Landscape Photography online course | Learn Photographing Landscapes

STUDY THE ART and SCIENCE OF LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

Create inspirational Images of the Landscape

Explore and develop your creativity -capture the essence of landscape in your images.
Work in Photography, start a business or seek a job; or just follow a passion
Start anytime, self paced, 100 hours of study
Be guided by highly qualified and experienced professional photographers
Get a start by publishing your photos in our online student magazine

This Applies to all types of Landscapes

capture history, sunsets, water, land, sky, cities and country, beach and forest
learn specialised techniques
photographic terms
learn how to achieve sharpness
get feedback on your work from highly qualified and experienced photographers. Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Lesson Structure

There are 8 lessons in this course:

Introduction
- Different Approaches (realistic, impressionistic, abstract)
- Understanding the landscape (components, change)
- Lighting (Shooting into the sun, time of day, weather)
- Using Filters (Polarising, ultra violet, red, orange, yellow)
- Snapshots
- Equipment
- Camera settings (Shutter speed, aperture,)
- Introducing Digital Technology
- CCD’s
- Resources
The Main Principles
- Open view scenes
- Closed view scenes
- Rule of thirds
- Unity
- Balance
- Proportion
- Harmony
- Contrast
- Rhythm
- Line
- Form
- Mass
- Space
- Texture
- Colour
- Patterns
- Tone
- Other compositional components
- Camera Techniques
- Movement
- Depth of field
- Angles
- Framing the landscape
Creating Different Effects
- Landscape effects
- Sunrise and Sunset
- Weather effects
- Haze
- Mist
- Rain and Rainbows
- Storms
- Exposures for landscapes
- Sun
- Clouds
- Creating intense colour
- Creating different effects
- Scenic Photography
- Digital filter effects (Coloured pencil, fresco, sponge, blur, etc)
- Hue/Saturation
- Digital toning
Photographing Natural Areas
- Locations (Arid desert, Arctic ice flows, volcanic peaks, tropical rainforests, etc)
- Grasslands
- Forest
- Mountains
- Rural areas
- Tropical Rainforest
- Desert
- Wetlands
- Snow photography
- Coastal photography
- Photographing plants
- Compositional elements
- Lenses
- Shooting in bad weather
- Extreme temperature
- Extreme Cold
- Extreme heat and humidity
Photographing Streetscapes
- Modern buildings
- Historic buildings
- Viewpoints and perspective
- Equipment
- Photographing architecture at night
- Mirrors and reflections
- Exposure readings
- Converging lines
- Tips for architectural photos
- Tips for street photography
Photographing Water
- Water characteristics
- Reflections
- Exposures
- Creating effects with water
- Water in motion
- Freezing movement
- Achieving a soft artistic effect
- Droplets
- Using filters with water
- No tripod
- Seascapes
- Underwater photography
- Exposures
Developing Your Photographic Style
- Styles & work of famous photographers (Ansel Adams, Paul Caponigro, Thomas Joshua Cooper, John Davies , David Doubilet, Carleton E Watkins, etc)
- Developing a photo style
- Hints on style
- Photographing detail
- Atmosphere
- Trip or Photographer Themes
- Know your equipment
- Computer Techniques (Levels, Channel extraction, Channel mixer, Duotones, Hand tinting, Panoramas)
Major Project
- Uses for Photography
- Using your work to get a job
- Photojournalism
- Freelancing
- Publishing
- Form of photo
- Creating a website
- Creating works of art
- Framing
- Creating a Folio
- (In this lesson, you create either a photo essay or a folio as a major project)

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

Identify and explain the equipment and materials used for landscape photography.
Create different effects photographing the same landscape.
Compose a well-balanced photo.
Utilise form to create a three dimensional effect.
Develop your own photographic style.

What You Will Do

Review of the basics of landscape photography.
Building a resource file.
Applying principles of landscape photography to evaluate published photos.
Choosing equipment and materials appropriate to specified needs.
Using filters to create different effects.
Dealing with a range of problems found in natural areas, including uneven light, shade, glare, etc.
Photographing buildings and streetscapes.
The characteristics of water and its effect on photography.
Selecting and composing a photograph to create the predetermined effect.
Create a folio of landscape photographs.

