Why shots work: Try a cinematic look for epic landscapes

Why do some photographs just work? By examining successful shots, and breaking down the factors that make them so effective, we can make improvements to our own photography.

While the most important thing when it comes to good photography is good technique, you also need the right tools with which to apply that technique. So here are five factors that make the above image work… 

1) Visual interest throughout
Landscapes come in many forms, but when you have a scene where there’s visual interest in the foreground, middle ground and the background (like there is here) the combination of a wide-angle lens, a narrow aperture and correct focusing captures pin-sharpness throughout the scene.

2) Exaggerated perspective
The limestone pavement at this location is much smaller than it looks but, by using a wide-angle lens, the foreground interest has been kept in shot and appears much longer due to exaggerated perspective. Getting in close and shooting wide is a great way to capture a scene dramatically.

3) Post-sunset light
Light is often most dramatic when the sun is just above the horizon, but it’s the light just before sunrise or after sunset that can be the most colorful. Here the blue hour has begun to set in, but the sky has picked up a pleasing pastel magenta that contrasts beautifully against the blue tones.

4) Great for stills as well as video
Although designed for making movies, the Panasonic Lumix S1H is also a very capable stills camera. Its 24.2MP sensor occupies a sweet spot for mirrorless camera resolutions, and those larger full-frame pixels will give good results at higher ISOs. Plus, the S1H’s ergonomic design includes a vari-angle rear screen that will make composing outdoor images a breeze when shooting from a tripod at half-height or lower.

5) A perfect partner, and also very sharp
Lumix full-frame cameras use the L-mount, which is compatible with Leica, Panasonic and Sigma optics. The Lumix S Pro 16-35mm f/4 offers a classic focal range for landscapes and balances superbly with the S1H’s body. In our lab testing, we found this lens’s center sharpness to be exceptional.

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