REAL ESTATE
Residential, Commercial, Interiors
LANDSCAPE
Landmarks, Cityscape, Urban, Architectural
FOOD
Hotels, Restaurants, Advertising, Editorial
PORTRAIT
Traditional, Glamour, Lifestyle, Candid
PRODUCT
Studio, Lifestyle, Grouping
EVENT
Conference, Exhibition, Corporate
FASHION
Portrait, Catalog, Editorial, Street
TRAVEL
Landscape, Cityscape, Documentary
SPORT
Basketball, Football, Golf
CONCERT
STILL
STREET
One challenge faced by all landscape photographers, especially when shooting with wide-angle lenses, is creating order out of the chaos that often appears in complicated, expansive vistas. Failing that, your images can be confusing because the viewer is unsure exactly where to look.
Don’t worry if you’re struggling with this task because we’ve got you covered in this quick tutorial from instructor Jalen Oban who says, “I’ll break down simple yet effective tips that will help you easily elevate your landscape composition skills.” He’s a pro based in the Pacific Northwest to whom we turn to often for helpful techniques when shooting in the field.
Oban’s goal is to make composition feel effortless by demonstrating foolproof techniques that simplify complex scenes and improve the impact of your work. He describes conventional “rules” with you may be familiar, like finding leading lines, as well as other less-common methods that he relies upon himself.
These tips are appropriate for photographers of all skill levels and can be easily achieved with whatever camera you use—including an iPhone or an Android equivalent. Oban says that when he refers to the subject of a given photograph, “I’m referring to the key point of interest or what you want the viewer to see when they look at your image.”
When arriving on location many photographers instantly begin shooting without following Oban’s #1 suggestion; namely, taking a few moments to scrutinize the surroundings to “look around,” pick and choose, and identify what you like about the scene, so you can thoughtfully frame the shot with intention.
And remember that “you don’t have to fit everything you see into a single image.” In fact, striving to do so is usually a big mistake. That’s because all-encompassing compositions often lead to a clash of interests and unbalanced photos. So start broad and gradually narrow-down the focal point until you arrive at a compelling composition that simply cannot be ignored.
With this important strategy out of the way, it’s now time for Oban’s practical examples of different styles of effective composition that are easy to put to work—all illustrated by Oban’s compelling imagery that’s sure to inspire you to refine these methods to suit your specific needs.
Once you’re done watching head over Oban’s instructional YouTube channel that’s full of other tips and techniques that will work wonders for everyone who shoots in the great outdoors. Then get out there this weekend and experiment with your newfound skills.
We also recommend watching a tutorial we featured with another accomplished pro who demonstrates how he transforms boring landscape and nature photographs from meh to WOW by creating an awe-inspiring Golden-Hour effect in Lightroom Classic.
There’s no doubt that Apple makes cutting-edge products, but when it comes to revealing how they work, well, not so much. That’s why we often turn to experts like Evan Ranft to demonstrate the finer points for taking advantage of the iPhone’s advanced camera features.
An Atlanta-based pro, Ranft has a portfolio full of spectacular landscape and cityscape images, and he’s also a very adept instructor. In this eye-opening episode he demonstrates everything necessary for choosing the best iPhone camera setting for different situations, along with the workflow he recommends.
Ranft is using the powerful iPhone 16 Pro, but much of what you’ll learn in the next 11-minutes is appropriate for other models as well. So if you want to shoot more than just snapshots with your fancy mobile device, pay close attention and jot down a few notes because his tips fly by in a hurry.
This is Ranft’s goal for today: “I’m going to give you a step-by-step breakdown of how to make the most of the iPhone camera to capture the best possible images, including the importance of shooting in Raw.” He begins with configuring the camera, and the first step is scrolling down to Camera in the settings panel, clicking on Formats, and activating ProRaw & Resolution Control.
Then when you click on Pro Defaults, a number of other powerful options are revealed. “This is the stuff Apple talks about in their marketing materials” without detailed information about how the features work. When using the iPhone 16 Pro be sure to enable the setting identified as ProRaw Max (up to 48 MP) so that your images contain the maximum amount of data.
You’ll also learn a quick trick for automatically shrinking these large files when you want to email them as Jpegs.
Ranft then jump to composition settings like Grids and the very helpful Level tool for keeping those horizons straight. Now it’s time to open the camera and learn a variety of shooting aids like Exposure Compensation and other options that you’ll want to understand when using the Raw file format.
We’re now only midday through this comprehensive lesson, and Ranft has much more solid advice to impart for taking mobile photography to the next level. Once he’s done head over to his popular YouTube Channel where you’ll fine instructional videos on a wide range of topics no matter whatever camera you own.
We also recommend watching a tutorial we featured recently with another accomplished pro who demonstrates several simple techniques for composing perfectly exposed outdoor photographs when shooting in harsh and contrasty midday light.
At Sharp Frame Media, we take pride in helping real estate agents, builders, and property managers elevate their listings with high-quality media. If you’ve worked with us before, you know the value of stunning photography, immersive virtual tours, and captivating video content. Now, we want to reward you for sharing the benefits with others!
We’re excited to introduce our Referral Program, designed to thank our loyal clients for recommending our services. Whether you’re a real estate agent referring a colleague or a property manager connecting a fellow professional, you can earn credits towards your next media shoot, just by spreading the word!
Real estate is a competitive industry, and professional media is a key investment in standing out. By referring others to us, you earn credits that help reduce your marketing costs while still delivering high-quality visual content for your listings.
Your referral isn’t just about getting rewarded—it’s about helping other professionals improve their listings and attract more buyers. Whether it’s through professional photography, videography, Matterport 3D tours, or Zillow Showcase, they’ll get access to top-tier services that make their properties shine.
There’s no cap on how many referrals you can make, which means you can stack your credits and save even more on your future media shoots.
There’s If you’ve had a great experience with Sharp Frame Media, don’t keep it to yourself, share it with your network and get rewarded! Have questions? We’d love to help! Visit www.SharpFrameMedia.com or contact us today to see how we can become your partner to success.
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Sharp Frame Media is a 5-star rated real estate media agency servicing Dallas-Fort Worth, and surrounding cities in Texas. Founded in 2015 on the values of craftsmanship, service, and partnership. As a veteran-owned company, our mission is driven by our commitment to unmatched service.
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