How to Discover Hidden Elements in a Landscape Setting that can Help Create Stronger Photos

When I was newer to landscape photography, I'd arrive at a pretty landscape scene, plop down my tripod and begin capturing images, rarely moving from that spot or thinking about the potential for alternative viewpoints within a location. Perhaps I got caught up in the excitement of the beauty before me. 

Composition within landscape photography is a vast topic. But, there's one easy concept that I want you to incorporate into your approach to landscape photography immediately because this one little tip will help you create stronger landscape images instantly. 

I want you to always consider the height of your tripod in every landscape location you visit. Or, if you are hand-holding your camera, don't be afraid to alter your viewpoint.  Interesting, hidden, visual details can often be discovered within a landscape setting simply by varying perspectives to a landscape scene. Don't be afraid to move left, right, up and down and intentionally look for visual details to incorporate into your photo.

Reference the image below as an example for my point. To capture the reflection in this image, which was initially not visible from my full height, I lowered my viewpoint to the scene and crouched down closer to the ground. This low perspective resulted in a small reflection within the foreground, facilitating greater foreground visual interest and more substantial visual impact. 

^{ISO 100, 16mm, f13 1/15 sec}

Strong compositions take an effort in landscape photography, but the results are well worth the effort. If you do not already, I encourage you to adjust your perspective within a landscape scene and vary your viewpoint for each image you capture. Visually pleasing elements can be hiding in a scene, and a simple change in perspective can reveal beautifully dynamic details.