The Myths and Lies Destroying Landscape Photography 📸
Landscape photography looks simple — but behind every great image is a battlefield of myths, bad habits, and outdated advice. In our new YouTube video, we break down the biggest lies that are quietly destroying your images… and how to finally fix them.
👉 Watch the full video here: The Myths and Lies Destroying Landscape Photography
Why This Matters
Every week I meet photographers — on forums, on YouTube, or during our expeditions in Iceland, Lofoten, Cyprus, Madeira, or Alaska — who arrive with big dreams but also terrible advice.
Some of these myths sound noble. Others are just repeated so often that nobody questions them anymore. But if you truly want to grow as a landscape photographer, it’s time to destroy them.
After years of shooting in extreme conditions, from polar nights to desert heat, I can tell you exactly what works — and what’s pure fiction.
Fatal Myth #1: “I don’t edit my photos.”
Sounds authentic, right? But it’s not.
Your camera sees only around 14–15 stops of dynamic range, while the human eye can perceive almost 30 EV. That’s double the reality your camera can record.
So when you “capture the scene exactly as you saw it,” you actually don’t. You capture what your sensor can handle.
That’s why exposure bracketing exists — not to fake the photo, but to get closer to reality. Even Ansel Adams shaped tones in the darkroom; we just do it digitally now.
Fatal Myth #2: “Graduated ND filters are essential.”
They used to be. Not anymore.
Unless you’re shooting a perfectly flat seascape, grads cause more harm than good. A filter line across mountains or trees darkens the wrong parts and kills the natural balance of the image.
Modern workflow? Bracket exposures.
No warping. No awkward dark zones. Just perfect tonal control.
Today, your filter kit should include only:
✅ A solid ND filter for long exposures
✅ A circular polarizer (used smartly)
✅ Optional night-sky filter
Forget UV filters — they’re useless relics.
Fatal Myth #3: “Polarizer makes every sky better.”
No, it doesn’t.
On ultra-wide lenses or panoramas, the polarizer creates patchy, uneven skies — dark on one side, pale on the other. It looks unnatural and can be nearly impossible to fix in post.
Use your polarizer only where it makes sense — for reflections on water, rocks, or wet foliage.
In panoramas, that usually means only the bottom row, not the entire frame.
Fatal Myth #4: “I shoot at f/16 or f/22 for sharpness.”
Diffraction is real — and it destroys your detail.
Every lens has a “sweet spot,” usually 2 stops down from wide open. That means f/8 or f/11 is optimal for most landscape scenes.
At f/16 or f/22, sharpness collapses dramatically. Try comparing the same frame at f/8 vs. f/22 — you’ll see the difference instantly.
If you love strong sunstars ☀️, take one frame at f/16 and blend it later with your main sharp shot. Easy and effective.
Fatal Myth #5: “I underexpose for a moody look.”
One of the worst habits out there.
Pulling up shadows in post creates noise, banding, and loss of color depth. Instead, expose to the edge of clipping — keep all highlight detail, and darken later in post.
Expose to the right (ETTR). You’ll get cleaner files, better tones, and richer color.
Fatal Myth #6: “Panoramas are only for big prints.”
Panoramas are not just about size — they’re about creative freedom.
With multi-row stitching, you can:
✅ Use longer focal lengths for clean perspective
✅ Control composition like never before
✅ Build any aspect ratio you want
And yes — you can shoot panoramas with water, clouds, or even waterfalls. If you overlap carefully and stitch in PTGui, it works beautifully.
Fatal Myth #7: “You don’t need a tripod anymore.”
One of the most dangerous lies online.
Without a tripod, you can’t:
bracket consistently
do long exposures
avoid parallax in panoramas
refine your composition with precision
IBIS is great for handheld snapshots, but not for professional landscapes. A tripod remains the foundation of serious photography — always.
Watch the Full Breakdown 🎥
Don’t just read about it — see the myths in action and learn how to avoid them. The full video explains exactly how to overcome these traps in real-world conditions.
Learn With Us in the Field 🌄
Theory is good — practice is better.
During our photo expeditions, we apply these techniques together in some of the most stunning places on Earth: Iceland, Lofoten, the Dolomites, Madeira, Cyprus, Alaska and more.
👉 Check out upcoming expeditions here: Photo Expeditions with Jan Šmíd, Master QEP
And of course, subscribe to the YouTube channel for weekly videos packed with tips, field stories, and behind-the-scenes tutorials.
❓ FAQ: The Myths and Lies Destroying Landscape Photography
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Because modern cameras have limited dynamic range. Bracketing exposures lets you recover full detail in highlights and shadows, while filters often darken mountains or trees unnaturally.
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You can — but it’s risky. Polarizers cause uneven skies across wide angles, creating dark patches that are hard to fix. Use them mainly for cutting reflections on water, rocks or foliage.
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Most professional lenses are sharpest around f/8 to f/11. Smaller apertures like f/16 or f/22 introduce diffraction, which reduces fine detail and overall image sharpness.
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Yes — absolutely. Stabilization helps handheld shots, but it can’t replace a tripod for long exposures, precise bracketing, or multi-row panoramas. A tripod ensures perfect alignment and sharpness.
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Not at all. Panoramas offer creative freedom — allowing you to use longer focal lengths, control composition precisely, and build unique perspectives, even if you never plan to print large.