Landscape photography comes in various forms, however, in this list of 10 landscape photographers I have included those who photograph the natural landscape – I’ll leave urban landscape for another story! 

The photographers below represent a combination of mediums, styles, and approaches, so there is something for everyone. The great thing about social media is you can often gain a better insight into how the photographer has created an image, often showcasing you don’t need the best camera for landscape photography to make an epic image.

These are 10 photographers who influence and inspire me and I hope that they can do the same for you, after all, that’s what social media is best used for! 

Adrian Vila

Adrian Vila, a.k.a AOWS, is a Portuguese photographer who travels the world photographing unique landscapes in his signature square black and white style. Vila has documented many of his photographic excursions on his YouTube channel, showing his approach, as well as his editing techniques. He has provided many helpful tutorials and following his social media has provided consistent inspiration.  

Daniel Kordan

Daniel Kordan has built a huge following on social media, capturing beautiful saturated land and seascapes. A beautifully curated social feed showcases a combination of draw-dropping traditional and drone shots.

Awoiska van der Molen

Awoiska van der Molen is a Dutch artist photographer who captures stunning and surreal black-and-white analog landscapes. Her work has been exhibited all around the world, and has three published books, the latest being The Living Mountain which was released in 2020.

Daniel Casson

Daniel Casson creates painterly landscape photographs of rural scenes. The use of golden hour shooting illuminates the British landscape with a warm glow and transports the viewer into the scenery. 

Sam Laughlin

Not your conventional landscape photographer, Sam Laughlin photographs intimate details of nature with an old 4×5 camera. His recent body of work titled ‘Spinning Away‘, has been created by using extremely long exposures in moonlight, capturing the ebbs and flows of the River Severn in the UK. 

Mads Peter Iversen

I first discovered Mads Peter Iverson’s work via his YouTube channel, where he has several tutorials on capturing landscapes. His social media is chock filled with masterfully composed images, captured during his many travels. 

Chris Burkard

More than likely the most famous name on this list. Chris Burkard is one of the world’s leading landscape photographers, featured countless times in National Geographic and holding exhibitions of his work around the globe. Burkard’s new book, The Oceans is filled with awe-inspiring seascapes as well as an insight into Burkard’s inspirations and early beginnings. 

Paul Hart

Primarily using a black-and-white analog process, shooting with large and medium format film cameras, Paul Hart captures the ever-changing British landscapes with a focus on the many different waterways. He has several published books with the newest one, Fragile, scheduled for release in Spring 2024 and published by Dewi Lewis – one to keep a look out for!

Zay Yar Lin

It is not often social media algorithms provide noteworthy recommendations but the work of Zay Yar Lin, a photographer from Myanmar, was just that. His landscapes and use of colors are incredible, and the incorporation of people provides scale to the grand vistas.  

Isabella Tabacchi

Isabella Tabacchi is recognized worldwide for her dream-like landscapes. Her social feed is an incredible resource of inspiration, featuring drone, Astro, landscape, and wildlife photography, all of the highest caliber. She is also a Hasselblad heroine, using the Hasselblad X1D II for many of her captures. 

Having only recently started shooting landscape-type images, I have a new sense of admiration for these photographers. A genre that may sound easy to create images for is extremely difficult to get right. By studying the work posted on social media and the tutorials on YouTube, these photographers have provided great insight into how they get the epic shots you see on their feeds – well worth a follow!

See our guides for more information on the best lenses for landscapes, the best camera for astrophotography, and the best tripod for photography. 

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (APTN) — Much of how South Carolina has seen its civil rights history has been through the lens of photographer Cecil Williams. From sit-ins to prayer protests to portraits of African Americans integrating universities and rising to federal judges, Williams has snapped it.

After years of work, his chief dream of a civil rights museum marking how Black Americans fought segregation and discrimination in the state is about to move out of his old house and into a much bigger, and more prominent, building in Orangeburg.

“Photography is so important to telling stories about history. And we in South Carolina formally have not been known for involvement in the American Civil Rights Movement and the progress that took place bringing down the barriers to segregation,” said Williams, who turned 85 last month.

“But in South Carolina, we have so many untold stories that are yet to be known. And one of the ways to save these stories, these stories of sacrifice, these stories of overcoming, is to have a museum like we are developing here in Orangeburg.”

Williams got his first camera when he was 9. A few years later he took one picture of civil rights attorney and later Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall getting off a train to work on a segregation case — just one frame because it was dark and flashbulbs were $1 each.

The photo got a lot of attention. Soon, Jet magazine had Williams taking pictures. He kept going for decades, capturing images of the Charleston hospital workers strike, U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond’s last campaign and the Confederate flag being removed from atop the Statehouse dome.

He recalled how South Carolina newspapers would not hire a Black photographer, so he took his work to The Associated Press instead.

“And I was not welcomed as an African-American youth and as a photographer in the state newspaper,” said Williams. “But I could go upstairs where the Associated Press used many of my photographs during the 1960s.”

In 2019, Williams converted his old house and darkroom in a residential neighborhood in Orangeburg into the Cecil Williams South Carolina Civil Rights Museum. It’s the only civil rights museum in the state.

In the next year or so, Williams hopes to move his museum into a building three times larger in downtown Orangeburg with full-time staff.

It’s part of a $23 million federal grant to revitalize Railroad Corner in Orangeburg as a gateway to the city that is nearly three-quarters African American with two neighboring historically Black universities. And it’s the culmination of years of trying to get support from anyone who will listen.

