10 Shoot wide-open

Capture a shallow depth of field to add a sense of depth to your shots

We’re often told that landscapes need to be pin-sharp from the foreground interest all the way to the background. This is indeed a great approach for many scenes – but it’s not the only way, and shooting at the maximum aperture of your lens can produce interesting results in certain situations. By focusing on the focal point, you can allow the foreground to blur in a pleasing way, which can help to add a sense of depth and three-dimensionality. A 20mm f/1.8 is a fantastic lens for shooting shallow depth-of-field landscapes. It’s also perfect for landscapes because of the wide field of view and the fact that it’s so small and light – not to mention that this type of lens is also excellent for astrophotography – so it’s hugely versatile.