Mountains are arguably the most popular subject in landscape photography but simply having a mountain in your frame isn’t enough. There are many elements to consider when photographing mountains such as their shape, the balance of your composition, the terrain, whether it’s snow-covered, rocky, or forested and most importantly, the light.
In this guide, I’ll also show you how to photograph mountains from above using a drone, and I’ll take you through some of the most iconic mountains in landscape photography. You’ll learn what makes them such compelling subjects, the challenges you might face when shooting them, and how to overcome those obstacles to capture really amazing photos.
Balance and Symmetry
How do you create balance in a mountain image? Imagine a mountain positioned in the center of the frame. Sounds perfect, right? Most of the time it is, especially when the foreground leads directly to the mountain. But in that case when the mountain is centered, you don’t want to have a large waterfall on the left side and nothing on the right of the mountain. That creates an unbalanced photo since there’s too much visual weight on the left. In situations like this, it’s often better to position the mountain slightly to the right of center instead.
It may be barely noticeable but the mountain is positioned slightly to the right to balance the waterfall.
Another way to create balance in a mountain image is through the use of light. If the sun is setting on the right side, it adds visual weight in that direction. You can then place the mountain slightly to the left of center to counterbalance it. How far off-center depends on how strong the light is. For example, if a sunstar is visible, that’s a very strong element — it may require placing the sun even farther from the center to keep the image balanced.
As this image has a sunstar the sun is positioned to the far right with the mountain to the left to create balance.
Symmetry in the mountain’s shape can also naturally create balance, at least in the background. Our eyes recognize symmetry instantly. Humans and animals are also symmetrical, although not perfectly, which is likely why we respond to it so intuitively in images.
Leading Lines to The Mountain
• Rivers seen from above are in most cases the strongest and most important leading line. Rivers reflect the light and the line of the river guides the viewer's eye through the frame better than anything else. A river can be discovered by using Google Earth - unlike other smaller foreground elements. This makes it perfect for trip preparation. Keep in mind that the light is important when shooting a river. The river either needs to reflect the light - in that case the sun needs to be in the frame or on the sides. Or the river needs to have enough white foam (which is often the case with a strong river) to make it bright enough.
This image from Iceland is the perfect example of a river leading to the background and reflecting the sun.
• The white foam from water streams is important when standing in or next to the river. When using a long exposure (can be anything from 1/10 of a second to minutes) the white foam can turn into a leading line. The key to success is to try different exposure times. Slow moving water can often use a longer exposure while fast moving water can be better with a shorter exposure. A shorter exposure gives more water details and a longer exposure makes it more soft and smooth. The other important rule is to take many exposures since every water photo will be the same. You then have to pick the photo with the best leading line. Roughly a hundred photos is a good number.
The white foam is key for creating leading lines using long exposure.
• You can find incredible leading lines in a single stone/rock or use multiple stones as leading lines. Some areas have stones with many leading lines, like Saudi Arabia, while other areas have stones where leading lines are more difficult to find. Finding leading lines in stones often requires a lot of scouting and a good eye for detail.
You can take epic photos like this on our Saudi Arabia Photo Tour!
• Cracked mud can create some incredible leading lines. They appear after rainfall, when sand turns into mud. In dry and hot areas they already appear in 24 hours. After that they continue to form with bigger cracks. At the same time they become more deteriorated due to the exposure of the elements. When you have a field of cracked mud you want to find a spot where you have a leading line to the mountain. This can be a challenge since there are so many lines going all directions. In the images below you can see the mud-cracks on the left are drier and the surface of the mud is more messy. While the mud-cracks on the right are more fresh creating a smoother surface and more dramatic look. The ones on the left are still useable but the older and drier they get the more messy the surface area becomes. This makes the composition less compelling as the eye gets distracted, so big clean cracks are what you want to aim for!
Both images taken in Kazakhstan 2025.
Pointy and Sharp
Sharp, pointy shapes are hardwired in the human brain as symbols of danger, power, and clarity. In contrast, round or lumpy shapes tend to be perceived as soft, gentle, and more passive—they often blend into the background rather than stand out.
