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May 9, 2022

Beginners guide to Landscape Photography – How to get started! In this guide we’ll look at what landscape photography is, what kit you need to take landscape photographs, what camera settings you should be looking at, and what elements go into taking (or making) great landscape photographs, including light, composition, editing, competitions and more inspiration!

Lead image: Credit: Arctic Images, Getty Images

Welcome to the AP Improve Your Photography Series – in partnership with MPB – This series is designed to take you from the beginnings of photography, introduce different shooting skills and styles, and teach you how to grow as a photographer, so you can enjoy producing amazing photography (and video), to take you to the next level, whether that’s making money or simply mastering your art form.

Each week you’ll find a new article so make sure to come back to continue your journey. The start may seem basic to some photographers, but it’s an important step in making sure you’re comfortable with your equipment and the basics of photography, as it’s part of the foundations that help build into great photographs, and once you know these, you’ll be able to play with them, and understand further articles in this series.

What is landscape photography? 

Landscape photography is photography capturing the natural scenery or landscape. It can be your way of showing how you see the world around you, and a way to capture the beauty of the landscape and environment, whether that’s local, or when travelling.

Beautiful landscape at sunset, Londrangar, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland, Credit: Arctic Images, Getty Images

What camera kit do I need to take landscape photos?

• A camera plus a kit lens that has a wide-angle view of 28mm or wider is a great place to start, but some will want an even wider view, so a 24mm or wider lens could be a good choice, particularly if you want to capture vast scenes and big open spaces.
• A tripod will definitely help, especially if you want to capture scenes with water, as you can use longer exposures to smooth the water, or when you want to use a lower ISO speed for the maximum image quality. You can also worry less about the shutter speed you need to use when your camera is stable and steady on a tripod.
• Filters – if you want deeper blues, less reflections from leaves and water, then a polariser will help,  and graduated filters can be used to darken bright skies when needed. If you want even longer exposures, then an ND filter will be needed. Here are the top 3 filters you need for landscapes.

Tips and settings – Landscape photography is all about light, location and composition, where you place objects or frame the scene before you, but also camera settings play an important part in getting a sharp, detailed shot.

Camera settings for landscape photography

Remember the elements that make up your exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO speed, as there are some recommendations here that will help you when shooting landscape photography. If you need a refresher, have a look at our guide to exposure.

Here are the 4 main camera settings to pay attention for landscapes:

• Aperture
• ISO speed
• Shutter speed
• Focus

Close-up of lens, showing aperture blades. Credit: Dimitri Otis, Getty Images

Aperture and depth-of-field

Depth-of-field – to ensure you get a lot of the scene in focus, with as much as possible sharp and in focus, with plenty of detail, you’re going to want to use a smaller aperture. Closing the lens aperture down to f/8 – f/16 will help you get more of the scene in focus from the front of the image (things close to you) to the back of the image (things furthest away). This is known as pan-focus (Canon), where everything in the image is in focus.

But beware of diffraction – if you stop the aperture down too far, such as f/18-f/22 or more you’re going to suffer from diffraction, and get softer images. When diffraction becomes an issue depends on your camera sensor size – see our macro photography guide if you missed our definition of diffraction.

Side note: Diffraction tends to kick in at f/11 on Micro Four Thirds, f/16 on APS-C, and f/22 on Full-frame cameras.

ISO speed

As we’ve said previously, the lowest ISO speed available will give you the best results (with the most detail, and lowest noise), however, be aware that the camera you use may have a different low ISO speed to another camera.

On most, the lowest ISO speed is ISO100, but on some the lowest is ISO200. If you are tempted to use a “LOW” or (L) ISO speed on your camera, be aware that this is often an “extended” ISO speed, and results in reduced dynamic range.

So check what your actual low ISO speed is on your camera, if you’re not sure where to find this information, have a look at Amateur Photographer’s review of your camera as it will say what the standard ISO range is, and what the extended ISO range is. Normally you want to avoid using the extended ISO range.

On many Olympus and Panasonic cameras the low ISO speed is actually ISO200, and ISO100 is extended, which is shown as “Low” or L.100. You’ll also need to check on Fujifilm cameras, as some of these have the lowest (native, non-extended) ISO speed as ISO160.

