Landscape composition – the story of the 3 grounds - Nature Photography Articles & Tutorials (2024)

Think of your composition as telling a story.

1) Background; this is normally the sky but not necessarily. It could be a sheer mountainside, glacier or other.
2) Middle ground; this would typically be the ground leading to the background, it could be a field, ocean, desert or any interesting terrain.
3) Foreground; this is the ground directly in front of you. It might be a rock, water feature, foliage or any other interesting feature.

Middle ground

The middle ground is the main gist of the story, it tells the viewer what area you were in, it usually contains the most information in your shot although not so much detail. In a story, the middle ground would be your main story because it is the part of your photo that contains the most Landscape. This is where the viewer will get the main information about distances and the over-all feel of the landscape. It is the height of the camera that determines how what proportion of the picture is the Middle Ground. For example, the photo from a drone could include 100 miles of glacier landscape and could fill the entire frame. That same hundred miles could be reduced to a thin slither if you rested you camera on the ground.

The photo above was taken from a high viewpoint to allow the gentle shape of the black sand to dominate the photo. A photo from the beach below wouldn’t be able to communicate so much distance.

Background

The background could be communicating the weather conditions. As the background is likely to contain sky, it is likely to communicate the weather at the time you were there. The sky communicates depth in the way that closer clouds are high in the scene. If there are shadows made from the clouds falling on the middle ground, the viewer will make a connection and understand the depth of the landscape better. The clouds and colours areable to provide a summary of the mood and atmosphere of the shot.

I consider the ‘Background’ when I decide on my focal length. For example, a mountain range with textures and a reasonable sky would suit 24mm. This focal length will capture good details while capturing a lot of the mountain. It would also allow for a good amount of sky and a strong foreground. If the sky is boring, I might prefer a 50mm to capture part of the mountain with even better details and only a thin slice of sky.

The background content can be important for considering your aperture and focal point. If there are background objects that deserve to be sharp, then you would work with a small aperture (e.g.f/14-16) with a focal point at theHyper-focal distance. Conversely, if the background is clouds and a horizon, then a closer focal point and higher quality aperture (e.g.f/8-9) can be used.

Using myCanon EF 24mmPrime Lens, I can fill a good portion of my photo with the mountain whilst retaining good details and a good portion of sky.

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Foreground

The foreground contains most of your finer details, it is like an introduction and tells the viewer more about the middle ground, it tells the viewer so much about where you were when you took the shot. Again, the foreground will determine my focal length If I wat to get really close to the foreground – so I can touch it – and still include the landscape – I will use a wide angle lens such as 24mm. If I am using a super wide, such as 14mm then I have to get right over the foreground so the lens is almost touching it.

Landscape composition – the story of the 3 grounds - Nature Photography Articles & Tutorials (3)

Considering a photo as a story can be useful if you are careful to show how the elements of a scene relate to each other. For example; if there is a water feature, try to show the river or stream and where it flows from. If there is some random lava, try to show a crater in the background.A photo doesn’t have to have all these 3 grounds to be good, but it is useful to try to convey the whole story in a landscape scene.

What does this scene communicate?

Landscape composition – the story of the 3 grounds - Nature Photography Articles & Tutorials (4)


The flowing water suggest movement. The sky suggests a storm, but the light on the mountain suggest that is is breaking up. The metallic grey suggests coldness, the orange colours suggest autumn. There is a conflict going on here in terms of the changing seasons, there are many other conflicts, such as old mountain versus new waterfall. Despite the conflicts, the interaction of the elements suggests a certain harmony.

Landscape composition – the story of the 3 grounds - Nature Photography Articles & Tutorials (2024)

FAQs

What is the rule of 3 in landscape photography? ›

The rule of thirds states that the horizon of your photograph should be placed along one of the two horizontal lines. For example, when shooting landscapes you have to decide which part of the scene you would like to see more of. If you want less sky, then place your horizon along the top line.

What are the three grounds in a landscape? ›

The element of the photo closest to you makes up the foreground. The furthest element away from you is the background, while the middle ground makes up the area in between.