When we look at a jagged, spiky mountain, it feels almost unreachable and wild. That sense of inaccessibility adds to its dramatic appeal in a photograph. Compare that to a more rounded mountain, which might seem easier to climb but often lacks that same visual impact.
A good comparison example is the mountains of Monte Fitz Roy in Argentina and Drei Zinnen in Italy. Both are iconic, but Fitz Roy tends to be more visually striking. While many factors contribute to a mountain's photogenic quality, the sharpness plays a major role. Fitz Roy features an aggressively pointed peak and surrounding spires. From the face of the mountain Fitz Roy is a 10 out of 10.
Taken from the face of Monte Fitz Roy the sharp peaks are on fully dispay.
From a slight angle Monte Fitz Roy is also 10 out of 10 as the shapes of the peaks remain striking and dominant.
Taken from a slight angle, Monte Fitz Roy peaks are still pointy.
Drei Zinnen, though beautiful, has a more rounded, softer top that feels less imposing. That doesn't mean it is a bad mountain shape for photography, not at all! With Drei Zinnen, you have to shoot it from the side for it to become 10 out of 10.
Taken from the side of Drei Zinnen the peaks become more striking. Taken during out Dolomites Autumn Tour!
The face of Drei Zinnen it is more like an 8 out of 10, especially when you compare it to the sharp pointy peaks of Monte Fitz Roy.
Taken from the face of Drei Zinnen the peaks become softer.
Symmetry
Creating symmetry with a single, small pointy peak is relatively easy. But when you're dealing with larger mountains or multiple peaks in one frame, things get more complex. These peaks often vary in elevation, making it harder to achieve perfect symmetry.
The good news is, you don’t need perfect symmetry. What matters more is balance. The composition should feel harmonious, with the peaks visually balancing each other on either side. Often, placing the tallest peak near the center (or just off-center) helps, with neighboring peaks gradually decreasing in height as they move outward. This creates a natural sense of flow and symmetry, even if the shapes themselves aren’t identical.
That said, there are always exceptions. A great example is Cerro Torre in Patagonia. It breaks many compositional “rules” but remains incredibly photogenic due to its striking prominence against its surroundings.
Cerro Torre with a double lenticular cloud on top on a stormy summer evening.
Snow-covered
Not all mountains need to be snow-covered to look impressive. Just think of the dramatic, jagged peaks in China’s Yellow Mountains (Mount Huangshan) or the Dolomites during summer—they’re just as interesting even without snow.
That said, snow often does add a lot of visual impact. Take the volcanoes of the Atacama Desert, for example: when their peaks are dusted with snow, they tend to photograph much better, with a strong contrast against the dry, barren landscape.
But it’s not just whether there’s snow—it’s also how the snow sits on the mountain. In ranges like the Andes or the Himalayas, snow often clings to steep, nearly vertical walls. This creates rich texture, deep shadows, and intricate ridgelines that make the mountain look more dramatic and detailed in photos.
The white giants of Peru are a great example of snow striations giving texture to the mountain.
Has Layers
When you shoot a mountain from ground level, the shape and symmetry are most important. Layers are more important when shooting from a high viewpoint — but even when standing in the valley looking up at a mountain, it’s important that there are some layers on the sides.
The layers on each side of the sharp peak give it more shape, scale and add interest.
Is Catching the Light
How and whether a mountain catches light makes all the difference. If there’s no light hitting the mountain, it stays in shadow and doesn’t come alive. On the other hand, if the mountain is lit from a flat angle, it can appear as a bright, flat shape—lacking contrast, depth, and the play of shadows.
This mainly comes down to the mountain’s position relative to the sun. You can influence this by choosing the right season and deciding whether to shoot at sunrise or sunset. But the mountain’s shape also plays a big role. A massive, flat face will reflect light very differently than a peak with lots of ridges, textures, and varied surfaces.
