Here at The Adventure Junkies, we will teach you the basics of photography. We’ll teach you about exposure. We’ll also explain the three elements, namely, ISO, aperture and shutter speed, that directly affect how light gets in your sensor to guide you in taking a properly exposed photograph.

ELEMENTS OF EXPOSURE

The word photography comes from the Greek terms photos (light) and graphé (to draw), which would literally translate as “to draw with light.”

When you capture a moment, whether it be a landscape or a portrait, you’re allowing light into your camera’s sensor. Exposure refers to the amount of light you actually let in your camera.

If you allow too much light in, the photograph will be washed out or burned (overexposed). Meanwhile, not letting enough light into the sensor will cause it to be too dark (underexposed).

With this in mind, we can say that photography is the art of learning how much light you need to let in your camera to have a properly exposed photo. But, how do you accomplish that?

There are three elements that directly affect how light enters and interacts with your camera: ISO, aperture and shutter speed. These are known as the exposure triangle. Understanding how these variables affect your photo is essential to take your photography skills to the next level.

1. ISO

ISO indicates the camera’s sensitivity to light. Back in the day, when we shot with film cameras, ISO primarily focused on the film’s sensitivity to light. Remember when you’d go to Rite Aid and ask for an ISO 200 24-exposure roll of film?

Now, digital photography allows us to no longer need rolls of film to take a picture. So, the sensor just regulates the sensitivity of your camera to available light.

The lower the ISO number, the less sensitive it will be to light. Higher ISO numbers are generally used in darker situations to compensate for the lack of available light. But, a higher ISO number also means producing a grainier photograph.

What ISO number should you shoot your photographs with?

That will depend on where you’re shooting and the type of photograph you’re taking.

ISO 100: SUNNY DAYS & OUTDOORS

If you’re shooting a landscape outdoors and it’s a bright-sunny day, then set your camera’s ISO to the standard 100. You will not see any noise in your shots when you keep this setting.

ISO 400: OVERCAST DAYS

For overcast days when you’re shooting outdoors, it is best to increase your camera’s settings to ISO 400. There will be less light coming in to your camera sensor, so having a higher ISO will help compensate for the lack of light in your environment.

You will hardly see any grain in your pictures as camera sensors have become very sophisticated in recent years.

ISO 800+: DIM LIGHT OR INDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY

If the light is dim, either because you’re shooting after the sun has set in the horizon or because you’re indoors, you will need to increase your camera’s ISO to 800 or more.

There may be some noise appearing in your photographs at this point.

2. APERTURE

The second element in the exposure triangle is the aperture. Simply put, this controls how much light you’re letting in the camera’s sensor.

The aperture also affects your depth of field or how much of your image is focused compared to the subject you’re photographing.

If you’re taking a macro shot of an insect and want to have everything else blurred out, you will need to open the aperture as much as possible.

This is where it gets a little bit tricky though as the camera’s aperture is measured in f-stops. Most lenses will have a range of f-stops that can go from f1.4 to f22.

The smaller the digit (f2.8), the larger the aperture will be and vice versa. Meaning, the bigger the digit (f22), the smaller the aperture.

When shooting in dimmer light, open the aperture to allow more light to get into your camera sensor.

3. SHUTTER SPEED

We have discussed the sensitivity to light and amount of light we’re letting into our camera’s sensor, but there’s a third element to take into consideration when talking about exposure. This is the shutter speed.

A camera shutter is a “curtain” that opens and closes to allow light in your camera sensor. Shutter speed refers to the amount of time we’re leaving that curtain open.

Depending on the speed of the shutter, you will either freeze the moment or capture it by creating a motion blur.

The speed of the shutter opening and closing is measured in fractions of a second (1/125) and up to several seconds (2″-30″). The more time you leave the curtain open, the more light you will be letting in your sensor.

However, shooting with a slower shutter speed might also mean getting some motion blur in your photos. That’s why it will be important for you to carry a tripod.

As a photographer, you will need to take these three variables (ISO, aperture and shutter speed) into consideration to get a properly exposed photograph.

Think about the type of picture you want to take and look at your surroundings. Depending on the amount of light you have available, select the right ISO.

Then, study your subject. Is it a landscape, cityscape or a portrait? Based on that, select the right f-stop for your aperture. As a rule of thumb, close your aperture for landscapes so that everything is evenly focused. Open it when shooting portraits, so that the background looks blurry.

Lastly, select the right shutter speed. Figure out whether you want to freeze the moment or capture the motion. When shooting landscapes, especially when you have a river or waterfall in your frame, it might be a good idea to have a slower shutter speed to give the flowing water a silky effect.

If you’re out in the wildlife, you may want to select a faster shutter speed to freeze that gazelle running in the African savannas.

While these three concepts may be a little difficult to understand and digest initially, practicing with the settings will eventually help everything “click” in your mind and make sense.

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. So, go outdoors and start practicing with your camera’s ISO, aperture and shutter speed settings.

