark. I enjoy and learn from them.
Glad to hear this - thanks Gary!
Thanks Mark! As always, your messages are easy to understand and are focused to help us improve our enjoyment of photography. I started my photo journey as a film and slide photographer. I can look back on those years as basically point & shoot. Now that I am retired and in my 70's, I can have better equipment and spend the time to learn techniques to achieve photos that others enjoy too. Thanks for providing guidance to shorten the learning curve.
Love these videos! Even when being at it for 4 years I am always learning new things or new ways to look at taking photos
Thanks, Mark! Good things to think about. I always appreciate your insights (grounded in experience) and your way of presenting them.
Thanks James!
Thanks a lot. You are 100% right. 🙋🏼♂
Thanks!
Thanks... my "issue" with post processing was/is "what do I need to do". There is lots of info on how but the struggle, for me, was what and why. Hence, the videos that do a talk-through are helpful for me.
Thanks
Mark: Yet another great video. Thanks and good reminders not to get too caught up in gear. One thing that is very simple that I often do when taking photos is just to stop and look behind me. Sometimes I get too focused on what's in front....
I got into photography about 11-12 years ago and, while I do edit my photos, I don’t really enjoy it because once I’m done and look at the clock, way too much time has passed.
I hate editing as well, the point of me taking photos is to capture a location or a subject, not sit on my butt for the next hour cussing my self out for not knowing how to color it.
Very important to hear this! :)
Make sure you purchase a sturdy tripod, definitely makes a difference. Great points, and all so true with beginners.👍👍
Thanks a lot! Apreciate your explanation, expecially abot the camera fundamentals.🙌🏼
Thanks for checking out the video!
It’s a great list and I heartily agree with it… even leaning into post-editing (which I still don’t like after so many years as it is such a time sink).
I didn't like photo editing at first either. I subscribed to Adobe to force myself to grow. It worked lol. It also helped me realize one of the mistakes I was making is not desaturating waterfalls. Now every time I see someone post a picture with a blue waterfall I'm like whyyyyyyyyy? 😂😂
Thanks for sharing.
Happy to do it!
Awesome video thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I think with gear you need to get to a point where you're completely satisfied. Every lens you need for your photos & the most capable camera for what you intend to do (main interest). Then it's time to stop thinking about gear. Though during that process of acquisition, learn, learn learn. Whether that's on TH-cam or 90% going out enjoying your photography experience.
Great advice!
Glad you think so!
Nice list, worthy of attention by all ...
Thank ya!
Good set of tips Mark. I would say we all at some point miss/overlook these steps. The part about start doing is very important. When I started I did more learning and not much doing. It results in you have the knowledge but not the skill. Stay Safe.
A couple of things I have learned to do as I get more experienced: 1) be more intentional about capturing images. I used to take 1500 - 2000 images in a 5-day workshop, including auto bracketing a lot of scenes. Now I might take 500 and take multiple exposures for high dynamic range only when really needed. I still get the same number of keepers, though the ultimate goal is to get an even higher percentage :) 2) figure what it is about a scene that really excites me or brings me joy. I used to take a lot of "snapshots" assuming that because I felt a sense of wonder viewing the scene, that this would easily translate to my images. I now know that I need to be more intentional (there's that word again!) about the subject, distractions along the edges, simplifying the overall scene, etc.
I love that your videos always present a bit sized, actionable piece of advice or education. Especially in post processing I'm trying to up my skills and it often feels that I am drinking from the fire house (I should mention that I "collect" photography education similar to how I collect books). I'm really trying to narrow down the amount of input I take in until I feel very comfortable with what I just learned, and only then move on to the next piece of education. This is why I really appreciate what you post on your channel and look forward to what you have to offer every week.
Great updates refreshing an already-good list. #5 especially resonated with me - with more post-processing skills and techniques, I moved from just "fixing" my images towards "creating an experience" from the image.
Appreciate it Roger! See ya soon.
Hey there! Mark I just wanted to share some feedback, but please know it's all positive vibes here!
First off, I've been a fan of your work and subscribed to your channel since day one. It's awesome to see how much your following has grown because your content totally deserves it.
Lately, I've noticed that your channel has been focusing a lot on "the top 5 hidden secrets in Lightroom" or "the mistakes all landscape photographers make and nobody talks about it" kind of stuff, which is cool, but I kinda miss those field trips and on-location vlogs. I get that traveling isn't always doable, and creating new content takes a ton of effort and planning. Maybe you could mix in some different types of content alongside the Lightroom tips, just to keep things fresh?
