Adobe Fonts in Photoshop: The Essential Guide

The post Adobe Fonts in Photoshop: The Essential Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Did you know that you can use Adobe Fonts in Photoshop? It’s true; Adobe Fonts is included in your Creative Cloud membership, and it’s a great way to enhance your graphic design projects and even your photos.

So if you want to learn more about what Adobe Fonts actually is, what it offers, and how can you use it, then keep on reading!

What is Adobe Fonts?

Adobe Fonts is an online library containing thousands of fonts. If you’ve been working in graphics for a long time, you may be familiar with Typekit; in 2011, Typekit and Adobe started collaborating together, and in 2018, Adobe Typekit became Adobe Fonts.

If you have a paid Creative Cloud membership, you can use Adobe Fonts for free within any Adobe application. Note that a free license is extended to both personal and commercial projects – however, customer and perpetual licenses do cost extra. You can see all licensing terms here.

You can access Adobe Fonts from your browser or from inside your Adobe apps (though in this article, I’ll focus on using Adobe Fonts in Photoshop).

When should you use Adobe Fonts?

Adobe Fonts is an amazing tool that will make your life simple and your artwork special every time you need to add text to a design.

Not only does the service contain over 20,000 fonts, but it also simplifies your licensing management. If you download fonts from different libraries, you have to keep track of the licensing terms of each one, which can be a real headache. And you need to keep the fonts on all your computers and your clients’ computers (if they want to edit your work).

Adobe Fonts, however, is shared across the Creative Cloud apps on all your devices, and it’s free to use even for commercial work. Plus, you have full control: You can activate and deactivate fonts, as well as the entire Adobe Fonts feature, at will.

Here are some situations in which you should consider using Adobe Fonts in Photoshop:

• Logo design
• Template design
• Images for social media
• Watermarks
• PDFs
• Collages

In other words: Whenever you need to add text, Adobe Fonts is the way to go.

How to use Adobe Fonts in Photoshop: step by step

In this section, I cover everything you need to know about getting started with Adobe Fonts – so you can start creating beautiful designs, fast!

How to access a font in Photoshop

To access an Adobe font while in Photoshop, make sure you have an open document, then activate the Text tool. (Click the Text icon in the toolbar, or use the keyboard shortcut “T”.)

Then, in the Options toolbar toward the top of the screen, open the Font Type dropdown menu. You’ll see the Creative Cloud icon:

Click on the icon and the menu will filter out all non-Adobe fonts, leaving you with only the fonts that come from the Adobe Fonts collection.

Select the font you want, then click on your document. When you type, your new font will appear!

Note: If you open the Font Type dropdown only to find that you don’t have any Adobe Fonts, then you’ll need to download fonts from the Adobe Fonts website. I explain this process in the next section:

How to add fonts to use in Photoshop

If you don’t have any Adobe fonts or you want to look for some more, click on the Creative Cloud icon in the top right of the Font Type dropdown menu (next to “More from Adobe Fonts”). You’ll immediately be redirected to the Adobe Fonts website. Note that you’ll need to be online and logged in to your Creative Cloud account to use this feature.

Once there, you can browse by language, classification, properties, and more. If you find a font family that you like, go ahead and give it a click. It’ll open to reveal all the fonts that form the family. You can even type in some text and see how it looks in each font.

If you’d like to add a font to Photoshop, click Activate Font – and if you’re interested in the entire font family, click the Activate Fonts button in the top right of the page.

If this is the first time you’ve used Adobe Fonts, you’ll see a “Font Activation Successful” pop-up. You can tick the “Don’t show me this again” option to avoid seeing it every time. Then click OK.

(Remember that activating too many fonts will slow down Photoshop, so only activate the ones that you need!)

Now you can head back to Photoshop and use the font. Open the Font Type menu from the Text tool, and look for the activated font.

All Adobe fonts have the Creative Cloud logo next to them, so they’re easy to identify. But if you want to find your chosen font more quickly, click on the Adobe Cloud icon to filter the menu options.

Adobe Fonts in Photoshop: A few things to know

If you activate an Adobe font, it’ll be active for 180 days following its last use. Once the 180-period elapses, the font will be automatically deactivated to keep Photoshop running smoothly.

If you need to access a deactivated font, you can always go back to Adobe Fonts – see the previous section! – and reactivate it. Also, if you open a file that has a deactivated font, Photoshop will ask if you want to activate the font once more, so there’s no need to worry or keep thousands of fonts activated just in case.

When designing a project, remember that some fonts do have alternative characters. To see if this is true for your chosen font, you can select a character and go to the Glyphs panel. (If the panel is not active, simply select Windows>Glyphs.) Including alternative characters will make your design more personal – though if you want to make things even more personal, you can use the Pen tool to adapt and redesign any Adobe font.

Another cool feature is that you can use Adobe Fonts outside of the Adobe apps. You’ll find your active Adobe fonts in other text-based programs such as Word.