Autumn (left) compared to summer (right) on Monte Fitz Roy at sunrise.
In the above example of Monte Fitz Roy, the image on the left is taken in autumn when the sun is coming from the right. Can you see the shadows on the left of each peak? This is how you know the sun is coming from the right. With the angle of the sun in autumn you can see more shadow and shape on the mountain during sunrise. The image on the right is taken in summer, also at sunrise. Because the angle is different the sun hits the face of the mountain more from the front. This makes the mountain appear flat and is generally unattractive. You need that shadow to give the mountain shape.
How to Shoot a Mountain Landscape From Above
When photographing a viewpoint from above, there are a few key rules to keep in mind. First, you need a leading line, often a river, though it can also be a glacier. That might sound limiting, but without one of these elements, the landscape often lacks direction. There’s nothing to guide the viewer’s eye through the composition. Of course, there are exceptions, such as an extraordinary view with striking layers! Or mountain shapes with dramatic light can sometimes carry the image on its own.
As you can see in the example image below you don’t always need a leading line.
Taken in the Himalayas of Nepal. A unique combination of dramatic mountains, layers and shape create an interesting and dramatic image.
If you are shooting a river or glacier from above it should ideally lead your eye into the background. In order to get this you need to find the location where the river is making a bend. Let's say from the lower right of your screen towards the middle - and then another bend back to the middle of the image. From there the river can lead towards the background. A river almost always goes in bends - which helps to add depth to the image as you can see each bend is getting smaller when it's going further away.
A bend in the river helps create visual interest for your to follow to the mountains beyond.
If the river doesn't make that bend, it doesn't lead towards the mountain as well. Sometimes though you can have a variant. For example when the river splits into two where one river is leading to the background and the other is leading to the side. In the below image the river on the left is leading to the background which is necessary to connect your eye with the mountains in the background. The river on the right connects with the sun. If there was only the river leading to the sun, it would lead your eye sideways and the image would lack depth.
It is rare that this sort of image presents itself as a lot of elements are required to make it balanced.
Sun and Light in a Landscape From Above
The sun is a great subject when shooting a mountain landscape from above. Have a look at the following images. Check out this article I wrote for more tips on How to Shoot into The Sun.
Taken in Iceland 2013.
The thing you'll notice in all these examples is that the sun functions as a subject. The mountains form a big landscape, but there is no single mountain that stands out on its own. Including the sun is often essential in these panoramic views. That’s why I always check, when scouting on Google Earth, for landscape views that include the sun in the frame.
Taken in Norway 2025.
If the view faces north and you're, for example, in the Alps, you won’t see the sun. However, if you're in Norway during the summer and facing north, it should be fine. Still, keep in mind that the sun needs to be high enough to shine into the valley when you're shooting. Otherwise, there will be no detail in the shadowed areas, and the sun will only blind your eyes.
Taken in Iceland 2013.
How high (or low) the sun can be when you're shooting also depends on the landscape. If there are high mountains all around and no valleys for the sunlight to reach, then the sun needs to be positioned higher. But a good viewpoint for photography usually takes this into account.
An example of a panorama which only partly meets this requirement is the following photo.
The sun sets around the valley - but the mountains are still pretty high. I shot it when the sun was pretty high because of that. If I would have shot it later then you would not have the light-rays on the left - and you would not have the same depth on other parts of the image.
Layers
Layers are essential to create depth. Besides depth they also create a point of interest.
This image consists for the most part of layers. In addition, you have lakes and a leading line to the sun.
The quality of the layers is defined by the number of layers, the space between them, and the light. The light can be considered good enough when the angle to the photographer (P) is 90 degrees or smaller—on each side (A). The total field of view in which the light is good is 180 degrees. The 90 degrees around the camera is where you find the best light (B)—this usually means the sun will be in the frame. This is further explained in another article I wrote "The Elements of a Strong Composition in Landscape Photography | Part II".