Keep up the fantastic work, and looking forward to whatever you've got in store next! All the best!"
Good video Mark! You briefly touched on constantly using the eye level perspective. I totally agree. My recommendation: shoot low. Get down lower and don't always have the horizon in the middle of your frame. It's kind of like always using the rule of thirds and it's easy to tell if a photographer is always using that compositional technique.
Thanks Jim!
I totally agree, I need to get out much more and shoot!! I've been watching you and a couple of others for about a year or so and have really noticed an improvement when I look back at my photos from years ago. But I feel like I'm at a point that I need guidance. With that said, I have been wondering if you ever do 1 on 1 photo sessions? I know you do lightroom 1 on 1 classes online, but I really feel like I need some 1 on 1 guidance in the field first. I've seen 1 on 1 sessions offered in the UK by Ian Worth and Henry Turner but I can't afford to make that trip right now. Thanks.
When you mention, "Stop thinking, get outside and start taking photos." That is very true, but I would add a caveat. When you're outside, don't just take photos Everly the same every time. Vary your compositions, the height above the ground, try macro, ICM, vary your locals, urban street photography, seascapes, woodlands, farms, mountains, indoors... Vary as many parameters as possible to allow you to discover things you like and don't like about the photos you've taken. These new styles and locals will also give you the opportunity to learn how to edit differently as well.
Hi Mark, Great video and great insights. I have 1 question. Have you made any videos on printing the photos you've work so hard on capturing, editing and making it perfect (if there is such a thing) only to see dull prints so far off what you've tried to create?
I absolutely love your content, it’s also quite inspiring, so thank you for that. My main question regarding landscape photography is how does one get images sharp from edge to edge? I see where photographers use single point AF, others use wide area. My photo comes out sharp, however, the edges are my downfall. I see these mesmerizing landscapes taken with the very lens I mainly use, Nikor 24-70mm f/4, but I just can’t seem to make the photo sharp from front to back. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Couldn't agree more on the getting out and taking photos. Maybe the rule of thirds is good to know for the beginner, but in time, if you have that mindset in composing photos, it limits your creativity. Not many TH-cam videos on creativity, but I think where you say go out and take photos and don't overthink it is probably the best advice for creativity there is. Your last tip on post-processing is important. But, I think and may be wrong...ALL pro photographers push learning post processing. That I fully agree is important. Where I think things are getting lost is that many new and seasoned photographers will think it requires an extreme use of some many of the features, going from Lightroom to Photoshop and back and forth. The more advanced features are made to look like a necessity for a good photo. I think this is being made to look too overcomplicated. I shutter when I see the title of one of your videos on TH-cam about post processing in Lightroom and Photoshop since I use CaptureOne. However, EVERY TIME I watch them I learn something, which in reality applies to other programs; and I am always glad I did watch them. Excellent video and well articulated as always.
Eye level hits me all the time. I have to remind myself even with tripod and flip-out screen that I can go lower.
Very good points overall. I think as beginner photographers they tend to focus too much on the composition elements and gear (and things that are frankly not all that important in practice, at least for every genre or situation). For the composition part, for example, being able to identify when the "rule" (or as I call it "suggestion") of thirds works and when it doesn't. And this is something I struggled with for a long time (not specificially the ROT but composition elements in general, trying to see them in all photographs and walking away from some perhaps that I coulidn't fit into one of the "rules" of composition, which is a shame, because I think I walked away from many images that would have been great ,even though they may NOT have fallen into a specific rule (ROT, leading lines, etc) and taht I could have captured a moment even if from a composition standpoint it maybe violated one or more rules, because the moment trumps composition elements I feel. Say capturing a bridge sharing a moment with the room at the reception for example, you don't always have time to compose the image to perhaps fit one of the elements, but you do have a chance to capture a moment that will never happen again. So my thing now is if I'm doing say landscape, I'll try to make compositions that work but if I'm doing street or something else that perhaps I don't have the time to make the perfectly composed shot, I'll shoot anyway (because of the moment to capture that). And I'm not say to avoid composition or ignore it, but sometimes composition comes second to capturing a moment. In some cases you can fix the composition later, but if you don't capture the moment, that cannot be fixed later. So some you have to take them as they come even if they are not compositionally perfect or ideal situations.