How to navigate Adobe Fonts

With over 20,000 fonts to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow down the search and find the ideal font for your project. Fortunately, Adobe Fonts has different categories and features to help you out, including:

• The Search bar. If you already know the name of the font or the designer that you’re looking for, you can use the Search bar to find it.
• Visual Search. Simply upload an image file featuring text; Adobe Fonts will then use Adobe Sensei to analyze the text and offer you the closest font match.
• Recommendations. Here you can find suggestions based on the fonts you have active, what’s trending, what the Adobe team recommends, etc.
• Font Packs. This is my favorite. The Adobe team curates these packs according to the usage (such as Comic Books), trends (such as New Naturalism), and font characteristics (for example, High Contrast).
• Foundries. Here you can explore the in-house foundries for original and high-quality typefaces.

7 Adobe fonts everyone should know

1. Sofia. A rounded sans-serif that makes your texts easy to read. It has 40 fonts to choose from.
2. Questa. A serif with ten fonts for a literary look.
3. ITC American Typewriter. Nine fonts that offer a vintage feel.
4. Auster. These 18 fonts provide a friendly look.
5. Zenon. From the Logo Worthy collection curated by the Adobe Fonts team. It has 16 fonts.
6. Prenton. Readable and clean, Prenton is perfect for web design.
7. Cherry Blossoms. Handwriting with Japanese inspiration; it’s trending in 2022.

Adobe Fonts step-by-step example

It’s one thing to understand the theory, yet it’s another to put things into action. Here’s a practical example where I use Adobe Fonts and offer clear, step-by-step instructions along the way.

Step 1: Open a new document

I’m using a template for this example, but feel free to open a blank canvas or a photograph instead.

Step 2: Type some text

My template has an image of a notebook with some apparently handwritten text. Now that I’ve opened it, I see the text is actually an image. So I can’t change what it says; instead, I have to add some new text.

To add text to a file, grab the Text tool by clicking on its icon on the toolbox. (You can also tap the “T” key on your keyboard.)

Click on your file, then type the new text.

Step 3: Match the font (optional)

Since I’m using a template that already has text on it, I’d like to find a similar font using the Match Font feature. You can do this, too – or you can skip to the next step if you want to choose a font on your own.

To use the Match Font feature, make sure your new text layer is selected in the Layers panel. Then grab the Rectangular Marquee tool and drag it over the characters you’d like to match.

Next, go to the menu and select Type>Match Font. In the dialog box, make sure the “Show fonts available to activate on Adobe Fonts” is enabled. 

Photoshop will browse the fonts you have available as well as the Adobe Fonts library, and it’ll use Adobe Sensei to try and find a good match.

I don’t really like any of the options Photoshop has given me; if that happens to you, just move on to the next step. However, if you do like any of the fonts, give it a click. Photoshop will activate it and apply it automatically!

Step 4: Choose an Adobe Font

To browse Adobe Fonts on your own and select one that fits your project, select your text, then go to the Options bar and open the Font Type menu.

Click on the More from Adobe Fonts option. This will open your browser and take you to the Adobe Fonts website.

Here you can search using any of the techniques I explained earlier in this article. In my case, I’ll use the “Calligraphy” filter because I’m looking for something that appears handwritten.

Write your text in the Sample Text space; that way, you can see exactly how it’ll look in your prospective fonts without having to activate each one.

Step 5: Activate the font

Once you find a font you like, click View Family. This will open the font family and show you all the fonts that it has. Sometimes it’ll just be one, but other times, it’ll be over a dozen.

If you’re only interested in one font, click on the Activate Font switch on the bottom right of the font. However, if you want to activate every front in the family, use the activation switch at the top right of the page.

Step 6: Apply the Adobe font to your text

Once you enable the font in your browser, simply go back to Photoshop. Make sure your text is selected, then open the Font Type menu and find the Adobe font you just activated. Click on the font, and it’ll be applied instantly:

Step 7: Finish up your project

Now that you’ve activated your Adobe font, you can always use it to type more text. You can also edit existing text layers by rotating them, changing the font color, etc.

Your new Adobe font will remain active, and you’ll find it in Photoshop for 180 days. After that, it will deactivate automatically.

If you need to edit your project after the font has been deactivated, don’t worry. When you open the project again, you’ll have the option to reactivate the font or replace it!

Adobe Fonts in Photoshop: final words

As you can see, Adobe Fonts is very easy to use and opens up a world of possibilities. I hope you enjoyed this article and found this information helpful. Now go have fun finding – and using – lots of cool fonts!

Now over to you:

Which are your favorite Adobe Fonts? Do you have any tips and tricks on how to make the most of them? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Adobe Fonts in Photoshop: The Essential Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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11 Best Lenses for Landscape Photography (in 2023)

The post 11 Best Lenses for Landscape Photography (in 2023) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

No matter your level of experience, if you want to capture beautiful landscape photos, you need to choose your lens carefully. After all, the lens heavily influences the quality of your image; pick a good lens, and you have the potential for crisp, clear, beautifully detailed results. But get the lens wrong, and you may find that your images are consistently unsatisfying.

