Landscape Photo Pixley Falls 1 created by Landscape Photographer Melissa Fague

Flowing Water

There are many options to landscape photographers when it come to photographing water. If there is a river, creek, or stream that flows through the landscape scene you are about to photograph, think about the characteristic of it and how you should convey those characters in the final photograph. A large, slow moving river has a completely different look and feel than a fast moving mountain stream with rocks and boulders. The characteristics of the water can be the point of interest in the photograph or it can serve as a complimentary element in your composition by using it as a leading line, as a horizontal line, or as a shape simply by moving around the scene during the photo shoot.

Landscape Photo Autumn Reflections created by Landscape Photographer Melissa Fague

While on the location look carefully for any reflections on the surface of the water too. You have the option for the reflections to enhance the landscape photo. For instance, the colored reflections of bright autumn leaves can sometimes enhance the landscape photos. Or you may find that the reflections on the surface of the water takes away from the landscape scene, if this is the case you can reduce the glare and reflections by using a polarizing filter. If you don’t have a filter, moving around the scene could help you with the options to include the reflections or eliminate the as well. Worst case scenario, you return to the location when the sun is at a different angle to the water.