The second thing with gear I think is focusing on new gear and not appreciating and utilizing (and realizing the potential) of your current gear. My guess is that perhaps 3/4 of 80% of people don't fully utilize their gear, and the reason they buy new gear is because they feel their existing gear is failing them some how, when in fact they just aren't using to its potential (maybe they didn't read the manual, or something totally different, like they are using bad technique but blaming the gear).
Great advice , some really good tips there , I see such an improvement in my own photos since switching to shooting raw , and using manual mode , or TAv mode which on my pentax is like manual with auto iso .
Number one tip has to be go take pics , I watch a lot of videos on how to , but that's only 50 percent of the learning , the other 50 percent is actually doing it , with your own equipment which may be different to the equipment the presenter was using , it's another level of learning to actually go do what you've watched , out in the field , with the gear you have , adapting the technique you want to try , to suit the environmental conditions on the day .
number 2 tip is to understand the equipment you already have , its OK to dream of buying that huge pro prime lens etc but for many it's a dream rather than reality , on days when the light or the weather is not suitable to go outdoors I spend a little time familiarising myself over and over with my camera settings or setting my camera on a tripod indoors framing up an object or a page of a book and shooting at different apertures , - understanding where my lenses are at their sharpest , which is commonly called the " sweet spots". We are repeatedly advised to shoot wide open aperture for the purpose of capturing more light , but often, our lenses will produce slightly sharper images stopped down 1 or more stops. Practice shots will prove to us where our lenses perform best .
Thanks for all your great videos , I have learned a lot from you .
Great to hear you're enjoying the channel!
Thanks, Mark. GAS is real. Question (and maybe you did a video on this, can’t remember): what’s your philosophy on when post-processing has gone too far? E.g. I’m not a fan of those shots where the moon has been altered to be 10x its actual size.
Bodie Island Lighthouse! MC native here ❤️
I cut my photographic teeth on film and had my own darkroom. I took up scuba diving a few years ago and photography took a back seat. I sold my old Nikon DSLR and all my lenses. Recently I have got back into photography and enjoy monochrome landscapes. Monochrome forces you to visualise the end image and means you need to shoot in raw. (Yes, styles can give monochrome JPEGs but usually a poor 2nd to DIY). I also have stopped fretting about getting the nth degree of sharpness throughout the image, I use auto ISO in some situations and very high ISO when the light (or lack thereof) demands it. So I agree that we can become victims of information overload and research the subject to death which instills a sense of fear that I'm not doing it 'correctly'. Many of the early black and white photographers regularly broke the 'rules' of composition, focus (or lack of it), crushing blacks and blowing out whites and made some breathtaking images.
Thanks for a thought provoking video.
I would like to hear your thoughts on other landscape photographers, or other photographers in general. Like, more of the history of landscape photo and how we can build on that knowledge base.
I find it interesting you endorse stopping thinking when during any of your location shots, you seem to spend a bunch of time thinking about your shots. You are REALLY detail oriented. I kind of agree with the principle you are espousing yet I tend to be a bit picky about settings/composition, etc.
Great update my friend. My problem with post processing is that I have a color perception problem. From time to time I ask my wife to look at my process and advise me if I went overboard. Sometimes I think I’d be better off shooting in JPEG. 😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
If I didn’t spend time learning rather than doing I wouldn’t have found you.
I don’t look for the latest gear so my highest safe iso is less than 800, as the camera is 8 years old.
but it can be rescued in the latest software, that I have invested in.
On compositional rules in general:
You have rules so you think before you break them.
It's good to know what the rules are, and more importantly why they exist. I'd argue that beginners should follow the rules at first, to learn how and when it works too break them.
So, a lot of (but not all) your tips boil down to a single thing: don't keep doing the same thing, and expecting a different result. This is a good tip that folks often ignore because it sounds too simple.
Hello Mark, do you use programes as Topaz Photo AI or Gigapixel AI? I ask you this becase you photo's are always so sharp.
Gestalt psychology. Imagine a figure/ground layout to make your composition. What is the location point(s), framing, light or dark, focus, resolution, depth of field, tight or wide, contrast …? Now pull out the camera and recreate your vision. First the image, then the mechanics.
Thanks! I’m guilty of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome); I just need to go shoot!
We've all been through it:)
Lots of info....if I don't get out of the dark, I'll not get into the light. Thanks for the video.
Glad to do it Mark!
