 You might think that capturing the wander of a peaceful and serene landscape would be relatively easy. However, landscape photography comes with its own challenges. When taking a landscape shot, composition is key in creating some drama in your images. Think about any natural lines that are available, such as rivers, rocks, trees and buildings, as this will draw the eye to a focal point in the image. Having a strong focal point is crucial to making the image work. For example, if you're standing on top of a hill looking at a beautiful valley, this doesn't necessarily translate to a great photograph because the eye doesn't have a great focal point. Also, everything will seem distant. Setting up nearer the valley with a strong leading line or focal point will make the image far more dramatic and interesting to look at. Try not to have the horizon across the middle of your frame, as this can split the image in half. Instead, decide whether the foreground or the sky is more visually interesting and move the horizon to the top or bottom third of your frame, and this will give the eye more to look at. Lighting also plays a fundamental part. How much natural light is available and what direction is it travelling in? Having sunlight behind you or to the side is normally best for illuminating the shot. Backlit shooting, where the sun is behind the subject, often makes it difficult to get the right amount of light for a good exposure. Also, if it's cloudy or overcast, this will affect the amount of natural light you have available. All of these elements will affect the shot and the settings you need to choose on the camera. In terms of lenses, if you want to capture a vast landscape, a wide-angle lens such as the 10-18mm or the 16-35mm are best suited. However, as mentioned earlier, unless you have a strong focal point, this can make for an empty looking photo. If you want to focus on closer landscape subjects such as a tree or specific point of interest, it would be advisable to use a longer lens such as a 70-300mm. Also, a sturdy tripod is vital. The aperture setting is also key for a great landscape shot. Having your aperture on F8 or upwards allows the entire image to be in focus, resulting in a stunningly clear photo.