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At first glance, landscape photography might seem like one of the easier genres of photography to pick up — after all, there are no models to pose, no crew to direct, no fast action to capture. Appearances can be deceiving, and if you’ve actually dabbled in landscape photography, you’ve no doubt realized that while the mountains and forests and deserts may not move and may not need any direction from you, capturing memorable landscape shots like the professionals is pretty difficult.
Sure — pointing a camera at a landscape is simple, but knowing when to go, where to go, and how to compose a photo to capture the subtle nuances of light and shadow is a challenge that photographers can spend years learning and refining their skills.
Although trial and error can definitely be a useful learning tool for landscape photographers, there’s something to be said for not wasting your time trying to reinvent the wheel, which is why building a photography library to learn from can be a great idea, especially since books are almost always cheaper than new camera gear! While your own personal style will be crafted through experience, studying the workflow and lessons of accomplished photographers can give you a well-rounded understanding of the principles and art of landscape photography.
These 10 books for learning about landscape photography are among the best, all written by talented landscape photographers and each offering something a bit different. You’ll find this list organized alphabetically by title and each link will take you to the Amazon listing for that book.
- The Art of Landscape Photography by Ross Hoddinott and Mark Bauer
- The Art, Science, and Craft of Great Landscape Photography by Glenn Randall
- Digital Black & White Landscape Photography: Fine Art Techniques from Camera to Print by Gary Wagner
- Digital Landscape Photography by John Gerlach and Barbara Gerlach
- Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Masters, 2nd Edition by Michael Frye
- Landscape Beyond: A Journey into Photography by David Ward and Joe Cornish
- Landscape Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots by Rob Sheppard
- Magic Light and the Dynamic Landscape by Jeanine Leech
- Mastering Landscape Photography by David Taylor
- National Audubon Society Guide to Landscape Photography, 2nd Edition by Tim Fitzharris
