Landscape photography takes us back to nature and shows us the environment in ways we rarely see it in our increasingly urban lives. When photographing nature, the images that take your viewer to a unique spot or a moment will get the best reaction. In landscape photography this is more often accomplished by those willing to be in position either very early or very late.

When you photograph the world during the hours when most people aren't yet awake, your photographs will appear fresh and new to them. There is magic in the early and late hours. Photographers call these periods of time magic hour.

Magic Hour

The favored time to photograph landscapes and scenics is during the magic hours around sunrise and sunset. During the transition from night to day the light takes on a mystical quality. When the sun comes over the horizon its light is a honey gold that brings out warm natural color and never fails to amaze.

But lest you think that a landscape photographer only works two hours a day, there's a lot more to it. A landscape photographer will often be up long before dawn, hiking into a remote environment and setting up their equipment in preparation for sunrise.

The Right Light

As always with photography, standing out is important. If your photographs only show the viewer what they normally see, the impact is minimized. You need to push fresh imagery in front of them. That's why waiting for great light is important. Photographing a beautiful mountain range in the average mid-day sun won't have nearly the impact of the same scene as a storm goes through, or as the light of the setting sun turns those mountain peaks into gold.

For white balance advice when shooting sunsets and other scenes, be sure to check out the white balance webinar.

While composition and technique do play a role, the best landscape photography is all about the light. And waiting for it. After the tripod has been set up and the composition made, I wonder how many hours have been spent by landscape photographers just waiting for the light to become exactly right.

The Waiting Game

Waiting has its advantages. You will have a lot of time to think about the photograph you're after. As you set up for that single, great photograph, take the time to analyze your composition. Can your photo be improved by a slight movement to the left or right?

And when you're waiting for the light, walk around. Take a look at the scene from a number of vantage points. It's common to find that each successive composition you make builds upon the strengths of the previous one, while eliminating some of the weaknesses. Your first idea can always be improved upon.

You probably won't be walking home until the sun has disappeared and the light has vanished. A key item in the camera bag of any landscape photographer is a flashlight. Don't hit the trail without it.