But choosing the right lens for landscape photography can be tough. There are dozens – even hundreds – of options, ranging from budget kit zooms to $3000+ ultra-wide glass, each with its own benefits (and drawbacks).

Fortunately, as a professional landscape photographer, I’ve spent years working with different lens models. I know how to pick the perfect starter lens, and I know how to find lenses that’ll satisfy the most experienced professionals. That’s why I’ve written this article, which takes you through all the best landscape photography lenses you can buy today – including options for Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm, and choices at every price point.

So without further ado, here are my top landscape lens recommendations, starting with my number one pick:

1. Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM

If you use Canon full-frame DSLRs – or even Canon mirrorless models – then the 16-35mm f/4L IS USM is an excellent choice. It carries the prestigious L-series label and boasts a nice range of focal lengths as well as very sharp image quality.

There is an f/2.8 version of this lens, but the f/4 version gives equally stunning results and comes with a cheaper price tag. It’s a fast and dynamic model with an ultrasonic focus system and a minimum focusing distance of 11 inches (0.28 meters), so it’s perfect for capturing sweeping vistas that feature close foreground subjects. Plus, the 4-stops of image stabilization and great in-built weather sealing allow you to work handheld in all types of light and weather.

The 16-35mm f/4L is a reasonably priced option for enthusiasts (and is positively cheap compared to other pro-level lenses on this list), though beginners may wish to consider a more budget-friendly model like the 24-105mm f/4L toward the bottom of this list. If you’re a budding Canon landscape shooter – or even a professional – hoping to create stunning images of expansive scenes, then this is one of the best landscape lenses on the market in 2022.

2. Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM

If you’re an experienced photographer seeking the best landscape lens on the market, then the Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 GM is the model to buy.

It has everything that you could want in a landscape lens, including ridiculously sharp optics that pair beautifully with the high-resolution sensors of the a7R series, incredible build quality that can handle all sorts of weather scenarios, and a surprisingly lightweight body. The lens also boasts an f/2.8 maximum aperture that’s perfect for serious astrophotography and is also essential if you hope to capture beautiful background bokeh in your wide-angle shots.

Of course, there’s also a stunning 12mm focal length, so ultra-wide shooters can capture scenes of all types with a uniquely wide perspective. Unfortunately, the 12-24mm f/2.8 GM is extremely expensive (at the time of writing, it costs nearly $3000), but if you’re a professional or you have the cash to spare, you won’t be disappointed.

3. Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR

The Nikon 16-35mm f/4G is one of my favorite landscape lenses for Nikon full-frame DSLRs, and it’s the perfect choice for enthusiast photographers and up-and-coming professionals in search of that beautiful wide-angle perspective.

The 16-35mm f/4G is both portable and durable, plus it packs great image stabilization for low-light handheld photography. (That said, I do recommend capturing most of your landscape photos using a tripod!) The 16-35mm focal length range is ideal for wider scenics and allows you to shoot stunning near-far landscape compositions with great results. It’s also a (relatively) inexpensive lens, plus it’s compact and much lighter than most f/2.8 zooms (at 24 oz/680 g).

The lens accommodates filters with a 77mm thread, a standard filter size that will please a lot of photographers. And the lens optics are beautifully designed to enhance sharpness and contrast, so even professionals should be satisfied.

4. Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM

The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L is the ultimate lens for landscape photographers looking to give their images a professional edge. It’s a great match for Canon mirrorless users, although there is a huge hike in price compared to the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L (featured above). Note also that this lens will only work on Canon full-frame mirrorless models like the EOS R5, whereas the EF 16-35mm f/4L can be used on both DSLRs and mirrorless cameras (albeit with an adapter).

The 15-35mm is a joy to use, and photographers will love its edge-to-edge sharpness, amazing image quality, and superbly silent and fast autofocus. The lens offers image stabilization of up to five stops, which is a big deal if you plan to shoot landscapes handheld in low light. Additionally, the f/2.8 maximum aperture is wide enough for sharp astrophotography, though it isn’t really necessary for non-astrophotography purposes and is one of the reasons for the eyewatering price tag.

The RF 15-35mm f/2.8L also offers a slightly wider focal length than many of the lenses on this list. And while a millimeter may not seem like much, it is noticeable in the field and is ideal if you’re looking to capture those ultra-wide, professional-style landscape images.

5. Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S

The Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 lens was Nikon’s first ultra-wide-angle zoom for Z-mount cameras, and it remains one of the best lenses for Nikon full-frame mirrorless cameras in 2022, especially for professionals in search of that ultra-wide perspective. It’s also surprisingly affordable for a Z-mount lens, and while I wouldn’t recommend it to complete beginners, it should certainly meet the budgetary needs of enthusiasts and professionals.