A slower shutter speed has helped smooth the waterfall in this scene, Gljufrabui waterfall, Iceland. Credit: (C) Marco Bottigelli, Getty Images

Shutter speed

With a tripod you can use slower shutter speeds, and by using the self-timer you don’t need to worry about camera shake when pressing the shutter release button. Another thing to be aware of is your camera strap – if this is big, then this could cause the camera to move if it’s a windy day. If you use slower shutter speeds, you can blur water, but with a slower shutter any movement (in trees or otherwise) will become blurred. If you want to get really slow shutter speeds on brighter days, then you’ll need to use an ND filter.

Portugal, Azores archipelago, Flores island, hike to Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro waterfalls (or Poço da Alagoinha or Lagoa das Patas) – This image shows the image in focus from the front to the back. Credit: Francesco Riccardo Locomino, Getty Images

Focus and front-to-back focus

To keep things simple, by using one focus point, you can control and know where you are focusing in your image. You will want to focus so that you can get as much as possible from the front of the image to the back of the image in focus. Don’t worry too much if you don’t achieve perfection but try and focus on the main area of interest in the frame.

What makes for good landscape photography?

Light and location play a massive part in landscape photography, but are not the only aspects to think about when shooting landscapes. Thinking about what you include in your image can take your landscape photography from average to spectacular.

Here are 6 main things to consider when composing your shot:

1. Light (and weather)
2. Location
3. Points-of-interest
4. Leading lines
5. Level (Horizon)
6. Composition

Stob Ban in Glen Nevis taken from Sgurr a’Mhaim with mid Autumn sun illuminating the glen below with layers of Glencoe mountains in the background. Credit: Scott Robertson, Getty Images

Light, weather

Shooting in the “golden hour” (the hour before sunset or dusk, and the first house after sunrise, dawn) will give you warm golden looking landscapes, or “blue hour” after the sun has set or before the sun has risen, with give you images with a blue tone. Just before or just after sunrise / sunset is also a great time to shoot, as the sky changes different colours. For more examples have a look at our guide to outdoor light with David Noton.

Weather can dramatically change the light in the scene, as well as the look of a landscape image, so don’t be afraid of shooting when there is mist, fog, or even during or after a rain shower. A break in the clouds can turn a dull image to a striking image as can be seen in the example above. If your camera and lens is not weather-sealed, make sure you have a waterproof backpack or plastic bag to offer some protection for your kit in the worst of the weather.

…and Location

Shoot somewhere dull, and even with the best lighting possible, the best camera possible, and the best settings, you’ll still most likely end up with a dull photo. Landscape photography tends to include travel, and finding the most pleasing looking locations and landscapes is part of the exciting appeal of landscape photography, whether that’s near you, or further away.

Distant figure against mountain sunset – Brecon Beacons national park, Wales, Credit: WLDavies, Getty Images

Points-of-interest

To include people or not? By including people you can give a sense of scale, as well as potentially date the photograph to a certain time period – depending on how visible the subjects clothing / style / fashion is. The same goes for any other man-made objects included, such as buildings or vehicles. By including a subject or a person in the shot, it can add an additional element, and give a sense of balance to the image.

Neist Point Lighthouse, Isle of Skye, Glendale – June 9, 2019: The last sunbeam at Neist Point Lighthouse. Credit: Juan Maria Coy Vergara, Getty Images – Following the coastline your eye ends on the lighthouse.

Leading lines

If you think of the elements in an image as guiding the viewer through the frame, you can look for leading lines in your scene, such as a road leading towards an impressive mountain range, a river leading to a waterfall, or even the formation of rocks and land leading you through the image.

Lavender field in Valensole, Haute Provence, France. Credit: Matteo Colombo, Getty Images

On the level?

Watch for the horizon and keep the camera level – use the camera’s built-in axis or dual-axis level if it has this, or look for the spirit level built into your tripod. If you don’t have these features, then you could pick up a simple spirit level hot-shoe attachment for not much money. Alternatively, you can switch on an on-screen grid display if your camera has this feature. If you don’t manage to get it perfect in-camera, then you can always edit the image later to straighten up the image.

Composition

All of these factors play a part in how you compose and frame your image, and how you place the elements in front of you into the photograph. If you’re just starting out in landscape photography, then using the “Rule of thirds” is a great place to start, but don’t be afraid to experiment with different framing. See our guide to the art of photography and composition for more ideas.

Other things to think about: You don’t always have to shoot vast landscapes, instead you could zoom in to look at the finer detail, and this is where a macro or telephoto zoom lens could come in useful. If there is water in the scene, then look for reflections.

