How to choose camera settings for mountain photography.
Learn how to set up your camera to capture wide-angle mountain ranges in all their splendor.
Taking a picture that encompasses literally miles of mountainous terrain, while still capturing all its majestic features, can be a difficult task. Make sure your camera’s ready for wide-angle shots with the right camera settings.
Capture alpine beauty with the right camera settings.
An entire mountain range contains a wealth of photographic detail. To capture these alpine details at their best, set your camera to aperture priority mode and adjust to these settings:
- Aperture — select between f/11 and /16. The narrower aperture (higher f-stop) will give you a wider depth of field, perfect for capturing an entire mountain without blur.
- ISO — go as low as possible, preferably between 100 and 200.
- Auto-focus point — use a single focus point and aim at the center of the mountain.
Since mountains don’t move around much, shutter speed isn’t a major priority when choosing camera settings for mountain photography. If you’re shooting with a handheld camera, base your shutter speed off your lens’s focal length. For example, if you’re shooting with a 35mm lens, keep the shutter speed faster than 1/30. You can use a slower shutter speed if you have a tripod.
Mountains are pretty big subjects, so it’s a good idea to use a lens with a short focal length, between 24mm and 35mm. That range will give you the wide-angle shot you need to capture the entire landscape.
Edit your mountain shots to perfection.
No matter which camera settings you use, mountain shots always look better after they’ve been processed with photo editors like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. Adjust shadows, colors, exposure, and much more to get the most rugged, natural beauty out of your mountain photos.
Discover more great photography tips for photographers of all skill levels. Explore how Photoshop and Lightroom can help you take your mountain photography to new creative peaks.