3 Essential Tips to Transform Your Landscape Photography

Introduction

Why Photos Feel Busy

Hello everyone, and welcome to a new post.

When you’re out taking photos, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the scene in front of you. 

Many photographers, especially beginners, struggle with identifying what should stand out in the frame, and how to avoid the clutter that can distract from the main subject.

You might have found yourself asking:

• Why do my photos feel busy or disorganized?
• Why can’t I figure out what the subject of my photo should be?

These are common questions, and they’re signs that something’s getting in the way of your composition. But the good news is that all of this is very, very fixable!

In this post, I’m going to share three practical tips that will help you:

• Simplify your compositions
• Make your subject clear and engaging
• Eliminate the clutter that causes visual confusion

These tips are designed to answer the questions in the slide below, that many beginners and struggling photographers have;

Towards the end of the post I’ll be sharing a bonus tip that will help you recognize exactly when your composition is “just right.”

Tip 1: Treat Everything as an Object

My first tip is a really important one, especially as I don’t think it would ever be an obvious thing to a beginner, or to someone who is struggling: treat everything in your scene as an object.

And I mean everything—whether it’s a tree, the sky, patches of light and shadow, different colors, or even the horizon line. Every element in your frame should be considered as a distinct object that you can consciously place in your composition.  Or leave out.

Why This Matters

By treating everything as an object, you train yourself to become fully aware of every element in your composition. This does three important things:

• Forces you to notice what’s in your frame
• Encourages you to deliberately include or exclude objects
• Helps you decide where and how each object should be placed

Once you do this, one of these objects will naturally stand out—and that object becomes your subject.

Intuition Meets deliberate Intention

This process kicks in right after what I call the moment of inspiration—that intuitive moment that tells you there’s a potential photo in front of you. Once you’ve felt that moment, your next step is to begin composing consciously and with that deliberate intention..

So, composition should be a blend of:

• Intuitive feeling — responding emotionally to a scene
• Deliberate decision-making — arranging the elements to help express that feeling

Split everything up in the scene in front of you into objects, including objects that will eventually sit outside of your composition.

Once you start seeing the entire scene as a collection of objects, you’ll be able to:

• Simplify your compositions
• Remove distractions
• Lead the viewer’s eye to the right place
• Create stronger, more engaging photos

What Becomes the Subject?

Once you’re aware of all the objects in the scene in front of you, you need to determine which one is most important. And that becomes your subject.

The most important/prominent object becomes the subject. In this example that would be the church, nice and simple. But the subject doesn’t have to be a conventional object like a church.

So this is a really crucial point:
Your subject doesn’t have to be a conventional object like a person or a tree.

It could be:

• A bright area
• A specific color
• A texture
• Or even just an empty space

What matters most is where you want the viewer’s eye to go first. That place, area, color or conventional object will become your true subject—regardless of what it is.

Two Key Questions

To help you get clarity while composing your shot, ask yourself:

1. What is this photograph of?
   Answer instinctively, based on your moment of inspiration.
   
2. Where do I want the viewer’s eye to go first, when first viewing the image? This will confirm what the subject of your photo really is.

Answer the two questions above, and that will tell you what the subject is. always trust your Moment of inspiration, otherwise you’ll risk getting it wrong.

Don’t Let the Viewer Decide for You

Many beginners assume that only obvious or conventional objects can be subjects—but that’s not true. Let me give you another example here below:

In the photo below, the (slightly) brighter area in the center is the subject—not the trees on either side. That central area where the track leads into, is where I want your eye to go first. 

The central area is where I want the eye to go to (and settle on) when viewing the photo for the first time. Not the trees.

Therefore, that central area becomes the subject. That allows all other objects to fall onto place. And as long as you trust that Moment of Inspiration at the beginning of the process, then your photo will be compositionally correct. And when that happens, your image, no matter what the subject, will be visually appealing in some way.

Yes, a viewer in the future (like you, right now!)  might say the trees are the subject, and that’s fine—but you, the photographer, must be selfish. You’re the one creating the image.

Trust your instincts—they’re usually right. No,I’ll correct that…your initial instincts are always right.  Don’t doubt yourself.

Your moment of inspiration is what will always lead you to your best photo.

Tip 2: The Sweeping Vista Composition

Let’s move on to Tip #2: The Sweeping Vista Composition.

This is one of the classic, go-to setups in landscape photography—a kind of “off-the-peg” composition that many photographers rely on when the conditions are just right.

What Is the Sweeping Vista Composition?

The sweeping vista composition is most effective when you have:

• A wide-angle lens
• Beautiful, dramatic light
• A picturesque, expansive scene

It’s a setup that leads the viewer’s eye through the image in a natural and satisfying way.

A fairly standard ‘sweeping vista’ composition. This is a pre determined composition, that can be used all over the world, whenever the conditions are correct for it.

How It Works

This type of composition draws the viewer through multiple visual layers:

1. Foreground object – Something close to the camera to anchor the scene
2. Middle distance – A path, field, or element that connects the front and back
3. Horizon – Often dramatic and filled with atmosphere
4. Subject – Frequently the brightest part of the image, not necessarily a distinct object

As with all ‘sweeping vista’ compositions, the same elements occur in the same order in all images.

As your photography develops, you will develop more of these fixed, pre-determined compositions, that can be used whenever the conditions line up and match the composition.

So again, just like in Tip #1, the subject doesn’t always have to be a tree, rock, or building—it could simply be a pool of light, a color gradient, or anything that naturally attracts the viewer’s eye.

Why a Wide-Angle Lens Helps

Using a wide-angle lens has several benefits here:

• Exaggerates perspective, pulling the viewer into the image
• Makes the foreground more dominant, which increases depth
• Naturally guides the eye through the scene
• Captures intense color sweeps that stretch across the landscape

Because of this, color plays a huge role in sweeping vista compositions. You’re often dealing with rich, atmospheric hues—especially during the golden hours.

