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5 tips to improve your photography for our photo calendar contest

Community | 09/09/22
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The Volunteer State has so many great opportunities for amazing landscape photos. All across the state, you can find beautiful scenery to capture.

Bring a Tripod
Having a tripod on hand to take landscape photos is essential. The stability that a tripod provides allows you to use a slower shutter speed, increase the depth of field, and keep your ISO setting as low as you can.

Shoot in RAW Format
Capturing an image in the RAW format increases the amount of flexibility that you have when shooting landscape photos. The RAW files contain much more information about the scene that you have captured and enable you to process the photos inside editing equipment with much more detail. Many smartphones now include the ability to shoot in RAW format.

Use the Best Light of the Day
As long as the clouds stay away, you have two opportunities each day to shoot in what is called the Golden Hour, which happens an hour after sunrise and an hour before sunset. With the sun lower on the horizon, the light is filtered through more of the atmosphere and appears to glow. Watch for changes in the colors in the sky as well. The sky can change colors completely in just a matter of minutes, taking an ordinary photo to an extraordinary one.

Adjust the Horizon
Give thought on where to place the horizon in your landscape photos. Often, new photographers will place the horizon directly in the middle of the image. While some images may benefit from a dead center horizon, most can be improved by shifting the horizon upward or downward.

Be Ready for the Elements
Be prepared with items such as insect spray, a lightweight jacket, a flashlight (great for those hikes before sunrise or after sunset), and a shutter release camera or timer for your camera. Most all, have fun!

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