Editing Landscape images

It’s likely that you’ll need to (or want to) edit your photos to ensure you’re showing the landscape how you want to show it. Slight tweaks to contrast, saturation, and exposure to improve dynamic range in the image can make your images look better. You can also correct the image if it’s not entirely level.

Dynamic range – ensuring correct exposure, and correcting when the image is over-exposed. See our guide to dynamic range by James Paterson.

Expanding dynamic range – If you shoot using raw you have the ability to correct for any errors in exposure or white balance, you also get the ability to expand the dynamic range in the image, which means you can recover shadows and dark areas in the image as well as recover highlights in the brighter areas. Another option is to use exposure bracketing to help with this, but make sure you use a tripod so your images line up. Have a look at our guide to maximising dynamic range.

Landscape Photography Competitions

You can enter competitions to win prizes and recognition, as well as learn from others. Look out for landscape photography competitions such as the famous Landscape Photographer of the Year, and the landscape photography round of the Amateur Photographer of the Year Competition (APOY). There are other general photography competitions that feature Landscape categories, so have a look at our complete guide to photography competitions to enter.

More Landscape Photography Inspiration…

You’ll find a range of landscape photography articles here, including how to avoid clichés in your landscape photography, and you can learn from professional photographers, as well as famous landscape photographers.

Famous landscape photographers include Ansel Adams, William Garnett, Michael Kenna, Colin Prior, with AP contributors including Jeremy Walker, David Clapp, Verity Milligan, Rachael Talibart and Lizzie Shepherd to name a few. If you want to learn from the greats, make sure you have a look at their work.

For even more inspiration have a look at some of the landscape photography books available. You’ll find AP’s own book on “Landscapes” is a great resource for learning even more.

Bookazine – Improve Your Photography – Landscapes

Frequently asked questions (for reference)

What is RAW? – What is a raw image? Cameras will by default save images as JPEG files, which are processed by the camera to produce the best-looking image, but this results in less possibility to edit and adjust the image. Shooting in the raw file format, you are getting the “raw” (uncooked, unprocessed) image from the camera, and therefore can edit it to your own personal tastes, as well as recover shadow or highlight detail that might have otherwise been lost if you’d only taken a JPEG image.

What is exposure bracketing? – Exposure bracketing is when you take a number of different images, but at different exposures. Most mirrorless and DSLR cameras have the feature, and this lets you take the same shot at different exposures, so for example, you could take one at -1EV, one at the normal exposure, and one at +1EV, allowing you to capture the darker and brighter parts of the image with more detail. You can then combine these images later in a photo editing package for extended dynamic range. However, to get the best results your camera needs to stay in the same position for every shot, which is why a tripod is extremely useful for this.

What is dynamic range? Dynamic range in an image is the record of light levels from dark to light. The great the dynamic range in an image, the more the camera has been able to capture the tones from dark black to bright white. In landscape photography this becomes particularly important as there is often a big difference in light levels between the brightest area of the image (often the sun), and the darkest areas of the image.

Tune in next week, for the next article in the series of the AP Improve Your Photography Series – in partnership with MPB.

Find the latest Improve Your Photography articles here.

Leaning into the stiff wind, I grinned as Hugo and Rigby, the odd couple whose purposes in life are nearly opposite, charged into the inclement weather. To look at him, Hugo’s single coat of long, silky hair might suggest he wouldn’t do well in the cold. He seems to love it, and for Rigby, the nastier it is, the better he likes it. That might have something to do with keeping his enormous body cool while running up mountains.

Cinching up the stampede strap on my hat, I looked back at Christine and said, “This is going to be great.”

Peering out from the layers of hat, scarf and zipped-up collar, the cold, hard rain, the type that is near frozen and would soon be snow, she said with a grimace, “Maybe for you and the boys.”

Since childhood, following my dad’s footsteps into the farm and outdoor life, the weather held a lofty place in our thoughts and day-to-day life. All directed on how to accomplish the day’s work regardless of what nature threw at you.

When my spirit was set loose to roam the country at will, hunting, trapping or just being out, there were lessons to learn. Dad gave me a small aspirin bottle filled with kitchen matches and a small tin Band-Aid container filled with cotton balls covered in Vaseline.

Off we went into the cold, unbeknownst to my mother, who would not have approved of Dad’s methods, to a nearby shelterbelt. With our hands, we raked up a nice pile of dead twigs, leaves and cones at the base of an old pine tree. In moments, with the help of the cotton balls and a match, the pile became a miniature inferno, warming the tips of my frozen fingers.