Thanks, Mark, for a thoughtful video. Occasionally, I hear beginners spurning editing by saying that they want to "get it right in camera", as though the original image is sacrosanct and editing is "cheating", a view widely held by non-photographers. There is even a hint of superiority, that editing is mainly a way of correcting bad images. All this overlooks the fact that the processor in the camera has already edited the data to produce the jpeg on the screen, but according to the manufacturer's presets. For those who don't like editing, just pressing the auto button in Lightroom often improves the image!
Glad you enjoyed it Michael!
For the many who scoff at post processing as if it was invented for digital photography what they don’t realize is that most (or at least many) of the techniques used in digital photography were used by film photographers in the dark room. This is just an evolutionary step.
Could you do a video for intermediate photographer? I feel stuck
Not so much to avoid all those things but have them in balanced so stuff you learn you go do. Equipment you purchase you go use and learn well. Editing techniques, use them. As with anything, "Practice Makes Perfect".
Whilst some new gear may not improve your image quality, it may improve your quality of life, in that it makes your photography easier to do, or more fun to do, or more comfortable to do.
The will and want to take great photos is a compromise between equipment experience and dogged determination to do better and working out what that better is . The one thing that makes most photos great today is post processing the camera they say never lies but that myth as long since faded away. Post processing is a different story. The question is , ( is photo manipulation really photography, taking the photo that then is altered appears to me a different story altogether. Having taken a photo makes by definition the person taking it a photographer. What is done in post processing manipulation is a computer skill . ? ) am I right or wrong , nearly all my photos filming are posted using photos that are straight out the box , RAW photos are designed to allow alterations for final product so is photography now a two piece production? Not just a point and shoot? Thought you might like to answer that in a video ? My personal interpretation of my Art is “An in-ward desire to outwardly expressed . “
I keep thinking that should i buy a camera but then the prices makes me regret buying if i become lazy and i don't want that to happen so any tips fro it?
Do you know you can press "O" to change the overlay from the rule of third to the different kind of composition rules in Lightroom ?
Yep! The crop overlay tool is super helpful
Thanks a lot.
I would have add: Not printing. If you’re not printing your photos then you are just doing images, not what we can call a photo.
Just a bit of GAS, but thankfully my budget is forcing me to save and go slow! Really do need to get out more, biggest problem I am having is our coastal forest is soooo MESSY! Trying to find a nice clean shot that isnt full of branches, deadfall, blackberry bushes etc....
your location may not be where you should shoot then, go a few KMs out and see how much it changes.
@@David_Quinn_Photographyvery true, exploring as much as I can. Learning to look at more close-up type stuff.
Hello. Why don't you do astrophotography now? Now the milking season begins. I will be happy to learn your tips.
Just not something that excited me - not sure why
OMG! There goes Bigfoot @ 5:05 traveling left to right near the top of the frame!
I feel attacked after watching this HAHA! Its all so true.
My biggest mistake, is not taking enough time to take a photo. Sometimes I rushed my settings, sometimes I didn't move a little bit further back for framing, sometimes I forgot to check my focus point, sometimes I rushed to set up my tripod, sometimes I change my settings and forget to doublecheck the histogram. Hajajaj all avoidable if you just take your time.
Editing can take a mediocre snapshot and turn it into a work of art
so you say a new set of modern sigma lenses and a sony a6700 wont improve over my 1100d and old, cheap amateur lenses? doubt
Look forward to the update video 5 years from now 😂😂😂😂...
Only half a decade away😂
I’m watching a video telling you to break the rule of thirds by a presenter located exactly 2/3rds across the screen 🤣
I think you are subconsciously using the rule of thirds in the examples you used.
You didn't have to include a clip with you staring at a monitor with the cover of "Digital Photography Composition for Dummies" on it and nodding in understanding, but I sure am glad you did. And rubbing your face against a print mounted on a wall. What the hell is this b-roll Mark, lol, I'm glad I watched instead of merely listening.
“New gear focused” from a guy using a Fuji 100mp medium format and a XT5? Just kidding.
LOL! Nothing "New" about those cameras
Oh you have stuck your foot in your mouth! I challenge you to blindfold yourself and operate your camera to get some great shots! Come on, it'll make for a great video! :)
Deal!
A lot of times I think the rule of thirds places the subject too close to the edge of the photo. I do use it to align things within the composition but I generally place my subject well inside of the lines. Not centered but not on the lines either. The thing that kills me the most is not getting out enough, especially in the winter. The other thing is post processing. Kind of. What I really don't like is having to sift through all the images from the day to find the ones you want to process. Once I figure that out I enjoy the actual processing but searching through the shots is a pain.