What are the three components of landscape photography? ›

Landscape composition – the story of the 3 grounds
  • Background; this is normally the sky but not necessarily. ...
  • Middle ground; this would typically be the ground leading to the background, it could be a field, ocean, desert or any interesting terrain.
  • Foreground; this is the ground directly in front of you.

What is the summary of landscape photography? ›

Landscape photographs typically capture the presence of nature but can also focus on human-made features or disturbances of landscapes. Landscape photography is done for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the most common is to recall a personal observation or experience while in the outdoors, especially when traveling.

What is the rule of 3 photographs? ›

The rule of thirds is a composition guideline that places your subject in the left or right third of an image, leaving the other two thirds more open. While there are other forms of composition, the rule of thirds generally leads to compelling and well-composed shots.

What is the 321 rule in photography? ›

The 3-2-1 rule, attributed to photographer Peter Krogh, follows these requirements: 3 Copies of Data – Maintain three copies of data—the original, and at least two copies. 2 Different Media – Use two different media types for storage.

What are the 3 concepts of a landscape? ›

One method of describing landscapes divides a landscape into three basic elements: patches, corridors or buffers, and matrix (fig. 2). Figure 2 — The landscape described in basic landscape ecology terms.

What are the 3 major landscape types? ›

Mountains, hills, plateaus, and plains are the four major types of landforms.

What is the three triangle of photography? ›

The Exposure Triangle comprises aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. These three camera and lens controls work together to regulate the amount of light that makes it to the light-sensitive surface (aperture and shutter speed) and the sensitivity of that surface (film or digital ISO).

What are the 3 major principles of landscape design? ›

Elements and Principles

The principles are the fundamental concepts of composition—proportion, order, repetition, and unity—that serve as guidelines to arrange or organize the features to create an aesthetically pleasing or beautiful landscape.

What are the three elements of perfect photography? ›

Photography is a blend of art and science, and understanding its basic components is essential for creating impactful images. As a beginner, it's crucial to familiarise yourself with the three main elements that make up a photograph: subject, light, and composition.

What is the difference between landscape and nature photography? ›

While all landscape photography captures the outdoors, not all outdoor photography is necessarily landscape photography. Nature photography, for example, tends to focus on specific aspects of the natural world such as animals or plant life.

How do you tell a story in landscape photography? ›

How do you tell a story in landscape photography?
  1. Think About the Viewer. ...
  2. Identify the Main Subject. ...
  3. Create the Lead-up to the Main Subject. ...
  4. Think About the Action in Your Scene. ...
  5. Make an Impact on the Viewer. ...
  6. Seek Out Smaller Stories.

Who is the most famous landscape photographer? ›

Ansel Adams is widely regarded as one of the greatest landscape photographers of all time. His black–and–white photographs of the American West, particularly Yosemite National Park, are instantly recognisable and have gone a long way in shaping how we see and talk about landscape photography today.

What is the rule of thirds grid in landscape? ›

Rule of thirds

Divide your frame into 9 equal parts and 4 internal lines. These lines and the intersections become powerful places to place areas of interest. In a typical landscape scene, you would place the horizon on the higher horizontal line. If the horizon is obscured, then estimate where it would be.

What is the golden rule of landscape photography? ›

The rule of thirds is quite commonly used when considering where to place the horizon line of an image. Rather than having the horizon on the middle of your photos, composing with the sky along the top or bottom horizontal line quite often creates a much more aesthetically pleasing and balanced image.

What is the rule of thirds in landscape art? ›

There are a couple of age old formulae for this, called the golden section and the rule of thirds. In simple terms the picture plane is divided into three's, for example in a traditional landscape painting the land would take up the lower third of the painting and the sky the remaining two thirds.

What is the 3 grid method in photography? ›

It involves dividing an image into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, to create a grid of nine equal parts. According to the rule of thirds, the most important elements in an image — i.e. the main subject or focal point of the photo — should be placed along these lines or their intersections.

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