Essentials for a Landscape Photography Trip
As landscape photographers we are actually quite fortunate, a quality camera, a few lenses and filters and a good sturdy tripod and we are all set to go. Remember we may have to carry our equipment to that ideal location and we donò€™t want the journey to become a route march by being weighed down with an abundance of kit. So my advice is think carefully about what is needed for a particular shoot and travel as light as possible.I personally have always used Canon but this is an individual choice. Modern SLR camera systems have an abundance of features but there are some features that I consider an absolute necessity for landscape photography.
Total control of exposure, as serious photographers we do not want to have to rely on the cameras Auto setting. We want to have the opportunity to be creative and set the aperture / shutter speed to suit each individual circumstance that presents itself during our landscape photography trip.
Depth of field preview, for landscape photography work (and in my opinion most other photography) is a must. It will allow the lens to be closed down to your selected shooting aperture allowing a preview of the extent of the depth of field. It takes a little time to get used to as a preview at f22 will be very dark. However, be patient, let your eyes adjust to the low light level and the preview will become easier to see and assess.
A sturdy tripod and head with a range of movements from high to low level is essential, of course it must be substantial enough to be capable of holding the camera rock solid
With the camera on the tripod a electronic remote or cable release is extremely useful, this will prevent any movement when the shutter release is pressed. Mirror lock-up, used in conjunction with the cable release further prevents any camera movement, this can also be combined with the use of the Self Timer to further reduce the chances of camera shake.
Combine this with a sturdy camera bag to protect all that valuable equipment and we are all set to head off into the great outdoors for an enjoyable and rewarding day of landscape photography.