When it comes to landscape photography, few other genres offer both the rewards and disappointments it can bring. However, we should avoid the easy route of annoyance and instead get excited about our landscape photography, and here’s why! I understand the struggle – the elusive perfect composition, the uncooperative weather. It’s easy to become frustrated, annoyed, and perhaps even consider giving up. But before you dismiss the excitement, I have something to share that might just change your perspective!

Landscape Photography Is Built Different 

Landscape photography often serves as the gateway for many into the world of photography. Typically, one’s initial foray into this art form begins either with receiving a camera as a gift or purchasing one due to a love for the outdoors, right?

It’s a fair assumption that only a handful of people get their first camera with the intention of shooting portraits, weddings, or wildlife. Most of us start by capturing the beauty of the outdoors. Nowadays, many of us begin and often continue to use a smartphone for photography. The capabilities of these devices are immense, and they’re almost always at hand.

However, issues can arise when we set out on dedicated photography excursions. Maybe we anticipate a particular composition that ends up being non-existent, or our high hopes for the perfect weather and lighting are dashed.

Back to the Basics

Do you remember your first landscape photography trip? Was it a solo venture, or did you go with others? Or perhaps you just happened to have your camera with you when an opportunity presented itself. Regardless of the situation, try to recall the feelings you experienced before, during, and after. For me, it was a mix of excitement, nervousness, and wonder about what lay ahead. These emotions laid the foundation for my passion for landscape photography and likely did the same for many others, spurring us on to the next adventure, and then the next, and the one after that!

Mindset Management 

It all boils down to mindset, and thankfully, that’s something within our control.

Would you prefer to feel let down or disappointed by a photography outing, or would you rather embrace the feeling of having given it your best shot? I often talk with photographers, both amateurs and professionals, who feel frustrated when their outings don’t go as planned. However, the reality is that if they hadn’t been out there, they would have missed the chance to capture that potentially stunning shot.

The light in a scene can change rapidly, enhancing its beauty dramatically. But even if the ideal light doesn’t materialize, isn’t the scene still worth appreciating? Moreover, even in rain, there’s joy to be found in being outdoors and experiencing the elements. And despite the weather, you might still capture a great photo, one rich in mood, drama, atmosphere, and emotion. These feelings might be personal, but when you look back at any photograph you’ve taken, I bet you remember the location, the time, whether it was cold or warm, calm or windy, and most importantly, what you felt in that moment.

This is why it’s so rewarding to feel excited about your landscape photography. You’re outside, breathing fresh air, getting exercise, perhaps enduring blisters, fatigue, and dampness, but you’re there with a chance of success. The alternative is staying home, gazing out the window, and wondering how it might have been if you’d ventured out.

Landscape Photography Is a Feeling 

If landscape photography continually frustrates you, that frustration might eventually become your default reaction. Even when you encounter beautiful light or conditions, it might be hard to muster excitement. Instead, you may find yourself yearning for perfect conditions, and anything less could be seen as a letdown. But is this really what you imagined landscape photography would be about?

On the other hand, if you head out filled with anticipation for what might unfold, and you do encounter light — even if it’s just mediocre — your excitement can intensify. The thrill of the chase could propel you forward, leaving you bursting with enthusiasm right up until the final shutter click. However, there is a risk associated with high expectations, as they can lead to disappointment. Some believe it’s better to keep your hopes modest, viewing any positive outcome as a bonus.

When you look back at your images, which emotions would you prefer to remember? For me, the choice is clear, and at the end of the day, those feelings are within my control.

Happy or Sad, You Decide 

Observing other landscape photographers, I’ve noticed some common characteristics. Some are self-professed pessimists, or “realists,” as they sometimes prefer to be known. These photographers often end up feeling disappointed unless they encounter perfect conditions. On the other hand, there are the optimists, for whom every shoot is either “epic” or the best they’ve ever had. Their excitement can be so intense that it might seem almost exaggerated to others.

Each of these outlooks seems right for the individuals who hold them, and you might find yourself relating to either, depending on the situation. However, the risk with the pessimistic view is that when those rare, epic conditions do occur, you might struggle to feel the excitement that originally drew you to landscape photography.

What About Groups?

I’ve noticed many workshop leaders who maintain enthusiasm regardless of the conditions they face. Is this excitement genuine, or are they amplifying it for the benefit of their participants? I believe it’s a bit of both. If a leader shows frustration, it can negatively affect the entire group. Who would want to lead or participate in a workshop filled with annoyed people? I’d wager very few.

Conclusion  

To sum up this discussion, I urge you to revel in your landscape photography journey. Embrace the excitement of venturing outdoors, and if everything aligns perfectly, that’s wonderful. But if it doesn’t, that’s alright too. There will be other opportunities. The key is to associate positive feelings with your efforts and shots, motivating you to keep braving the elements and pursuing that perfect shot on another day.

Does this article strike a chord with you? Do you have additional insights from your own experiences, or have you ever felt discouraged to the point of not venturing out for dedicated shoots?

Let’s keep this conversation going in the comments below.

Help us make it a very HAPPY new year for our local nonprofits! The 4th annual Nonprofit Holiday Wish Catalog features the year-end needs of 30+ local nonprofits in one easy to browse – and easy to donate – online portal.

Thanks to the generosity of our community, 13 of the nonprofit wishes have already been fully funded! With over 20 remaining, from arts organizations to human services, education to healthcare… there are still so many opportunities to find and support organizations and wishes that move you, until the Catalog closes December 31.

New this year is an emphasis on mostly small and underfunded organizations, so community members can get to know (and support) Arlington organizations they may have never even heard of. The Giving Season is financially critical for so many nonprofits, and the Wish Catalog is just one way that we, as a community, can help ease a little bit of that stress for the nonprofits in the Wish Catalog.

Click here. Grant wishes!