01
From Idea to Photo
You can go out into the field and capture whatever comes your way, but you can also maximize your chances of success by following a structured workflow.
1.1 Pre-Work
To find high mountain viewpoints, Google Earth is an essential tool. However, it takes some practice to locate high-quality spots. Like with all things, results improve with experience and knowledge. For a detailed explanation of my Google Earth scouting workflow, I recommend My Trip Planning with Google Earth tutorial. This guide is filled with useful techniques, models, and information on how to find high-quality mountain viewpoints using Google Earth.
1.2 Background Subject First!
Let’s jump ahead to the point where you have already chosen your background subject (e.g. a mountain) and are ready to scout for a composition. Only start looking for a foreground once you are fully satisfied with the mountain's angle. Ask yourself: Does the mountain look its best? If not, move to an area where it appears more spectacular before spending time searching for a foreground. It is inefficient to find a foreground only to realize later that a different angle of the mountain works much better. Always take test photos from different angles to compare them.
1.3 Foreground Second
Once you are confident in the mountain’s angle, start scouting for a foreground. Tryto explore as many options as possible—don’t settle for the first foreground you find. You might come across something good initially, but something incredible later. I have a certain quality threshold for foregrounds before deciding whether to stay in an area. I take multiple test shots of different foregrounds. Even if there’s only a 1% chance of a good foreground, I still compose and shoot it. This serves as both a warm-up for your creative mind and an opportunity to discover something unexpected.
This often results in multiple potential compositions and spots. I review all the photos objectively—without distracting reflections on my screen—while trying to previsualize the light conditions during sunrise or sunset. If none of the foregrounds seem promising, move on to a new location. The available daylight will, of course, influence how much time you have for scouting.
1.4 Midground
When reviewing your scouting photos, don’t just assess the foreground—evaluate the entire composition, including the midground. For example, if two foregrounds are equally strong, but one has more depth in the midground, choose that one. A well-balanced midground adds dimension to your composition.
1.5 Previsualization of Conditions
As mentioned earlier, the light during scouting is often very different from actual shooting conditions. Try to previsualize the expected lighting and atmosphere. One alternative is to scout right before your shoot, as the conditions will be more accurate. However, this gives you less time to explore and limits your composition choices. Also, don’t just previsualize the shooting conditions—imagine the final edited result. Scouting photos can sometimes look unimpressive due to dark shadows, lens flare, or harsh lighting. Instead of judging the raw scouting image, focus on its potential after being captured under ideal conditions and edited properly.
I often make quick in-camera edits of my test photos to enhance dynamic range, helping me visualize the final result. If you plan to take a multi-shot panorama and your camera doesn’t support auto-stitching (except in JPEG mode, to my knowledge), I recommend using your smartphone to create a quick pano. This helps you get a better idea of the final composition.
02
My Comments About Tripods
A tripod is an essential part of a photographer’s gear—and for good reason. If the required shutter speed is too slow for a sharp handheld shot, you need a tripod. Simple as that. However, while a tripod makes it easy to compose and shoot the midground and background, the foreground is a different story. If you truly focus on every detail in the foreground, even the smallest change in camera position will affect the composition. That’s why I recommend not using a tripod while exploring. Instead, find the perfect camera position first, and only then set up your tripod. If you move to a new composition, start without the tripod and repeat the same process.
Tripod Recommendation
Make sure to get a tripod with a center column, as it allows for much easier height adjustments compared to models without one.
03
Composition Mistakes
Even the best photographers make mistakes, and learning from them is key to improvement. In this chapter, I’ll break down common compositional errors I’ve made and how they could have been avoided.
3.1 Unbalance
When too many subjects align along the same axis, like in the underneath photo, the composition lacks balance. The viewer's eye is drawn only to the center, making the image feel cluttered. Additionally, the scene appears too busy (1,2,3,4). The composition would be much stronger without the tree or plant (2) in the midground, as it is too close to the foreground plant (4) and also conflicts with the rock in the water (3).
3.2 Blocking Elements
At first glance, there may not seem to be anything wrong with this composition. However, if you look more closely at the middle part of the image, you might notice that this area does not harmonize well with the background mountain. This is because some trees are aligned along the same position on the y-axis as the mountain, creating a visual conflict.
3.3 Wrong Balance
The light is coming from the left side (1) and the person is also positioned on the left (2). This makes the composition feel too heavy on that side.
3.4 No space
This is a typical example of a high mountain view-point with a spectacular view, but the landscape lacks sufficient space. The mountain in the distance on the left appears as a stone wall, offering no clear direction or valleys to guide the viewer through. The balance between the sun on the right, the stone marker on the left, and the cruise ship below doesn't quite salvage the composition.
3.5 Unbalance II
There is empty sky on the left and a sun with trees on the right side of the mountain, creating an imbalance between the upper right and upper left.
3.6 Empty Spaces
This view has large empty spaces on both the lower left and right, lacking both depth and interest. The balance is also off, with the person adding too much weight to the leftside.
3.7 A 50/50 Split
The mountains on the left and the light on the right each cover about 50% of the frame. While the mountain faces towards the right, which is a positive aspect, there are no lines or elements connecting them. The lack of connection, combined with the 50% coverage of the frame, results in two separate images. The issue with the conditionsduring this sunset was that the colors were too distant from the mountains.
3.8 Unbalance and empty space example
The light is coming from the left, and another element on the left is the cabin. Although it’s a small object, it draws a lot of attention because it’s a human element. As a result, the balance in this panorama is not ideal, as something is missing on the right side. The pool in the foreground helps separate the flowers and breaks up the green/yellow landscape by reflecting the blues from the sky. However, the pool covers about 30% of the frame, which is too large to keep the viewer's attention. At the time, I was shooting with a camera that didn’t have a viewfinder. I also loved panoramas and believed that more is better in landscape photography.
3.9 Dead Space Example
This photo was taken at Oeschinensee at sunrise. While this location has good potential, it also has some problems that were exposed by the conditions and weather on this occasion. The mountain walls along the lake lack depth and interest. There are no visible layers, waterfalls, or colors. So why does this spot have potential? In early seasons (spring or early summer), the mountain tops are covered with more snow, which creates a nice separation and reduces the empty space. It also results in waterfalls that connect beautifully with the lake.
04
Conclusion
In landscape photography, preparation and a structured workflow are key to capturing compelling images in the field. By focusing on scouting, pre-visualization, and using tools like Google Earth, you can maximize your chances of success. Understanding when to prioritize background and foreground elements, experimenting with different angles, and anticipating lighting conditions will lead to more effective compositions. Additionally, optimizing gear use, like tripods, ensures sharp, balanced images. With practice, these techniques allow you to stay flexible and creative while capturing the best possible shots in any environment.
Share your experience, ask a question, or tell us what you would love to photograph.