“You’re probably going to get yourself in trouble with the weather if you keep hunting and trapping, and generally tormenting your mother,” Dad said.

He figured it best to show me some things to avoid or get me out of trouble, lest I die and really make my mother angry.

Rare were the times when Dad said more than a few words; the few times he did stuck with me, and this time was one of them.

“Nature isn’t your friend, it isn’t your enemy, it just is. You cannot beat it, and you cannot fear it. Respect it, and respect yourself. Slow down, think about what’s being thrown at you. Embrace the opportunity to be a part of it. You are responsible for yourself and your behavior in your outdoor pursuits. No one is going to hold your hand or be there every time you misstep. Try not to tell your mother too much; she’ll just worry, and there is no percentage in that.”

About a year later, on a Sunday afternoon, the wind howled through the old farmhouse where we lived. Dad was watching football, and Mom tried her best to ignore it. I couldn’t stand it; there were things to be seen out there, and looking out of an upstairs window, I could see two shelterbelts in the distant northwest, near a crick I frequented. The only restriction I had in my travels was being able to see a shelterbelt and thus being able to seek shelter.

We were experts in the art of dressing in layers, long before it became vogue. It wasn’t technical; just put on as many layers of everything you had. The garment was determined by what could fit over the last one. Everything was cotton. It is difficult to spend a half-hour getting dressed while attempting to avoid your mother’s inquisitions. Do it often enough, and you get pretty good at it, and I grinned as I put the last layer on — Dad’s old army field jacket that reached to my knees but had lots of good pockets — grabbed my Winchester .22 rifle and slipped out into the storm.

The plains country had a fair number of jack rabbits. Long-legged and long-eared, they would burrow into snow-filled holes left by badgers. The chink in their otherwise perfectly snow-camouflaged armor was black tips on their long ears that would pop up when alerted. Their next move involved them jumping out of the hole and bounding away in enormous leaps.

Finding the big jacks never gave me much trouble, but hitting them as they bounded away hadn’t worked out well. Having seen my dad do it several times, I wanted to prove I could too.

Wind-driven snow pelted the exposed parts of my face, stinging in the way that brings me to life, at the start of an adventure. A half-hour later, a big jack rabbit popped up, and despite my attempts to end his flight, disappeared in the snowstorm. Following the track from bound to bound, I forgot my whereabouts, and when I looked up, the storm had cloaked my part of the world. I couldn’t see a shelterbelt.

I took up a brisk pace on my back trail, hoping to find cover before the wind and snow obliterated my tracks. When a tree line appeared through the storm, I instantly felt safe.

Stepping into the shelterbelt seemed cathedral-like. The treetops high above formed a roof of sorts that broke up the snowfall, and a wall of chokecherry bushes made for a windbreak. It took a few minutes to build a pyramid of dry sticks courtesy of the big pine tree that would serve as a backrest.

One match, and the cotton balls instantly lit the small pile of sticks. I had my shooting iron, knife and hatchet, and except for the chocolate chip cookies in my pocket, snatched from the kitchen counter, I could have been Daniel Boone, and I couldn’t have been happier.

A lot is said, and promoted to the extreme these days, about what one must have to be a successful hunter — the best guns, the best optics, all sorts of equipment, a change of clothes for every possible weather encounter, the physical strength and endurance of an athlete, and on and on. I don’t buy any of that.

Over a lifetime of hunting, the key is being able to embrace the environment you find yourself in and make do with what you have. Attitude will take you places that money, equipment and gym time never will.

When Christine, the boys and I got back to the truck cold, wet and somewhat snow-blind, all our tails were wagging. Christine said with a smile, “Scary as it is, I think I might be starting to understand, I wouldn’t ever want to miss these times.”

That’s not to say our attitude didn’t take a turn for the worse while we shoveled the 18.5 inches of snow nature dropped on us on Nov. 1, reminding us again that nature simply doesn’t care.

A Rotherhithe man known for his nature photography and being Kew Gardens ‘biggest fan’ will feature in a Channel 4 Christmas documentary.

Kam Hong Leung has lived in Rotherhithe since 1989, after growing up in Hong Kong. He regularly pays tribute to the area through his enthusiasm for nature and photography, which he described as his “meditation and salvation.”

“I love my beautiful natural neighbourhood in Rotherhithe. There’s extraordinary community spirit here, as well as so many public green spaces for all to enjoy!” he said.