The 14-30mm f/4 is lightweight and relatively compact, so it’s plenty portable – always handy for travel landscape shooters as well as photographers who enjoy backpacking for days on end. It supports direct filter attachment to the front of the lens, which expands the creative possibilities for ultra-wide landscape photography. It’s well-designed with resistance to dust and water, which is essential for landscape photographers who work in blowing sand, seaspray, rain, or snow, and it features fabulous optics for clear and sharp shots.

You get an extra couple of millimeters on the wide end compared to the 16-35mm f/4G (above), so you certainly won’t struggle to capture breathtakingly wide compositions. And while 30mm isn’t ideal for tighter, more intimate landscape shots, it’s perfect for more wide-angle-focused shooters. Ultimately, the compact design, incredible corner-to-corner sharpness, and wide perspective make the Nikon 14-30mm f/4 a landscape lens worth considering for serious mirrorless photographers.

6. Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS

Do you shoot Fujifilm rather than Canon, Nikon, or Sony? The Fujifilm 10-24mm f/4 lens is one of my favorite Fujifilm X-mount lenses, and it’s an excellent landscape photography choice for a host of reasons.

Key features include enhanced optical image stabilization, an elegant design, and very quiet focusing. The barrel feels and looks fabulous, and the construction is good quality. You get a minimum focusing distance of 9 inches (0.24 meters) – so you can capture gorgeous low-angle shots – and the lens offers great image sharpness across the focal range.

Fujifilm users should bear in mind that the 10-24mm focal length converts to an effective 15-36mm, which is certainly respective and will work great for wide-angle landscape shots (even if the lens isn’t quite as wide as it initially sounds). Thanks to the beautiful field of view, the 10-24mm f/4 provides gorgeous landscape possibilities for Fujifilm APS-C users – and while it is on the expensive side, for serious landscape shooters, it’s worth every penny.

7. Sony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS

Coupled with a Sony’s E-mount camera, the 10-18mm f/4 is a wide-angle zoom lens, though bear in mind that it’s designed to work with APS-C cameras only (its focal length equivalent is 15-27mm). For most landscape shooters, that shouldn’t be a problem – after all, 15mm is plenty wide if your goal is to capture sweeping seascapes, breathtaking mountain scenes, or stunning forest views – but it won’t get you the gorgeous ultra-wide perspective of the 12-24mm f/2.8 featured above.

The superior glass provides optimal optical performance, with excellent contrast and sharp image quality even at the widest focal lengths. It is one of the best-quality landscape lenses for APS-C Sony mirrorless users out there, plus it’s small and lightweight (it only weighs 7.9 oz/225 grams), so it’s perfect for travel landscape shooting.

The Optical SteadyShot feature keeps handheld shots blur-free (though again, I do recommend using a tripod!), and the constant f/4 maximum aperture is decent enough for noise-free shooting in low light, even if you really need an f/2.8 maximum aperture for serious astrophotography. Its minimum focus distance of 10 inches (0.25 meters) and attractive zoom range let you capture expansive landscapes with precision, and the price is incredibly reasonable for a high-quality Sony lens – so if you’re a landscape photography beginner or enthusiast with a Sony APS-C camera, this is the lens to buy.

8. Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR

One of the biggest reasons to grab the Fujifilm 16-55mm f/2.8 for landscape photography is its versatility – it features great build quality so you don’t have to worry when working in tough weather conditions, an excellent maximum aperture for astrophotography, and a nice range of focal lengths that span from wide angle to short telephoto (even if the 24-82.5mm effective zoom range doesn’t quite reach those prized ultra-wide perspectives).

It also offers the opportunity to capture the landscape with real accuracy; as you can imagine, optical performance is top-notch, and thanks to the f/2.8 aperture, sharp handheld results are practically guaranteed, even in low light. While most landscape photography is done at narrower apertures, the f/2.8 maximum aperture does allow for detailed astrophotography, which can certainly come in handy for the right photographer.

Bottom line: The Fujifilm 16-55mm f/2.8 is perfect for landscape photographers in search of an all-around performer, especially those who require quality, precision, and sharpness across a wide focal length range.

9. Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

Yes, it’s on the pricier side, but the greatest benefit of the 24-70mm f/2.8 lens for landscape shooters is the versatile focal range offered for shoots. At 24mm, you can capture beautiful wide-angle images, while at 70mm, you can shoot intimate landscapes, close-up scenes, and more. You don’t get the same ultra-wide perspective offered by the 15-35mm or 16-35mm lenses shared above, but you do get a set of longer focal lengths that are great for more intimate landscape photos.

As I’ve discussed throughout this article, an f/2.8 maximum aperture isn’t necessary for standard landscape photography – assuming you use a tripod – but it is essential for clean, sharp astrophotography images, and it’s also nice to have if you like to experiment with shallow depth of field landscape shots.

The 24-70mm f/2.8 is also plenty sharp, and the L-lens build quality is great for lengthy outdoor adventures. At the end of the day, the 24-70mm f/2.8 really is an incredible – albeit expensive – landscape lens, and if you can afford it, buy it. For those who want to spend less cash, Canon offers a cheaper f/4 version.

10. Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II

If you’re a more casual photographer in need of a lens that you can keep on your camera at all times – as you shoot landscapes, street scenes, and even portraits – consider the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II. It’s a versatile lens that extends beyond the 24-70mm lens featured above, plus it’s sharp, versatile, and reasonably priced.

Thanks to the extra reach on the telephoto end, you can zoom in to highlight specific landscape features and create more intimate, even abstract images. But you can always capture standard landscapes in the 24-35mm range, and the image stabilization ensures you can shoot in lower light without a tripod.

As I mentioned above, the lens is also great for non-landscape purposes; it’s a favorite of casual street photographers, and it can handle cityscapes, outdoor events, and even portraits just fine. The f/4 maximum aperture is a bit limiting if you hope to photograph moving subjects indoors, but for outdoor shoots in good light, the 24-105mm f/4L is a stellar choice.

11. Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS

If you’re a Sony mirrorless shooter looking to capture tighter landscape shots, the 70-200mm f/4 G is a great choice; it’s a telephoto zoom lens with a constant f/4 maximum aperture, and it delivers great image quality with wonderful background bokeh.

While the focal length range sits squarely in the “telephoto” arena, you can use the 70-200mm to hone in on various elements of the landscape (and potentially even wildlife, too!). For instance, you can capture abstract mountain patterns, tight forest scenes, and so much more.

The Sony 70-200mm is a fast focuser and performs well in the field, especially when coupled with its image stabilization, which allows for improved performance in low light. The f/4 maximum aperture isn’t ideal for producing shallow depth-of-field shots, but it should be fine for more conventional landscape images.

The best lens for landscape photography: final words

There are quite a few excellent lenses for landscape photography, far too many to list – but I hope this article has been helpful, and that you can now confidently choose the best landscape lens for your needs.

Ultimately, the ideal lens comes down to your own individual requirements and budget, so don’t feel pressure to choose the most expensive or most popular option. Instead, think about your camera model (and its corresponding lens compatibility), as well as features such as image quality, build quality, image stabilization, focal length, and more.

Briefly, the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L and the Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S lenses are excellent choices for those looking for a mix of price and quality, while the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM is a top pick for professionals. The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS II and the Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G are great if you love to capture a range of landscape shots from wide-angle to telephoto. Finally, for anyone looking for a budget-friendly landscape lens, the Sony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS is a reasonable buy.

Now over to you:

Do you have a favorite landscape photography lens? Which lens on this list was your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post 11 Best Lenses for Landscape Photography (in 2023) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

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Landscape Photography for Beginners: A Comprehensive Guide

The post Landscape Photography for Beginners: A Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Barry J Brady.

Landscape photography is an amazing activity filled with excitement, beauty, exhilaration, and so much more. And in my view, landscape photography isn’t especially difficult – but it does require dedication, passion, and a bit of knowledge.

In this article, I offer my best tips for beginner landscape photography. I explain how to find the best subjects, how to choose the right gear, and how to handle your camera settings in the field; in fact, you can think of this as a mini landscape photography crash course covering all the basics.

So if you’re a landscape photography newbie and you want to know how to get started, or you’re not sure if landscape photography is right for you but you’re interested in exploring the genre, then keep on reading!

1. Start by researching potential locations

Beautiful landscape photography generally starts with a beautiful subject. Depending on where you live, you may have to drive a fair distance to find some great landscape scenes, or you may be lucky enough to have a few stunning vistas a few miles away.

Regardless, I encourage you to spend some time researching every potential location before heading out. That way, you can optimize your time in the field, and you rarely get stuck hunting for a nice composition while the light fades.

Before visiting a new location, I often do a bit of googling. I’ll do a search like “landscape scene + [my location]” and browse the Google Image results. Even if you just want to shoot nearby and think you know the area, it’s generally worth doing a quick search; sometimes, you’ll encounter a gorgeous scene that you didn’t know was in the area!

Anyway, use Google Image photos to compile a list of possible shooting locations. (If you don’t find much on Google, you can also check out 500px, Instagram, or even Flickr, all of which feature plenty of great landscape photography!)

It’s also important to keep in mind your shooting requirements and preferences. Do you want to capture a sunrise? A sunset? A mountain? A reflecting pool? A forest? While it’s great to keep a list of all possible locations in an area – and it’s always handy to have backups in case a location doesn’t work out – I’d recommend prioritizing certain areas based on your interests.

Once you’ve identified several great locations, you may think you’re ready to head out and shoot, but I’d recommend opening an app like PhotoPills or The Photographer’s Ephemeris. Drop a pin on your potential shooting location, then check the sun positions, the moon positions, and any other relevant information. Then time your photoshoot to coincide with the perfect conditions!

(What conditions are best for landscape photography? That’s what I discuss in my next beginner landscape photography tip!)

2. Shoot in the right light

It’s technically possible to capture great landscape shots at any time of day, but most landscape shooters like dramatic colors and soft light – which is why it’s generally best to photograph at sunrise and sunset.

