Nature Photography How To

If you’re struggling to capture beautiful landscape photographs near where you live, because there’s no time to travel to an exotic location, that’s going to change after watching the tutorial below. And it’s not going to cost you a dime—just 15 minutes of your time.

This episode isn’t about investing in new gear, camera settings, or arcane techniques, but rather about taking advantage of local opportunities you may have missed. You’ll learn five steps used by pro Mads Peter Iversen to shoot “absolutely epic landscape photos in my local neighborhood in Denmark.”

The Danish countryside may be more picturesque that what’s available near were you live, but you’ll surprised what you can accomplish with an open mind, some preparation, and a couple gallons of gas in your car. Just shooting after dark, for example, can pay big dividends, because scenes that appear boring during the day are often transformed into magical tableaus once the sun drops below the horizon.

As Iversen says, this episode is devoted to “all the essential things you do before clicking the shutter button that will make a great photo.” His first tip isn’t the most exciting, but’s it’s crucial when you don’t have time to travel; namely, research and explore your surroundings to discover points of interest and potential compositions.

Iversen notes that epic subjects aren’t necessary to create epic imagery; they just have to stand out from the scene so there’s a strong and impactful focal point. He also offers the important reminder that “epic conditions” can make a huge difference, which is why you should never hesitate to venture out in bad weather.

There’s also a discussion of what Iversen calls the “X-Factor of Landscape Photography” that can make a world of difference. And you’ll see how compositing flat photos can result in impressive results.

Iversen wraps up the lesson with a few more editing techniques that can transform photos of average scenes into truly special and dramatic photographs. Our advice is to temporarily forget about purchasing a plane ticket or investing in new glass, and see what you can conjure up close to home with the gear you already own.

And be sure to take a virtual trip to Iversen’s YouTube channel, where you’ll find more shooting and editing tips when landscape photos are the goal.

We also suggest checking out the tutorial we posted recently from another accomplished pro, explaining how to create stunning bokeh effects in the camera.