But when Kam was recently interviewed for a Channel 4 documentary it looks like Rotherhithe is vying with Kew Gardens as the place he spends most of his time with his camera.

Rotherhithe man delighted to finally spot seal swimming in Thames

Kew Gardens – the Royal Botanic Gardens in Richmond – are famous for their Christmas display and have been named as one of the top places in the UK to see festive lights. The ‘Christmas at…’ on Channel 4 series will follow five top locations in the UK from the South of England to Edinburgh as they transform their venues for Christmas.

Kam was approached by producers on social media and interviewed for the upcoming series featuring Kew. “I was truly honoured that Channel 4 wanted to feature me in ‘Christmas at Kew,’” he said.

“They wanted to interview a loyal member of Kew – I’ve been for the last eight years at Christmas and I go there regularly to take photos! I’m a huge fan.”

Southwark is top of this year’s league table for keeping parks clean

This isn’t the first time Kam has been recognised for one of his passions. He’s won many awards for his nature photography, including this year when he won award for a photo taken at Kew’s Waterlily House in the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Photographic Competition.

The series will air on Channel 4 in the run up to Christmas, but dates are not yet confirmed.

To book tickets to Christmas at Kew click here.

May 11, 2022

Looking for some inspiration for your bookshelf? Amy Davies recommends some of the best landscape photography books to browse through

Landscape photography is obviously a hugely popular genre. With millions of images published every day on Instagram alone, it can be hard to whittle down the truly inspirational from the also-rans. That’s why nothing can truly beat the print medium for showing off the best the landscape has to offer. With these beautiful books, every page has usually been crafted to perfection, representing the best of any photographer’s portfolio.

Sitting down with one of these books and really studying the craft presented in front of you is worth its weight in gold, and certainly a more rewarding way to spend your time than endlessly scrolling through social media feeds. You can also refer back to them time and time again, usually spotting something new each time you re-read them.

That said, with so many books published every year, it can be difficult to know where to begin. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up a fantastic selection here for you to get started with. Most of them have been relatively recently published and are still widely available to buy. We’ve also included some classics (see page 45 )which might be a little more difficult to find, but are well worth seeking out because they stand the test of time.

Of course, no list like this could ever be a truly definitive one, so if you’ve got any suggestions for other landscape photography books that readers might like, please do get in contact via the usual methods.

Featured image: St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall, England – from The Art of Landscape Photography

Best landscape photography books

Landscape by Jeremy Walker

2020, RRP £45, Self-published, hardback, 232 pages

Regular readers will already be aware of the stunning work of landscape pro Jeremy Walker. His debut book, published in 2020, takes a look at some of the UK’s lesser-known hidden gems found hidden away from the more obvious landscape destinations. It also explores some of Britain’s sometimes rocky history, through the ruins of once-impressive castles and abbeys. Presented here are dramatic landscapes, atmospheric weather conditions and if nothing else, a checklist of potential getaway locations for your next photography trip. It’s also got a foreword by AP editor Nigel Atherton.

One of the stunning images from Jeremy Walker’s Landscape book

Chasing Light by Stefan Forster

2022, RRP £40, Teneues, hardback, 240 pages, ISBN: 9783961713837

In terms of the sheer diversity of locations, you can do worse than to pick up one of Stefan Forster’s books. Every year, the Swiss photographer spends six months travelling the world, and leading a number of workshops to the planet’s most beautiful and remote places. Much of the time he spends in Iceland, his adopted second home. In Chasing Light, his latest volume, we can see some of Stefan’s most beautiful experiences to date, shown from a variety of impressive perspectives. This tome is a potential classic in the making and a masterclass in how straightforward landscape imagery should be done.

Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia – from Chasing Light landscape photography books by Stefan Forster

The Art of Landscape Photography by Mark Bauer and Ross Hoddinott

2022, RRP £16.99, Ammonite Press, softback, 192 pages, ISBN 9781781454480

If you’re keen to learn more about great landscape photography, then you’ve got not one, but two industry pros on hand here to go beyond the basics and look at the heart and soul of landscape photography – composition and aesthetic design to convey meaning and emotion. With numerous examples, as well as in-depth technical detail, this is one to really pore over to improve your skills.

Stone Age: Ancient Castles of Europe by Frédéric Chaubin

2021, RRP £50, Taschen, hardback, 412 pages, ISBN: 9783836585019

Castles are a classic mainstay of landscape photography. If they’re your thing too, then this book – which spans Europe and includes more than 200 buildings in 21 countries – is likely to be manna. What’s more, the images (like the one below) were shot on film with a Linhof view camera, so they’re not quite the same as your average picture-postcard travelogue. Again, you could quite easily use this as a checklist to help you plan your next landscape expedition.

