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Use These Settings for Better Landscape Photography

Discover the features on your FUJIFILM X Series camera that can help improve your landscape photography

Landscape photography is a popular genre to explore when getting started in image making. Having a mostly static subject is an opportunity to experiment with adjusting your camera’s settings, to help you learn how they affect an image.

Read on to find out about brilliant FUJIFILM X Series camera features which will elevate your landscape photography images.

Framing Guideline

Another useful compositional aid for landscape photographers is framing up using a grid overlay. Lining up an image with the rule of thirds in mind isn’t the only way to work, but is a good idea while you get to grips with composing landscape photos.

To switch on a grid guide for your X Series camera, press MENU/OK and head to SET UP > SCREEN SET-UP > FRAMING GUIDELINE. From there, you can choose between a grid of nine or 24 boxes.

Make sure you go to SCREEN SET-UP > DISPLAY CUSTOM SETTINGS and then check the box for FRAMING GUIDELINE – otherwise the grid will not be visible.

Try using the nine-box grid alongside the Electronic Level, before lining up the horizon in your photo along one of the horizontal lines. This will give you a classic 2:1 ratio between the sky and ground. Then, line up the focal points of your image along the vertical lines, or place them at the points where the lines cross.

Panorama mode

If a composition simply isn’t showcasing the full majesty of what you’re seeing, create a more expansive image with a panorama. It is easier than ever to pull off with your X Series camera, which has a setting for automatically combining photos into panoramic scenes.

To create a panorama with your X Series camera, simply rotate the Drive dial (or press the Drive button) to choose the panorama setting. Follow the on-screen instructions to choose the angle of the panorama and select from a choice of panning directions.

Once you’re ready to start creating your panorama, simply press the shutter release and begin moving the camera steadily in the direction of the arrow shown through the EVF and on the LCD screen. When you have panned to the end of the guideline, the panorama is complete.

You’ll achieve the best results with a 35mm focal length or less (53mm full-frame equivalent) and a tripod. If working handheld, try propping your elbows up against your sides and rotating your body as smoothly as possible.

Camera settings for exposing landscapes

Expand your dynamic range

A key challenge when photographing landscapes is exposing them correctly. When creating backlit photos at sunrise or sunset in particular, the brightness of the sky and deep shadows cast by the features of the landscape lead to images with a lot of shadows and highlights.

X Series cameras offer lots of ways to create images with more dynamic range, but the simplest option is to adjust the dynamic range setting. To do this, press MENU/OK and go to IMAGE QUALITY SETTING > DYNAMIC RANGE.

Your camera will be set to 100% by default. Selecting 200% will add an extra stop of dynamic range, while 400% will add two extra stops. There is also an AUTO setting, which can intuitively choose between 100% and 200% depending on what you’re photographing.

Using the higher settings requires you to set ISO to either 200% or 400% of your camera’s base ISO. That’s because the function works by initially underexposing the image to preserve detail in the highlights, then boosting the exposure of the shadows when processing the image.

HDR mode

A common way of creating images with more dynamic range is bracketing – that is, making multiple frames at different exposure values and then combining them in post-production. X Series cameras are able to carry out this process automatically, by using the HDR drive mode.

You can access this setting by pressing the Drive button and selecting HDR, or by rotating the Drive dial to HDR. When you release the shutter, the camera will make three exposures in quick succession before automatically combining them. For the best results, the camera needs to be kept stable and the subject shouldn’t be moving – so it’s a perfect fit for landscape photography.

To adjust the amount of dynamic range, press MENU/OK and go to SHOOTING SETTING > DRIVE SETTING > HDR MODE. You can pick between dynamic ranges of 200%, 400% and 800%. There is also an HDR AUTO setting, which will automatically select a value depending on the scene, and HDR 800% +, which adjusts the camera settings for maximum variation in dynamic range.

If you’re interested in other ways to get more dynamic range out of your camera, read about additional methods in this article.

Film Simulations for landscape photography

If you’re looking for picture-perfect landscape photos straight out of camera, Fujifilm’s Film Simulations offer a variety of analogue-inspired looks that let you focus on the photography.

You can adjust your Film Simulation in the Q Menu, or in IMAGE QUALITY SETTING > FILM SIMULATION. If you are using the FUJIFILM X-M5 or X-T50, it’s as simple as rotating the Film Simulation dial on the top-plate.

You’ll need to experiment in order to find the profiles that work for your taste and the exact scene you’re photographing, but here are some suggestions to help you find the best Film Simulations for landscape photography.

Velvia/VIVID

Velvia is a favourite among landscape photographers for its rich, saturated colours and high contrast. This Film Simulation enhances blues and greens, granting more vibrant skies and lusher foliage, while oranges and reds are deepened for stunning sunrise and sunset images.

REALA ACE

REALA ACE is a versatile Film Simulation that balances natural colour reproduction with a subtly hardened tonality, making it a great choice for landscape photography. It delivers true-to-life colours while slightly enhancing greens and blues, ensuring that foliage and skies look rich without appearing overly processed.

ACROS

If you want to try black & white landscape photography, ACROS is an ideal choice. Emphasising texture and contrast, this profile delivers deep blacks and crisp whites, for dramatic skies and intricate details.