Nature Photography How To

A couple days ago we shared the views of a Dutch pro, insisting that a telephoto lens is often a better choice for landscape photography than a wide-angle lens. Today we’re going to dig a bit deeper, with the following tutorial on how to choose the best focal length when photographing the great outdoors.

Nigel Danson is a British pro that is passionate about landscape photography. He’s also an excellent instructor, and says, “My aim is to inspire others with landscape photography tips and techniques.” He notes that the focal length you choose will make a big difference in your results, and he demonstrates why in the video below.

Danson discusses how he decides which lens to pull out of his bag, and his arsenal includes everything from 14-200mm. He covers that range with a number of optics, and discusses the versatility of ultra-wide lenses in the 14-18mm category, wide-angle lenses from 18-24mm, mid-range lenses from 30-60mm, and telephotos from 70-200mm and longer. 

As you’ll see, each of Danson’s lenses serve a purpose for creating stunning landscape photos, depending on the scene and what you’re trying to achieve. During the tutorial Danson provides helpful advice on composition and focus, discusses how focal length and aperture settings affect depth of field, and offers a number other helpful tips for improving your landscape photography.

You’ll find a list of the gear Danson favors in the description below the video, and more helpful tutorials on his YouTube channel. And be sure to check out our story in which another landscape pro describes his preference for telephoto lenses.