Sunrise and sunset are known as the golden hours because they offer such beautiful, warm light. Unfortunately, the incredible light doesn’t last for very long, so it pays to arrive at least a half hour (or more) before the light show begins; that way, you’ll have plenty of time to select a composition and set up your camera.

Once you’re out in the field, you should pay careful attention to the direction of the light. Side light – which comes from off to the side of the camera – is a great way to produce photos with three-dimensionality and lots of texture, though backlight can create dramatic results, especially if the sky features a glorious sunrise or sunset.

And speaking of glorious skies: If possible, try to photograph on days when the sky features enough cloud cover to produce eye-catching colors, but not so much cloud cover that everything looks gray and drab.

One more landscape photography lighting tip: While the golden hours work great for most locations, you can also capture beautiful shots during the blue hour – that is, the brief window just before sunrise and just after sunset, when the light turns soft, ethereal, and (as the name suggests) cool. Because of the limited light, blue hour photography is more technically demanding than golden hour photography, but as long as you use a tripod and take steps to prevent camera shake, you can create some gorgeous photos.

3. Choose the right beginner landscape photography gear

Landscape photography is a gear-intensive genre. Sure, you can produce decent landscape shots using only a kit-lens-equipped setup or even just a smartphone, but if you want stunning, printable images that feature plenty of detail and incredible tonal range, you’ll want to purchase a few specific items of equipment.

Of course, you can’t shoot landscapes without a camera, so that’s where I’d start. You may already own a decent model, but if not, I’d recommend purchasing some sort of interchangeable lens camera that offers a decent number of megapixels (20+ MP is pretty standard nowadays and should be sufficient for large prints). There are plenty of great mirrorless and DSLR models for landscape photography, and they’ll all do a very solid job.

You’ll also want a decently wide lens with sufficiently sharp glass. A kit lens (i.e., the lens that comes bundled with most beginner cameras) can work, but if you want better landscape optics, look for a wide-angle zoom or even a wide-angle prime or two.

Next, you’ll need a tripod, and unless you’re really not sure whether this whole landscape photography thing is for you, I’d encourage you to really invest in a sturdy product. Most landscape photography scenarios – such as golden hour and blue hour – offer minimal light, which will force you to slow down your shutter speed. And a slow shutter speed will produce lots of blur – unless your camera has rock-solid support in the form of a tripod.

Tripods can be expensive, but it’s important to remember that a good tripod can make a huge difference. Also, a solid tripod will last a long time, so you won’t need to replace it anytime soon.

Fourth, you’ll need a remote trigger, which will allow you to trip the camera shutter without actually pressing the shutter button. (Why is this necessary? Pressing the shutter button will produce camera shake, which will cause blur, even if your camera is mounted on a tripod.)

When I was a beginner landscape photographer, I took a while to buy a remote release. Then, once I had one, I wondered why I took so long to get it! Remote releases don’t cost very much, but they’ll help keep your photos sharp, which is essential.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning a few landscape photography filters. Graduated neutral density filters allow you to capture a bright sky and a dark foreground in a single frame – though these days, many landscape shooters rely on HDR exposure blending to achieve the same result.

Then there are polarizing filters, which will reduce reflections on wet rocks, lakes, waves, and foliage. They’re great if you plan to shoot a lot of water and forest photos, but they’re not absolutely essential, so it’s up to you whether you want to invest. And neutral density filters block out the light so you can lengthen your shutter speed to produce beautiful long-exposure effects. While you won’t need one of these right away, they’re certainly worth keeping in mind for the future!

4. Choose the right settings

Once you have the right gear, know how to find good locations, and are familiar with different types of light, you’ll need to understand key landscape photography settings.

Unfortunately, there are no formulas for creating perfect shots – each new scenario should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis – but I can offer some handy guidelines.

First, you’ll generally want everything in your scene to be in focus. I’d encourage you to switch your camera to Manual mode, then dial in an aperture setting of at least f/8 (and potentially f/11 or even f/16 if the scene features a lot of depth). Then focus your lens about a third of the way into the landscape scene to approximate the hyperfocal distance and maximize sharpness.

(It can help to initially use your camera’s autofocus, then switch your lens to focus manually once you’ve set focus correctly. That way, you don’t need to worry about your camera refocusing as you make adjustments to your settings.)

Once your aperture has been set, you’ll want to choose your ISO. An ultra-low ISO is basically always best; I’d recommend setting your ISO to 100 (or your camera’s lowest native setting) and keeping it there. That way you can avoid unpleasant digital noise effects and retain as much detail and dynamic range as possible.

Next, you’ll need to set your shutter speed. Since you’ll have already dialed in an aperture and an ISO, you should simply choose a shutter speed that produces a good exposure. Depending on the light levels, you may need to drop your exposure to a couple of seconds (or more) to get a good shot, and that’s okay. In fact, lengthy shutter speeds can produce beautiful long-exposure effects; water turns soft and silky, while clouds stretch out across the sky.