When to Use This Composition

The sweeping vista is a repeatable composition that works in a variety of scenic locations. However, it does depend on the right conditions, such as:

• Golden hour light – Typically at dawn or dusk
• A natural visual depth – With visible layers like mist, shadows, or glowing skies
• Strong foreground interest – To help draw you in and create an immersive feeling

A Preconceived Composition Style

This is a preconceived, structured composition that landscape photographers all over the world deploy when nature aligns all of its ducks in a row. It’s one of several “off-the-peg” techniques that you can have ready in your creative toolkit.

But be careful

I know what you are now saying.  And that is that I was warning you not to over use the wide angle lens in my previous post.

And now I’m telling you to use it.

I am aware that I now sound like I’m contradicting myself. But, what I meant by those comments was that beginners can wrongly think that Landscape Photography is the sweeping vista composition, and that all landscape scenes should be shoe-horned into the sweeping vista composition.

But although the sweeping vista composition is visible all over the internet, and some photographers specialise in it, the truth is that the vast majority of intuitive moments in landscape photography will be as a result of seeing something that doesn’t fit into the sweeping vista compositional template. 

So use the Sweeping Vista composition only when the scene in front of you demands it.  And you’ll know when that happens because you’ll have a great big, jaw dropping, adrenaline fuelled Moment of Inspiration.

Tip 3: Two Approaches to Composition — Preconceived vs. Intuitive

And now for the third and final tip: understanding the two main approaches to creating more engaging compositions—preconceived and intuitive.

Pre-conceived primarily means scouting a landscape beforehand with a particular pre-determined composition in mind. And then hoping that the environmental conditions work perfectly in that location for that particular composition.

Both are valuable tools in your creative process, and learning when to use each can transform your photography.

The Preconceived Approach

Sometimes, I use a preconceived composition, like the sweeping vista we discussed previously. These kinds of setups are fixed and often depend on specific conditions to work.

Key features of preconceived photography:

• Based on planning and prior knowledge of a location
• Requires ideal environmental conditions (like golden hour light, mist, or cloud breaks)
• Involves scouting and returning to a spot, sometimes multiple times
• Depends on weather, season, and light aligning just right

You still need that moment of inspiration for the best results, even with a plan in place.

But here’s the drawback: if conditions aren’t right, you either walk away with nothing, or try to force a composition that doesn’t quite work. This can be frustrating—especially if you’ve invested time waiting for that perfect moment. It can sometimes take weeks, months, or even years to get the one shot you’re aiming for.

That’s why you need a Plan B.

The Intuitive Approach

This second method is far more adaptable and often far more rewarding (In my opinion). Instead of relying on a pre-set idea of what the photo should be, you respond to your surroundings in real time.

I personally love composing spontaneously. I am experienced enough and confident enough to know that scenes will open up before me. I also know that anyone can do it!

Here’s what makes the intuitive approach powerful:

• Works in any conditions, even dull or overcast days
• Based on feeling and responsiveness, not rigid planning
• Lets you compose “on the fly,” adjusting to light, weather, and atmosphere
• Leads to spontaneous, original, and engaging photos

Rather than chasing a single ideal shot, you’re open to what the environment offers you. If something catches your eye or sparks that moment of inspiration, you act on it—creating a composition that’s informed by instinct as much as anything else.

Why Both Approaches Matter

By balancing these two approaches, you can:

• Maximize your chances of coming home with strong images
• Stay creatively energized, even when conditions aren’t ideal
• Develop your ability to see photographically in all environments

Photography, at its heart, is about composition. And when you learn to adapt your compositions intuitively—while still using preconceived setups when the moment calls for it—you unlock a powerful level of creative freedom. You can make compelling photographs of anything, anywhere.

Bonus Tip: Always Be Mindful of Balance

Here’s the bonus tip I promised—and it’s a simple but powerful one:
Always be mindful of balance in your compositions.

While it’s essential to focus on your subject, the placement and presence of other elements around it play an equally important role. Ensuring that the scene feels balanced helps guide the viewer’s eye naturally, without distractions. This leads to more cohesive and engaging images.

Ask Yourself: “Does This Jar in Any Way With Me?”

This is a question I ask myself—literally, in my head—when I’m composing a photo:

“Does this jar in any way with me?”

I know it sounds strange, but just ask yourself the question before you press the shutter. Just make sure that you get used to acting on that initial moment of inspiration.

It may sound strange, but asking this helps me notice little things that feel off—distracting elements, awkward spacing, or something that pulls the eye away from the subject. Saying it to myself helps me tune into the overall balance of the composition, not just concentrating on the subject alone.

Don’t Overthink It—Just Make It Feel Right

Here’s something important to remember:

• Your compositions only need to be correct—they don’t all have to be spectacular.
• If something looks right to you, then it is right.
• The more you trust your eye, the more confident and instinctive your compositions will become.

If it looks right, then it is right. Your photos don’t need to be spectacular to be compositionally correct. But get the composition right, and you’ll be able to perfectly capture those spectacular moments.

It might sound too simple, but many photographers tend to overthink things. That psychological need to make something epic or perfect can often get in the way of simply creating a well-balanced, satisfying image.

Conclusion

Great photography isn’t about following rigid rules—it’s about developing awareness, trusting your instincts, and responding to what’s in front of you. Whether you’re using a preconceived composition or going with your gut in the moment, treating everything as an object, being flexible, and staying mindful of balance will help you create stronger, more intentional images.

The more you practice this way of seeing, the more natural it becomes—and the more rewarding your photography will feel.

Okay then, what about you!?

Do you have any little rules that you apply to make everything work? Rules and tricks that only you know? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!