Nature Photography How To

So let's say you come upon a spectacular landscape scene, have great gear in your bag, and nail focus and exposure. You still may end up with disappointing results if your composition skills aren't up to spec. That's why we encourage you to pay close attention to this tutorial from an acclaimed landscape photography specialist.

Instructor Dale Gribble is an accomplished Australian pro who regularly shares instructional videos of his exploits in the field that reveal the secrets to his beautiful imagery. This episode is all about the power of his approach to composition, with practical suggestions that are easy for photographers of all skill levels to emulate.

Gribble says that like many of us, "when first starting out I knew composition was super important but I didn't know what the hell it was." As his skills evolved so did his framing techniques and the impact of his photographs grew by leaps and bound. And yours can too by following his advice.

Gribble illustrates his favorite techniques with four striking images, while explaining the framing approach he employed for each of the shots. The photos are all quite different so his methods varied from one to another.

Composition can be described in general terms as "the act of making up something by combining parts." In the context of landscape photography, Gribble puts it like this: "There can be a whole lot of things to consider, from shapes, framing, and light, to color harmony and more."

In short, the key to impactful composition is understanding which of these important elements to apply, depending on the specific scene at hand. Gribble provides several reasons why it's preferable to get things right in the camera, rather than attempting to correct photos with weak composition during the image-editing process.

While watching Gribble demonstrate why and how he composed the demonstration photos, think about images you've shot in the past that could have been far more interesting had you used the methods described.  Then proceed accordingly when you discover a great opportunity the next time you're out in the field.

There's much more to learn about shooting in the great outdoors on Gribble's informative YouTube channel, so be sure to take a look.

And don't miss the tutorial we featured a while back, explaining how to capture breathtaking landscape photographs with your smartphone.