We regularly feature tutorials from Danish pro Mads Peter Iversen who typically avoids discussions of gear, in favor of artistic considerations that will enable you to capture stunning landscape photos in the field with whatever equipment you currently own.

This episode concentrates on what Iversen calls “the seven biggest mistakes I see from amateur photographers.” After explaining what you may be doing wrong he provides straightforward solutions for getting things right when shooting in the field.

This lesson is all about capturing compelling images in the camera, so suspend your post-processing concerns for the next 16 minutes and see how you can elevate your “pre-processing” skills. What you’ll learn will prove immensely valuable for every image you shoot in the great outdoors.

The first mistake sounds simple (and there’s very easy compositional fix): “Not leaving enough breathing room for the elements in a photo,” particularly those near the edges of the frame. Iversen provides a few examples of “cramped” images, and he illustrates how much better they look with a slightly looser composition.

The second mistake occurs when you include too much “irrelevant” mid-ground when framing a shot. There are several ways to correct this common problem, including changing your vantage point, moving in closer, compressing perspective with a longer lens, or simply shooting with the camera low to the ground. Iversen’s images illustrate this mistake as well as a variety of other solutions.

The third mistake is a strange one, especially from a committed and long-time landscape photographer, but here it is: “Using a tripod too much, especially when it’s not needed.” Iversen says that while a tripod is a fantastic tool, there are times when it can slow you down and keep you from finding the best possible composition.

Using a tripod in low light situations is a no-brainer. It is also important once you found a composition and you want to steady the camera while bracketing exposures. Other times, not so much.

There are still four errors and solutions to go, so be sure to watch this lesson until it concludes. As the video progresses you’ll quickly realize that there’s nothing complicated about the fixes that Iversen provides. In fact, all that’s required is a few simple tweaks in how you perceive the landscape and adjust the manner in which you compose and capture the scene.

Iversen instructional YouTube channel is full of great advice like this for outdoor photographers, so be sure to take a look.

And if your post-processing concerns become palpable, be sure to watch the tutorial we posted from an image-editing expert who explains when to use Contrast, Clarity, and Texture (or all three together) when editing your landscape photographs in Lightroom.

If you consistently capture landscape photos with colors that don’t portray the realistic vibrant tones you saw the viewfinder, it’s time to make a few changes to your editing workflow. This task may appear dauting at first, until you watch today’s quick tutorial Lightroom tutorial from the Focus Photo School YouTube channel.

The topic at hand is simple and straightforward: elevating color editing in Lightroom Classing using the oft-ignore Preset Amount Slider. Photographer David Marx extols the virtues of this technique by saying, “this powerful tool offers unparalleled control and flexibility, transforming color adjustments from a single-step process into a nuanced exploration of creative possibilities.”

Marx is an Adobe Certified Instructor dedicated to helping photographers of all skill levels make the most of their edits in Lightroom and Photoshop. In this episode he demonstrates why and how the Amount Slider is a “hidden gem” that you’ve been missing all along.” And it takes him less than 11 minutes to bring you up to speed.

As you may know, a Preset is nothing more than a saved set of Develop settings that you can quickly apply to any photo; where it’s in color or b&w. You can create Presets of yours own, purchase them online, and even modify the ones you already have to make them more suitable for a specific task.

Marx has several reasons for lauding the Amount slider, one of which is that it enables you to achieve a perfect tonal balance and avoid over-editing by making subtle yet impactful adjustments. Another important advantage of this tool is that it helps you make more informed decisions by comparing different shades and intensities until you find “the one that best complements the overall composition and narrative of your image.”

Marx patiently walks you through how all this works and he encourages you to explore a variety of alternative looks. In other words, there’s no “right” answer to any particular image, and a bit of experimentation is part of the game.

There’s one important qualification before you begin unleashing your creativity with this interesting method: The Amount Slider isn’t universally available throughout Lightroom’s myriad of post-processing capabilities. This means that the Calibration Panel, Lens Correction, and the Lens Blur panel do not currently support this option.

If you’re interested in more editing tricks be sure to watch the earlier tutorial we posted in which another pro demonstrates eight Lightroom tips that he says every “landscape photographer should understand.”

The most common goal when editing our landscape photos is to imbue images with vibrant colors and accurate exposures that enhance all the details of a scene. But what do you do when photos you capture look more like a snapshots—either because the light isn’t interesting or there’s nothing particularly captivating about the scene?

One simple technique for transforming “meh” into “wow” is adding some dramatic atmosphere that really grabs attention. In this tutorial you’ll learn how create natural-looking mist by using Masks and Curves while desaturating colors in Lightroom. The moody, misty effect demonstrated in this video is super easy to achieve, and drama is the name of the game.

Instructor Mark McGee is an accomplished portrait photographer who occasionally shoots landscapes when an opportunity arises, and “snapshots” are never his goal. He’s working on a color image in this lesson, but much of what you’ll learn can also make a big difference when editing b&w photographs that are lacking in impact.

The image at hand is dominated by the complimentary colors of red and green. McGee takes advantage of this by desaturating these tones individually, rather than by applying the adjustment to the entire image at once. He explains why this approach provides far more control to achieve look he’s after.

With color stripped out of the image the vivid red phone booth becomes far less prominent, and contrast is reduced. This enables McGee to accentuate other areas within the frame before reintroducing muted colors to the shot. The next step is combining Contrast with color separation.

McGee significantly pumps up the blacks while bringing down shadows, before restoring details in the bright sky. Then he adds a Graduated filter to darken the foreground. Along the way he explains the specific settings that are required.

The monochrome image has a lot more going for it that the original color shot lacked, and now it’s time to bring back specific colors and focus to his main subject. McGee cuts yellow tones and Luminance to prepare the image for his misty atmospheric effect that comes later.

McGee uses the Objects option to create a mask for the red phone booth in the front left portion of the shot. Then he bumps up Clarity on that focal point of the scene. The last step before adding atmosphere to the image is a final bit of straightforward color grading.

The “fun part” of the edit now begins; namely adding realistic-looking mist. McGee walks you through the step-by-step process for completing the dramatic transformation.

We encourage you to watch a related tutorial we posted earlier from another adept photographer who explains when and how to use Contrast, Clarity, and Texture tools to improve landscape photographs.