Tips for Landscape Photography

Landscapes appear as though they are the easiest subjects to photograph. but taking consistently great landscape photographs is actually extremely challenging. This is because a person’s naked eye views a landscape by ‘sweeping’ it and constantly changing focus.

Once the person looks at the same view through the camera lens, this effect is instantly negated. To get the similar view that the naked eye see’s, a person would need to use several different lenses. By being selective with the chosen view, and having a variety of lenses from which to choose, the photographer can achieve a more stunning landscape photograph.

UNDERSTANDING A LANDSCAPE

A landscape consists of both living and non-living things. These are the components of the landscape. Examples of non-living components might be rocks, gravel paths, timber, walls, hills, buildings, water etc.

These non-living components can be looked at in two ways:

As the materials which they are made up of, and
As the structures or things which the materials are used to make.

The living components of the landscape are the plants (and perhaps the animals which inhabit it).

A landscape is made into a good landscape or a bad landscape by the way in which these components are both selected and are arranged together. The photographer might not have an enormous amount of control over whether a hill is or isn't in the landscape he photographs, but he can choose which part of the hill to shoot, or whether to shoot another hill instead, what time of day to shoot, and whether to shoot when cars are on the road or when they are not on the road.

The landscape is constantly changing, and a good photographer must foresee and account for changes which are likely to occur. Plants grow, flower and die. Things look different at different times of the day. Cars, animals and people enter and exit the landscape. Wooden structures rot and metal ones rust. Earth can erode. The landscape continually changes through the cycle of the season. A skilled photographer will not only be aware of, but will use these changes.

JOB TIPS for a Working in Photography

A qualification may help open doors, but it's only part of what you need

Get Experience, even if it is unpaid.

Volunteering can be a great way to get a leg in the door. Offer your services for free to be the "official" photographer for an event (eg. an agricultural show, garden show, festival, etc), for a place (eg. a botanic garden, a national park), or for a business (eg. a dive shop, wilderness tour company, a community newspaper or magazine)
Approach publications (eg. newsletters, magazines, blogs, web sites) and offer photos for them to use. Find out what they need and go after those images. After a while you may even get paid for some; but initially the most important thing is to get some work being used.

Networking is critical -We show you how and get you started in this course. Often it's who you know as much as what you know that gets you the job. Join and get active with social media; join a photographic club or society, attend events like exhibitions.
Submit photos into competitions. Even if you never win anything, your name and work will begin to gain some level of recognition.
Prepare a Folio, but keep it as a work in progress -keep adding and replacing contents with better contents
Be prepared to do anything to get started. Many successful expert photographers started out sweeping floors and making coffee in a gallery, publishing house or photo shop. Others started out taking photos of children in department stores or people at restaurants, for very minimal pay. Persistence is key for two reasons: it gives you experience, and it demonstrates your dedication.
Your prospects for being employed or supported by anyone, from publishers to galleries and businesses; will grow as your resume grows. When you can list places that have published your work, and clients you have worked for, you will then have an ability to convince a client or employer to choose you. It may not matter whether you have ever had a paid job before or not; but it will matter that you can demonstrate some measure of past success.

What Next?

ENROL or Use our FREE Course Advice Service to Connect with a Tutor

ACS Distance Education holds an Educational Membership with the ATA.

Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.

ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.

Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.

How can I start this course?

You can enrol at anytime and start the course when you are ready. Enrolments are accepted all year - students can commence study at any time. All study is self paced and ACS does not set assignment deadlines.

Please note that if a student is being assisted by someone else (e.g. an employer or government subsidy), the body offering the assistance may set deadlines. Students in such situations are advised to check with their sponsor prior to enrolling. The nominal duration of a course is approximately how long a course takes to complete. A course with a nominal duration of 100 hours is expected to take roughly 100 hours of study time to complete. However, this will vary from student to student. Short courses (eg. 100 hrs duration) should be completed within 12 months of enrolment. Certificates, Advanced Certificates and Awards (eg. over 500 hours duration) would normally be completed within 3 -5 years of enrolment. Additional fees may apply if a student requires an extended period to complete.
If a student cannot submit their assignments for 6 months to ACS, they should advise the school to avoid cancellation of their student
registration. Recommencement fees may apply.