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The following tips we’re about to share with you will not only serve as a guideline to carry the right gear with you, but also to teach you some basic composition techniques that will surely help enhance your landscape photos.

1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIME OF THE DAY

Regardless of the type of photography you shoot, 90 percent of any image’s quality has to do with light. If you want to take your skills up a notch, it is critical for you to take your landscape photos either at sunrise or sunset.

While this means you’ll have to get up early or stay out late, it is worth making that extra effort to capture with your camera the beautiful and vibrant skies as well as longer shadows that will give your images a greater sense of depth.

GOLDEN HOUR

Try to arrive at your destination at least an hour before sunset or shortly after sunrise. This time of the day is known as the Golden Hour in photography. It is the moment when the sun is closer to the horizon, which makes the light softer and more diffused.

During this time of the day, the contrast between the highlights and shadows decreases. It creates a more balanced lighting and makes it easier to capture a more evenly exposed photograph.

BLUE HOUR

In photography, the Blue Hour is the time of the day that refers to the period of twilight, which may be at early dawn or late at dusk, when the sun is below the horizon level.

As the name implies, the light during this time takes a blue hue along with some pinkish-purplish tones. This combination paints a beautiful color in the sky. It also creates a romantic atmosphere, which is ideal when shooting landscape photography.

2. MAXIMIZE THE SPACE IN YOUR FRAME

With landscape photography, you will want to make sure you capture as much of the scene as you can within your frame. Whether it’s a prairie with flowers or a lake with a mountain range in the back, use a smaller aperture (f11-f16) so that everything within the frame is focused. It will also give a greater depth of field.

Bear in mind, however, that a smaller aperture will demand you to allow more light in your sensor. This means that you will either need to increase the ISO or increase the time of your exposure.

3. TAKE THE RIGHT LENSES WITH YOU

Carrying the right lenses with you can make all the difference when shooting landscape photography.

Since you’ll want to capture as much as possible within your frame, it is always recommended to use a wide-angle lens. These types of lenses have a significantly smaller focal length and are usually lighter than other lenses. These qualities make them ideal travel companions.

Macro lenses can also come in handy when shooting landscape photography. If you just want to focus on one subject, such as a flower or other elements in nature, add a macro lens to your gear as they give a 1:1 reproduction and also create a beautiful bokeh effect.

4. DON’T FORGET YOUR TRIPOD

Since the best landscape photos are taken when the light is dimmer, which is usually around sunrise or sunset, it is always best to carry a tripod with you. This will allow you to take long exposure photos which would enable you to capture the movement of the clouds, water flowing or even star trails.

Look for tripods that are lightweight yet sturdy enough to pass the test of time. When shooting landscape photography, you’ll probably be hiking to places that are off the beaten path. Having a durable tripod is critical to take quality photos.

5. HAVE AN ELEMENT IN THE FOREGROUND

When people are starting out in photography, they’re often too focused on capturing the mountains in the background. They tend to forget that having an element in the foreground is equally important. If an element is missing in the foreground, the photo lacks some sense of depth.

This is one of the most important landscape photography tips you will need to keep in mind. To keep a balanced photo, always try to include an element in the foreground. Another one should be in the middle ground like the mountains or lake. The third element should be found in the background, which would usually be the sky and clouds.

6. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LEADING LINES

Leading lines refer to a composition technique that helps direct the viewer’s eyes through the use of some lines into the main subject in your photograph. These lines could be anything and take any form, such as the stream of a river, a line of flowers or even land dividing fences.

By using these lines, you will grab the viewer’s attention and draw their eyes into the distance. Leading lines can also help arrange the elements within your frame for them to tell a better story.

7. CAPTURE MOVEMENT

Oftentimes, people think of landscape photography as a still moment being captured with your camera. But, this couldn’t be any farther from the truth. You can (and you probably should) try to capture movement when you go out to shoot landscape photos.

Look for water flowing at your destination. It could be anything from a river creek to a waterfall. Once you spot these elements, set your tripod on solid ground and take a long exposure picture. It will give your landscape photographs a really smooth silky-like effect.

You could also use clouds to capture movement. If it’s windy and you set your camera exposure to three or four minutes, you will get a really nice, blanket-like skies in your pictures.

8. TAKE THE WEATHER INTO CONSIDERATION

Landscape photography requires you to take into consideration the weather conditions. Ideally, you will want some clouds in the sky as cloudless landscape photos look bland and boring.

Beginner photographers think it’s best to shoot on sunny days, but one of the best landscape photography tips any pro will give you is to get out on an overcast day. Look for stormy clouds, rainbows or rays of sun breaking through dark skies to make your photos more dramatic.

Be sure to carry a waterproof backpack with you when heading out to take pictures of nature in case the rain starts to pour. Always protect your gear when being outdoors.

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Our goal at The Adventure Junkies is to provide you with the best possible advice to ensure you return home with a collection of incredible photos from your next trip.