Note that if your shutter speed is too long for your tastes (for instance, you want to capture blowing trees or crashing waves in sharp detail), you can widen your aperture or raise your ISO, but do so sparingly – such adjustments come with a cost!

One final settings tip: Make sure that you set your camera to capture RAW files, not JPEGs. RAW files are bigger and require processing, but they retain far more detail and are easier to edit, so it’s essential that you shoot in RAW.

5. Review and post-process your landscape photos

Once you return from a shoot, download your images and peek at the results. You’ll want to purchase some form of editing software (I recommend Adobe Lightroom Classic), and you should use it to organize your images. Put the successful photos in one folder, put the unsuccessful photos in another folder, and choose your absolute best shots from the “Successful” file to be edited. (You may find that you’ll shoot 100 images and only a couple are worthy of editing, and that’s okay!)

Editing might seem difficult, but it mostly just involves a lot of experimentation. My best advice is to take your time and test out each effect. Make sure you adjust the white balance to neutralize any problematic color casts, fiddle with different exposure and tonal sliders to bring out plenty of detail, and try boosting the colors and contrast to add a bit of punch.

Note that if you come up with an editing effect that you like, you can generally save it as a preset so you can use it again and again (though the specifics will depend on your editing program).

And if you struggle at first to edit your landscape photos, don’t worry. You’ll quickly become familiar with the different effects, and before you know it, you’ll be adjusting those editing sliders like a pro.

Landscape photography for beginners: final words

Landscape photography is incredibly satisfying, and with the right approach, the rewards are often unreal. Of course, you have no control over the weather or the light, and the conditions won’t always work out – but when they do, you’ll feel exhilarated!

At the end of the day, the most important tip is to take your time. Don’t rush the process, and don’t pack up until you’re certain you cannot get a better shot. Always go out and have fun. Even if the light doesn’t play along or the weather isn’t what you hoped for, you can use an outing as a practice session. Pretty soon, you’ll be capturing those breathtaking scenes with ease!

What type of landscape photography do you plan to shoot? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Landscape Photography for Beginners: A Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Barry J Brady.

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5 Fun and Festive Holiday Photography Ideas (+ Tips)

The post 5 Fun and Festive Holiday Photography Ideas (+ Tips) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lara Joy Brynildssen.

Holidays in the Northern Hemisphere can be a bleak time of year for photographers. Daylight hours are short, temperatures drop, and the leaves have fallen off the trees. Luckily, in December, cities and suburbs are decorated with a blaze of holiday lights and color – so even if you’d rather spend time indoors, I encourage you to head outside and create some beautiful and colorful holiday images.

What types of photos can you capture? While you can always just set off with your camera and explore, I’ve come up with a list of several festive holiday photography ideas to get you inspired – so read this article, put on a warm coat, and enjoy the holiday season!

1. Search for stunning colors

Over-the-top holiday decorations are filled with color. Stores like Macy’s use festive decorating as a way to lure customers into the store, and it’s a lure for photographers, too. You can photograph the splashes of color in the window displays, and you can even venture inside (especially if you want to get out of the cold!).

Just look at this red lighting:

If you shoot outside during the day, you can work handheld without issue. However, if you want to capture the colors in the windows at night, you’ll need to bring a tripod or work with a camera that offers excellent high-ISO capabilities. If you decide to shoot handheld in low light, you’ll need to crank up that ISO, often to around 1600 or more.

If you photograph inside stores, you can stay near the windows for brighter light, or you can head deeper into the store. You won’t be able to bring a tripod – this is a big no-no in most establishments – so you’ll need to do your best to keep your hands steady while you work.

By the way, in addition to the riot of holiday color, stores are filled with signage, bright spotlights, and people so be creative when you compose your images. Try some unusual perspectives to help you avoid distracting elements.

Sometimes it helps to zoom in when you compose. Don’t worry about fitting the entire subject into your frame. Instead, move around and find a composition with repeating elements:

If you don’t have a big department store to explore, that’s okay; just head to your local shopping mall or main street shopping district. Shop owners work hard to make their storefronts look beautiful! Again, think outside the box when you compose your images. Don’t be afraid to try different angles, have fun testing out various bokeh effects (especially when holiday lights are involved), and just do your best to create unique shots!

2. Look for lights

Cities are amazing locations for holiday photowalks, not least because of the lights. If you live in or near a big city, be sure to take a tripod to the large parks and plazas that usually have lighted trees. Super large outdoor trees make great focal points, and they also make great backdrops because the twinkly lights can blur into beautiful bokeh. (Just make sure you use a longer lens – 50mm is a good focal length – and a wide aperture such as f/1.8.)

When shooting in the city, arrive just before dusk to observe your location and find good backgrounds. A great time to shoot the holiday lights is the hour after sunset because the sky is a lovely shade of blue and it’s bright enough to capture images of people. That said, you may want to break out your tripod – or, if you want to freeze people in action, crank up your ISO.