Simply click on the ENROL OPTIONS button at the top of this screen and follow the prompts.

You can see the course price at the top of this page. Click 'enrolment options' to see any payment options available.

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We also have Afterpay that will allow you to pay for your course or payment plans in four instalments (if you are in Australia).

What do I need to know before I enrol?

There are no entry requirements that you need to meet to enrol in our courses, our courses are for everyone.
If you are under 18, we need written permission from your parent/ guardian for your enrolment to continue, we can arrange that after you have enrolled.

You don’t need to purchase any additional resources to complete our courses.

We aim to teach you the essentials without you having to purchase any specific computer program.
We recommend that you have access to a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, so that you can easily complete and submit your assignments.

You sure can. We are here to help you learn whatever your abilities.

Yes, if you are enrolling in a Certificate or Advanced Certificate, you might be eligible for credits if you have evidence of your previous studies or relevant experience. More information is here.

We recommend that you are able to browse websites, send emails and conduct online research. You will need to be able to type and submit your assignments.
If you have limited computer skills, we can make special arrangements for you.

This is possible, it depends on the institution. We recommend that if you would like to use our courses that you contact the institution first. Our Course Handbook is a good resource for this.

Our courses are written in English and we only have English speaking academic staff. If you can read and complete your assignments in English, our courses are ideal for you.

Our courses are designed to build knowledge, hands on skills and industry connections to help prepare you to work in the area, running your own business, professional development or as a base for further study.

This course has been designed to cover the fundamentals of the topic. It will take around 100 hours to complete, which includes your course reading, assignment work, research, practical tasks, watching videos and anything else that is contained in the course. Our short courses are a great way to do some professional development or to learn a new skill.

It’s up to you. The study hours listed in the course are a rough guide, however if you were to study a short course (100 hours) at 10 hours per week, you could finish the course in 10 weeks (just an example). Our courses are self-paced, so you can work through the courses in your own time. We recommend that you wait for your tutor to mark and return your assignment before your start your next one, so you get the benefits of their feedback.

The course consists of course notes, videos, set tasks for your practical work, online quizzes, an assignment for each lesson (that you receive feedback from your tutor from) and ends in an exam (which is optional, if would like to receive the formal award at the end), using our custom built Learning Management System - Login.Training.

Our courses are designed for adults to gain professional development and skills to further their careers and start businesses.

Our custom online learning portal allows you to conduct your learning online. There may be practical tasks that you can do offline. You have the option of downloading your course notes or print them to read later.

There is also the option to pay an additional fee for printed course notes and or USB (availability limited to location and deliverability).

Yes, if you don’t have access to the internet, you can receive the course as paper notes or on a USB stick for an additional fee. We can also make alternative arrangements for you to send your assignments to us.

We offer printed notes for an additional fee. Also, you can request your course notes on a USB stick for an additional fee.

Yes, your tutor is here to help you. Simply post any questions you have in your login.training portal or contact the office and we can pass on a message to your tutor.

We are more learning focussed, rather than assessment focussed. You have online quizzes to test your learning, written assignments and can complete an exam at the end of the course (if you want to receive your certificate). You will not receive a pass/ fail on your course work. If you need to add more details on your assignment, we will ask you to resubmit and direct you where you need to focus. If you need help, you can ask your tutor for advice in the student room.

Each module (short course) is completed with one exam.

Exams are optional, however you must sit an exam if you would like to receive a formal award. You will need to find someone who can supervise that you are sitting the exams under exams conditions. There is an additional cost of $60 incl. GST for each exam.
More information is here

There are practical components built into the course that have been designed to be achieved by anyone, anywhere. If you are unable to complete a task for any reason, you can ask your tutor for an alternative.