In this guide, we will not only share tips to improve your photography technique, we will also provide some suggestions to make your overall travel photography experience more enjoyable, especially if you’re traveling to a foreign country.

1. CHOOSE THE BEST TIME OF THE DAY

Whether you’re taking pictures of landscapes or cities, choosing the right time of the day is crucial to capture beautiful moments with your camera.

What is the best time of the day to shoot pictures? It’s always sunrise and/or sunset.

The sun rays hit the earth more horizontally during these times of the day and, hence, are less harsh on the subject you’re trying to photograph. Pictures taken at midday are usually flat and boring, and lack the vibrant colors that are found at sunrise and/or sunset.

Nobody really likes getting up before dawn and, sometimes, you won’t be able to take photos in the evening, but if you want to take your travel photography technique to the next level, this is the only way to go.

2. DO SOME RESEARCH BEFOREHAND

Learning about the place you’re going to photograph before you actually traveling to the destination will get you ahead of the game. As National Geographic photographer Robert Caputo explains, it is always important to spend some time doing research about the place you’re going to visit.

Some of the most common things to looking into are:

WEATHER

Check your weather app before you head out to your destination. It would be a waste of time to arrive and realize it’s pouring rain.

TIDES

When shooting seascapes, always take a look at the tides. Sometimes it’s better to take photos when the tides are low, other times it’s actually the complete opposite but find out about the destination… and be ready to get soaked in the water.

SCOUT THE AREA

Arrive at least an hour early before sunrise/sunset to scout the area and find the right spot to shoot your photos.

PHOTO AUTHORIZATION

People often go into their zone when taking travel photographs and don’t realize that some places are off limits. Be mindful of the area you’re photographing and if photos are not allowed, respect the rules.

3. CARRY THE RIGHT GEAR WITH YOU

As a travel photographer, it is always best to keep your gear as light as possible. Your shoulders will thank you for it.

After doing some initial research, decide on the equipment you will take with you in your backpack. Will you need a tripod? How many lenses should you take with you? How about filters?

As a rule of thumb, it is always best to carry two lenses: a wide angle and a telephoto lens. But you will have to assess the situation and the style of photography you want to shoot, and decide which lenses will cover most of your photographic needs.

4. FOLLOW THE RULE OF THIRDS

If you’re barely getting started, one of the best travel photography tips to keep in mind is to always follow the Rule Of Thirds.

The Rule of Thirds is a basic principle that will help you keep your subjects balanced and evenly arranged within your frame.

Basically, with this rule you draw four imaginary lines across your picture to divide it into nine even parts. The most important elements in your frame should be placed within (or near) the four intersection points created by those imaginary lines.

Following this rule will add more tension and interest to your pictures.

5. THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX

Why take the same photo everyone else has taken? While it’s true that there are some mandatory postcard-pictures that need to be captured, you can always get creative and take that same shot from a different angle.

When it comes to travel photography, don’t settle for the first picture you take. Even when you’re at a landmark or wonder of the world, look around the area you’re photographing, challenge yourself and aim for something different.

6. DON’T RUSH, BE PATIENT

Photography teaches you to be patient. There’s little you have control over, other than the destination you’ve selected and the gear you’re carrying with you.

You can’t control the weather conditions, the type of surface you’ll be standing on, the crowds you’re going to run into… but you can control how you feel about the area. And, most times, the best pictures are taken when you’re in a peaceful state of mind.

When arriving at your chosen destination, take your time and don’t rush into things.

Wait for the right light, or the right tides, enjoy the moment and when everything “clicks”, then capture those moments.

7. ASK FOR PERMISSION

When traveling, especially overseas, you will be tempted to take photos of locals. They look exotic and different to you and, as appealing as it sounds to snap candid photos, it is always best to ask for permission first.

Not only will you gain their respect, but you might also end up making new friends. People don’t usually mind having their pictures taken and, if along the process, you get to know them a bit better, as well as understand their customs and traditions, you will be able to tell a better story through your photos.

8. BACK UP, BACK UP, BACK UP

Always carry an external drive with you when traveling and make sure you save your photographs in two different places. As soon as you’re finished with your session and are ready to begin the post-processing, spend some time backing up that day’s photos.

Electronic devices and memory cards will get damaged or give errors over time, and saving your photos in more than one place will always prevent an unnecessary headache.

9. PUT YOUR CAMERA DOWN

While it may sound counterproductive, this might be one of the best travel photography tips to be shared.

Oftentimes, photographers get so carried away taking pictures they forget to enjoy the moment. These days, and especially since the inception of social media, it seems as though every second needs to be captured and shared on Instagram.

Yes, take your shots, and as many as you can, with you. But once you’re done photographing your subject, don’t walk away to your next destination instead, put your camera down and take in the moment because once it’s gone, it won’t come back.

When you return home and look at the incredible pictures you took, you will also remember the encounters you had during that days and those memories are irreplaceable.

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