Take your time composing

Composition is king in landscape photography.

It is the cornerstone of a powerful image. It cannot be salvaged in post-production and sometimes cannot be recreated again in the field – so getting it right on-site is important.

A strong image contains many elements beyond the basics of what our eyes see when we arrive at a location, like a subject, foreground, leading lines, or distant interest at the horizon. These are all important, but to take an image from good to great, it also needs vision, emotion and drama. Creating a composition is the method through which we add in these components, taking it beyond what the viewer initially sees to something they look back at over and over again.

During the winter, snow can transform the landscape, simplifying some aspects and complicating others. Know your location in advance, and understand how the conditions will affect the image.