For this next shot, I was planning to photograph the skaters on the rink below the promenade. Yet this couple looked so beautiful bathed in golden light that I couldn’t help but take their picture.

A really fun holiday photography idea is to focus on a lighted tree branch, especially if the bulbs are unusual. You’ll want to search for an isolated tree branch with a clean background. Then open your aperture to its widest setting – preferably f/1.8 or f/1.4 – and let the more distant bulbs dissolve into soft, round circles:

By the way, scenes filled with white twinkly holiday lights look great in color – but they look gorgeous in black and white, too. For images like these, the trick is to underexpose slightly, so your histogram looks like this:

You see, those white twinkly lights are bright, and if you expose too far to the right, they’ll look blown out in your final image. By underexposing and keeping your histogram stacked to the left, you may lose a bit of detail in the shadows, but since the goal is to capture the twinkly lights, it’s more important you retain detail in the highlights.

If you’re primarily interested in capturing the lights in their environment, setting your camera on a tripod is the way to go. But if you’re trying to photograph the lights along with moving subjects (e.g., a group of people), crank up your ISO and do some handholding.

3. Photograph the holiday flora

Most macro photographers despair when winter comes around. However, the holidays offer an exciting assortment of plants and flowers that are great for holiday photoshoots!

You can often find large holiday blooms in botanical gardens, and you can also find plenty of poinsettias, red berries, and pine trees out and about (on street corners, hanging on shop doors, etc.). I’d recommend working with your closest-focusing lens (while a dedicated macro lens is generally best, standard 50mm lenses often offer surprisingly high maximum magnifications). Then choose a smaller aperture and have plenty of close-up fun!

If you prefer a softer-focus, artistic-style look, try widening your aperture so that only a small portion of the flower is in focus.

Of course, you can also buy holiday bouquets at your local grocery store, then create a little home-studio setup and see what you can capture.

One more tip: While the most festive images tend to feature bright holiday blooms, I’d also encourage you to seek out darker and moodier images. Look for snow piled up on wreaths, dying leaves hanging off trees, and tiny plants poking out of the ice. These photos won’t exactly bring the holiday cheer, but they’ll help capture the contrast between the brightly lit streets and the cold, dark winter.

4. Capture miniature scenes

Miniature Norman-Rockwell-like villages crop up everywhere during the holidays. For some folks, these models are family heirlooms and setting them up each year is an important holiday rite. If you have a friend who sets up one of these treasured villages every December, ask if you can come on over and photograph it for them.

You can also find exquisite miniature scenes in public places, like the Winter Wonderland Express at the Chicago Botanic Garden:

The key to successfully photographing miniature scenes is to shoot from eye level and to find a specific focal point, like the train in the image above. This viewpoint successfully highlights all the tiny, intricate details.

And if you can’t find any miniature scenes or you don’t feel like leaving the house, you can always create one using props! Find a crystal orb, place it in front of your holiday display, and watch as the scene is compressed and flipped:

To create such an image, you may need to experiment a bit with the orb’s position. Move it around, set it on tables and shelves, and see what it reflects. And once you find a great reflected composition, set your camera on the same level as the orb. Focus on the scene in the orb and let the background blur away. For the image above, I used f/16 for crisp orb details, but you can always experiment with f/8 or even f/4. Since you’ll be shooting indoors, you’ll probably want to choose a longer shutter speed – mine was two seconds – and a tripod or another sturdy method of support is recommended to prevent motion blur from shaky hands.

5. Photograph music

Buskers and musicians abound during the holidays, and if you’re lucky, you can find a few of them even on a short photowalk. You can make street-photography-style portraits of musicians, or you can photograph the broader scene, with the festive lights and starstruck onlookers.

In this first image, the background was more cluttered than I would have liked, but the harpist’s face was so angelic as she sang that I had to capture the moment. If you’re planning to take this type of candid shot, you’ll probably want to handhold your camera so you can avoid attracting attention. Again, make sure you keep your ISO high if you’re shooting in low light and widen your aperture for a smoother background. (This is the perfect opportunity to try a 50mm prime lens and experiment with wide apertures, such as f/1.8, f/2, or f/2.8.)

Alternatively, you can embrace a slower shutter speed and let the motion blur work for you. Think of it as seeing the music! The shot below is intentionally blurry because I wanted to show the energy and enthusiasm of the brass band:

To make your image look this way, focus on a key element but intentionally set a slow shutter speed. Try 1/10s to start, evaluate the level of blur, and then readjust as needed to get the right look. There is no right or wrong here; just keep experimenting until you get a shot you’re pleased with!

Holiday photography ideas: final words

These five ideas are just a few of the many ways you can make fun and beautiful images during the holidays. Of course, if you plan to shoot outside, don’t forget to dress warm and stop often for hot cocoa!

Do you have more great ideas for capturing the holiday season? Share them in the comments below!

The post 5 Fun and Festive Holiday Photography Ideas (+ Tips) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lara Joy Brynildssen.

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