A wide-angle lens is great if you want to capture the majority of the horizon you are seeing in front of you.
However, you can make your images much more interesting if you zoom in and focus on the details. This is why a telephoto lens could actually improve your landscape images. These tips from professional photographer Chris Corradino will help you get started.
Isolate Your Main Subject
A telephoto lens gives you the ability to pick a single part of a larger landscape and bring attention to it. Of course the increased reach isn’t the only part of the equation. You’ll still need to consider various methods of composition, like the rule of thirds and a strong foreground element. Try shooting from a low vantage point, through flowers or grass for added depth. At wide apertures foreground elements will become a nice wash of color that lead the eye to the subject.
Eliminate Clutter
Where a wide angle lens falls short, a telephoto in the 70-300mm range, will be very useful. With such a lens, you can pick the precise area where all of the essential elements come together, and work to eliminate everything else.
Expand Your Horizons
The potential for subject matter multiples with a longer focal range. For instance, wildlife that would appear very small at 55mm, become much more prominent at 420mm. No longer are you just shooting landscapes, but possibly wildlife as well. Just remember that good technique is essential for sharp telephoto images. Even the slightest bit of camera shake will be magnified if your shutter speed is too slow. When shooting hand-held, try to set an exposure no slower than 1/500th of a second. Image stabilized lenses and camera bodies absolutely offer some flexibility here, but it’s best to err on the side of caution if your goal is to make tack sharp enlargements.
Read the full article with even more tips over at Digital Photography School.
Source: Digital Photography School