Leading Rivers in Drone Photography
Drone photography has a huge advantage over photography with your camera. You can go above any river and are not dependent on the limited options the surrounding mountains offer you. When you use your drone to shoot a river, I always use the following rules:
• Look for a part where the river leads toward the mountain. This is the case when the last part of the river ends up underneath or somewhere near the base of the mountain. The river doesn’t have to reach the mountain directly—there can be a gap beneath it without any river, which is often the case. However, when you follow the river's direction into the background, it should lead toward the mountain.
As you can see the leading line of the river is strong even though it doesn't lead all the way to the mountain.
• Where the river makes many bends. This is not only important because it adds depth and makes the image look more interesting. It is also needed to fill the frame. If the river makes 1 or 2 nice bends on the lower part of the frame (where the river visually begins) but it goes all the way to the side of the frame before it goes back to the middle, you end up with an empty space. The river is basically the main subject together with the mountain. There are no flowers or trees here you can use to fill the frame.
• Where the start of the river is on a side (either left or right). Pick a spot with your drone where the river comes from a corner. When you do a panorama, make sure you look at the mountain first — make sure the mountain is centered or has the position in your frame you want it to be — then lower the gimbal until it meets the start of the river. Then move your drone without moving the gimbal on its x-axis (so left to right) until you are happy with the position of the river. The small movement of the drone will not have an effect on where the mountain will end up in the frame — as long as you don't move the gimbal x-axis.
Here the river is leading from left to right, so keeping the mountain centered is best.
• Where your elevation is not too high above the river — this is the case when the bends all fit into 2 to 3 photos as a panorama (with 30% overlap). The lower you go, the better, but that comes with some negative consequences. One, you will lose parts of the river in the distance. The higher you go, the more of the river (bends) you can see in the distance. When there are trees, small mountains, or other obstacles around, you often need to go higher. Also, many rivers are curved into the landscape. The other negative consequence of going very low is that you miss the layers in the background, but this is different in each landscape. For example, in some landscapes like the Dolomites or the Alps, you need to go very high in order to see more layers. Going a few hundred meters lower or higher doesn't make much of a difference. In Iceland, on the other hand, the mountains are not so high (in the Highlands at least) — here, any difference in elevation has a much bigger effect on the number of layers you will see. In the end, it is about finding a sweet spot
Best Locations in The World for Mountain Photography
The Dolomites
The Dolomites doesn't need much introduction – almost every landscape photographer has seen many photos from this UNESCO World Heritage Site in Italy. This mountain area was once a seabed. The rock formations once were coral and shell deposits. Millions of years ago, tectonic plate collisions (Europe and Africa) shifted the whole thing upwards. The area is now known for epic towering mountains surrounded by forests, flowers, and... tourists. Yes, social media has unfortunately led to a massive increase in tourism.
The good news for landscape photographers is that they are not there during sunrise and sunset in summer.
I always get something new in The Dolomites like this shot from Drei Zinnen in 2025.
Is it still worth visiting the Dolomites as a landscape photographer for those who want unique shots? I would say yes. The area is not that big, but still big enough to find new locations and find different compositions at already known spots.
The Dolomites have great infrastructure, which means you can basically go anywhere by car, and in addition, small to medium hikes are needed to get you to the spot.
Read more about the Dolomites in my Ultimate Dolomites Photography Guide.
Even though I have shot Alpe di Siusi many times before, the different weather conditions keep it interesting.
Why are the Dolomites so good and unique for mountain photography?
• Jagged peaks like no other mountains.
• Incredible variety of flowers in summer season.
• Beautiful fall colors in Autumn.
• Great infrastructure (both roads and trails), which makes it easy to get to the spot.
• Incredible photography conditions in summer – a mix of rain, clouds, and sun.
Difficulties:
• The popularity on social media brings many people here.
• Finding new comps and spots requires some exploring.
• Waterfalls and streams are limited due to the sedimentary carbonate rock – which means that when it rains the water goes straight into the ground and doesn't stay on the surface for long.
All you have to do is look around you and you will find something incredible to shoot!