When you complete the course work and the exam and you will be able receive your course certificate- a Statement of Attainment. Otherwise, you can receive a Letter of Completion.

You can bundle the short courses to create your own customised learning bundle, Certificates or Advanced Certificates. More information is on this page.

Yes, our courses are built to be applicable for people living anywhere in any situation. We provide the fundamentals, and each student can apply their own unique flair for their own interests, region and circumstances with the one-on-one guidance of a tutor. There is also a bit of student directed research involved.

Employers value candidates with industry skills, knowledge, practical skills and formal learning. Our courses arm you with all of these things to help prepare you for a job or start your own business. The longer you study the more you will learn.

ACS has an arrangement with OAMPS (formerly AMP) who can arrange Professional Indemnity from Australian and New Zealand graduates across all disciplines. Ph: 1800 222 012 or email acs@oamps.com.au.

Who are ACS Distance Education?

ACS Distance Education have been educating people for over 40 years.

We are established and safe- we have been in education for over 40 years.
We are focused on developing innovative courses that are relevant to you now and what you will need to know in the future.
We are focused on helping you learn and make the most of your experience.
You can enrol at any time, you can work on your course when it suits you and at your own pace.
We are connected to many industry bodies and our staff participate in continuous improvement and learning activities to ensure that we are ahead of what learning is needed for the future.

Our courses are not accredited by the Australian Government. However many of our courses are recognised and held in high regard by many industry bodies.

Our courses are written by our staff, who all have many years experience and have qualifications in their speciality area. We have lots of academic staff who write and update our courses regularly.

How do I enrol my staff/ sponsored students?

Yes, you can do a request for a bulk enrolment and request an invoice on our Invoice Request Form

We can prepare an invoice, quote or proforma invoice. Simply complete your details on our Invoice Request form

We can arrange bulk discounts for your course enrolment, please get in touch with us to discuss your needs.

Yes, we have many students who are in locked facilities, such as prisons or hospitals. We can cater by also offering paper notes at an additional cost.

What if I have any more questions or need more information?

We can assist you to find the right course for your needs. Get in touch with us via email (admin@acs.edu.au) call on +61 7 5562 1088 or complete our course advice form.

Take a look at their testimonials here.

What if I change my mind?

Our terms and conditions of enrolment are here.

Please get in touch with studentservices@acs.edu.au if you would like to be removed from our mail list.

If you would like ACS Distance Education to delete your information at any time (whether you are a customer or a prospective customer), please contact our privacy officer and we will process this ( admin@acs.edu.au ).

If students require a reproduction of their certificate, an electronic copy can be provided at a cost of AUD$35 incl GST. Printed copies are not available.

Course Contributors

The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.

John Mason

Writer, Manager, Teacher and Businessman with over 40 years interenational experience covering Education, Publishing, Leisure Management, Education, and Horticulture. He has extensive experience both as a public servant, and as a small business owner.
John is a well respected member of many professional associations, and author of over seventy books and of over two thousand magazine articles.

John Edwards

Professional photographer. Experienced in Environmental and Water Services management. Has traveled extensively for photography projects. John has a BA (Hons) Photography, BSc (Hons) Env.Mgt, PGCE

Christine Todd

University lecturer, businesswoman, photographer, consultant and sustainability expert; with over 40 years industry experience
B.A., M.Plan.Prac., M.A.(Social).
An expert in planning, with years of practical experience in permaculture.

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In my role within a large Aged Care Facility a great deal of my employment is spent in the area of Turf management and garden care/refurbishment. With ACS I was able to study at my own pace allowing me to put into practise and thoroughly research the subject matter broadening my knowledge and study experience further. I enjoyed the way in which the subject matter was presented as it allowed you to study each subject further, allowing for greater depth, clarity and knowledge.
Overall there are not many areas in which the course subject matter will not turn out to be invaluable, everything is covered to allow you to become successful within your own business or place of employment. A big thank you to Gavin Cole [tutor] and all at ACS. It was a pleasure to study with ACS, look forward to further study.

- Craig Ledbury