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If you want to take better landscape photos with your phone, you’re in the right place. We’ll cover things that you can do with your smartphone camera to make your images look better, along with how you can maximize the environment around you for optimal results.
1Zoom Out on Your Smartphone
For some landscape photos, you’ll want to fit more into the image. This will often be the case when you’re capturing images from a vantage point, such as a mountain, or after you’ve just walked up an area with steep elevation (whether that’s in nature or the top of a church tower in a city). The easiest way to get better landscape shots of the scene is by zooming out on your smartphone.
Your options will depend on the device you have. For example, I can zoom out to 0.5 x on my iPhone. This is one of my favorite features when flying in particular, as you can see from the picture I took below on a recent trip to Iceland.
You can also buy a lens for your smartphone, but this could be an expensive alternative. Nonetheless, if that’s something you want to do,consider checking out these smartphone camera lenses.
2Look for Interesting Features in the Landscape
Another way to instantly make landscape pictures look better on your smartphone is by seeking out interesting features in the landscape you’re photographing. For example, you’re able to look for textures in the mountains or on the water. It’s also worth thinking about the time of day that you shoot—in the winter, for example, I really enjoy going out around sunrise and (hopefully) getting a stunning pink sky.
If you’re in a rural location, looking for lone houses and similar features is also a powerful way to instantly focus the viewer’s attention in one place. Isolating your subjects also helps youeffectively use negative space in your photography.
3Include People in Your Landscape Photos
Takingunique photos in touristy locationsand other popular places is very difficult, but an instant way to make the image “yours” is by including people. One of my favorite ways to do this is by making the person (or people) look very small in the landscape, which you may do by zooming out or moving further away.
Doing so will emphasize how vast and dramatic the landscape is, which makes it an especially powerful technique if you’re hiking in remote regions. You can also get closer if needed, but the landscape should still be the priority in your shot, otherwise, it becomes a portrait.
If you want to up your landscape photography in general, consider checking out mytop landscape photography tips.
4Use Objects Around You
A common misconception is that landscape photography simply needs to be a shot of what’s in front of you. That, however, couldn’t be further from the truth and is one of manylandscape photography mistakes that people make. You can use all kinds of objects to add a more dynamic look to your pictures; the key is to look at and work with what’s already around you.
One example of what you can try is taking pictures through objects or behind them. For example, you can stand inside a cave and photograph the outside—with the ceiling of the cave also in view. You can also look for holes in trees or buildings to capture what’s around you.
Another option worth trying is standing behind trees, walls, and similar objects. You may also want to pick up some snow and throw it into your image, just verify that you don’t damage your lens in the process!
5Use a Mobile Tripod (or Something Similar)
Shooting handheld is convenient and will serve you well in many situations, but you may encounter situations where you need your smartphone to stay still. For example, when you shoot in low lighting, your device is much more susceptible to camera shake and other annoyances. Similarly, windy and cold weather can result in your body moving more (which, as a result, increases your chances of a blurry image).
To make sure that you get a sharper image more often than not, consider buying a tripod for your smartphone. Pick from one ofthe best phone tripodsif you aren’t sure where to start. Alternatively, you can use flat surfaces like walls and floors.
6Add Clarity or Sharpness in an Editing App
So far, we’ve covered how to make your landscape photos look better by focusing on your environment or controlling your smartphone camera. However, to get the best results possible, you may also want to think about using a photo editing app to add clarity or sharpness.
Unless you use HDR, smartphone cameras can sometimes be flatter than you’d like. This can be a particular problem when you’re trying to showcase the textures in your images. Adding clarity or sharpness will allow you to do this with minimal fuss.
If you own an iPhone, you can add definition and sharpness via the Photos app. Other options for smartphone users include Lightroom and Photoshop Express. See myLightroom vs. Photoshop Express comparisonif you want to use either of those tools.
7Know When to Shoot in Landscape or Portrait Orientation
While landscape orientation may suggest that you need to always photograph landscape shots with your smartphone tilted, this isn’t true. You will often shoot landscape shots this way, but it sometimes makes sense to shoot in portrait orientation instead.
Examples of when you may want to capture landscape pictures in portrait orientation include:
If you’re ever in doubt, you may always photograph the same shot in both landscape and portrait before deciding your preference.
8Create Two Sides to Your Image
If you want unique results, consider using lines and patterns to create two sides of your image. For example, you can use rivers and roads. How you use these is up to you. In some cases, you might want to create symmetry in your pictures by making both sides look the same.
In other instances, it might make more sense to show contrasting scenes. For example, one side of the river might be flat and the other side is much hillier. Consider your environment and what makes the most sense for your composition.
You don’t need a fancy camera to take cool landscape photos; your smartphone will work in several scenarios, and your pictures will look great if you take a bit of time to think about them more carefully. you’re able to use your environment to find textures and create natural barriers, along with considering how to position your phone. Use these tips as a starting point for better landscape smartphone photography.