Patagonia
Now, Patagonia doesn't need much introduction either, obviously. Even though Patagonia is a giant area, almost all the footage has been shot from only a few spots. The mountains have been formed by a combination of plate collisions and glaciations. The Patagonian Ice Sheet has been formed by the accumulation of snow. Most of the snowfall comes from the west.
While the area is giant, with impressive fjords, mountains, and forests, there are a few areas that stand out for landscape photography. One is the area around Monte Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre — inside Los Glaciares National Park. The town of El Chaltén in Argentina is the start of your adventure here. This area is so good — and maybe the best — for landscape photography because the mountains Monte Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre are unique, spectacular, and made for photography. The shape of Monte Fitz Roy is pointy, spectacular, symmetrical (to some extent), high, and catches the light beautifully at sunrise. The mountain Cerro Torre has a unique shape, with multiple vertical mountain walls and spires. The light on this mountain is a bit more difficult. Indirect light (glow) works better, in my opinion, on this mountain. Around these mountains on the east side, you will find a mixture of Andean Patagonian forests, lakes, rivers, and smaller mountains.
The sharp peaks of Cerro Torre are featured here through the flaming forest in autumn.
Another popular and great area is Torres del Paine in Chile. Specifically, Nordenskjöld Lake with the Cordillera del Paine is incredible for landscape photographers. You won't find as many (alive) trees in this area due to wildfires ten years ago, but the dead trees, the stormy weather hitting the lakes, and the possible presence of guanacos make this area a world-class destination for landscape photography.
The mountains of Torres del Paine often catch the light well at sunrise and sunset.
Why is Patagonia so good for mountain photography?
• The best mountains in the world: Monte Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre, Torres del Paine
• The best forests in the world for landscape photography
• The best weather conditions in the world for landscape photography
Difficulties
• Outside these areas, Patagonia is difficult to explore — you need a boat to reach the fjords
• The weather can be difficult — no view of mountains for days
• Being unique is not easy, since it has been shot so often
Peruvian Andes
This area is incredible for mountain photography, and it is not nearly as popular as many other locations. This is slowly changing as we speak, and it seems more photographers are making their way there now. I certainly wasn't the first to visit Peru — but I consider myself the landscape photographer who has been there the most (9 times and counting).
The scale of the snow-capped mountains is so impressive in Peru.
The area is incredible for landscape photography because it has giant, snow-covered mountains. The mountains are uniquely shaped, sharp peaks, stand-alone, with snow and ice textures on top. Another great element here is the weather. The Andes here have a sub-tropical climate, with a nice mixture of clouds and sun during the months of May and June.
When you go, for example, to the Himalayas (another high mountain area), the weather is always difficult, with clear skies in the morning and too many clouds in the afternoon.
Last but not least, Peru has many beautiful wildflowers and interesting plants. This makes it ideal to explore for foreground. You can take incredible photos like this one below on our Peru Photo Tour!
Valley's of lupin flowers make for the perfect dreamlike foreground.
Why is Peru so good for landscape photography?
• Incredible mountains — their shapes and snow/ice textures
• Incredible mountain weather — both dramatic and stable conditions
• Beautiful wildflowers
Difficulties
• The high elevation requires acclimatization
• Location knowledge is required — knowing which areas and spots are best to shoot
• Limited infrastructure and accommodation — best to go on a photo tour (LINK)
Final Thoughts
Great mountain photography is all about balance, symmetry and understanding strong mountain shapes. I hope through this blog you will have learned more about the mountains which I love so much. Once you learn how to master these elements you will always look more critically at the mountains you see. Remember that light, elevation, and choosing the right vantage point all help transform the composition too.
Max Rive is most driven by seeking new perspectives in the natural world and capturing them in his own distinguished style. Max's powerful portrayals of his interactions with the mountains has earned him international recognition in the outdoor community.
Madison McCardle is a passionate landscape photographer driven by curiosity and a desire to capture the true essence of each place she explores. Through her lens, she seeks new perspectives that reveal the beauty and authenticity of the world.
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