Castles are a classic choice for landscape photographers

Don McCullin: The Landscape

2018, RRP £50, Jonathan Cape, hardback, 184 pages, ISBN: 9781787330429

While best known as a documentary photographer of some of the most harrowing conflicts of the post-war 20th century, Don McCullin is also an accomplished landscape shooter and darkroom master. In this inspiring collection he captures the dark, brooding mystery of the west country in winter, notably the Somerset Levels. Despite being a tough Londoner by birth, McCullin’s Somerset roots run deep – he first came to the county as an evacuee in the war and has lived near Bruton for many years. There are also scenes from farther-flung locations, such as Syria and India. Wherever he shoots, McCullin’s composition is dramatic and arresting, and the darkroom toning utterly breathtaking.

Ansel Adams 400 Photographs

2007, RRP £30, Little, Brown & Company, hardback, 432 pages, ISBN: 9780316117722

It’s quite possible that no collection of landscape photography books would be complete without a mention of the original master, Ansel Adams. This book from 2007 is a comprehensive overview of the legendary photographer’s stunning work, published in a beautiful volume. With an RRP of £30 (and generally available at a cheaper price) it’s an absolute bargain, and likely, if you buy just one book from our list – this should probably be it.

Sirens by Rachael Talibart

2018, prices vary, Triplekite Publishing, hardback, 64 pages, ISBN: 9780993258992

One of the best contemporary landscape photographers working today, you would be hard-pushed to find a brand new copy of any of Rachael Talibart’s books – which is a testament to how popular they are. You should be able to find second-hand copies of Sirens, however, which showcases her critically acclaimed seascape and wave work – the monstrous waves being named after mythological beings. Beautiful and considered work, this would be a fantastic addition to any budding landscape photographer’s shelf.

Landscape Photographer of the Year: Collection 14

2021, RRP £30, Ilex Press, hardback, 224 pages, ISBN: 9781781578155

The best place to see a great collection of the world’s best landscape photography is to look at what the judges of Landscape Photographer of the Year think is worth awarding prizes to. The regular competition was launched by landscape legend Charlie Waite and always yields fantastic entries. Each image in the book comes complete with captions describing the photographer’s inspirations, as well as technical information on equipment and technique. If you like what you see here, you could also go back over the years to find older editions.

This gorgeous image by Tomasz Rojek features in the LPOTY Collection 14 book.

Classic photography books

Our recommended selection of definitive landscape books

Earth from Above by Yann Arthus-Bertrand

2017 (originally published 1999), £58, Abrams, 440 pages, ISBN: 9781419722844

First published over 20 years ago, this gorgeous book has sold more than three million copies worldwide. Aerial images from multiple journeys across five continents and 60 countries provide a comprehensive survey of the Earth from a spectacular vantage point – and from a time before drones made it more commonplace. In the newer edition, over 100 new pictures are included, as well as essays from leading experts and environmentalists.

Land by Fay Godwin

1985, Prices vary, William Heinemann Ltd, 160 pages, ISBN: 9780434303052

Arguably one of the most essential purchases for anybody interested in British landscape photography, this beautiful collection of black & white imagery covers a good breadth of the country. The pictures are subtle and lovingly printed, and anybody who finds one second-hand is unlikely to be disappointed.

Light and the Art of Landscape Photography by Joe Cornish

2003, Amphoto, Prices vary, ISBN: 9780817441524

Joe Cornish is one of the UK’s most well-known and popular landscape photographers, and this almost 20-year-old book gives an insight into his creative genius. Featuring 150 fantastic images, alongside his valuable insights on how the picture came to be made, plus technical info and the thought processes and creative inspirations behind each image.

Cape Light: Photographs by Joel Meyerowitz

2015 (originally published 1979), Prices vary, Aperture, 112 pages, ISBN: 9781597113397

Although currently out of print, this exquisite selection of photographs is widely regarded as one of the most influential and popular photography books, particularly as it was unusual at the time for its use of colour. Whether you can get your hands on an original print, or the 2015 re-edition, you’ll find a masterful array of captivating shots.

Further reading:

Beginners guide to Landscape Photography – Get shooting!

Books from AP: Bookazine Improve Your Photography

See the best landscape photographs

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