{"id":355784,"date":"2026-04-24T09:10:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T09:10:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/?post_type=story&p=355784"},"modified":"2026-04-24T09:10:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T09:10:41","slug":"learning-by-doing-landscape-photography-with-andy-mumford","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/es-es\/stories\/learning-by-doing-landscape-photography-with-andy-mumford\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning by Doing: Landscape Photography with Andy Mumford"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Landscape photographer Andy Mumford discusses kit, technique and imaging advice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Andy Mumford may currently be based in sunny Lisbon, but his image making has taken him to far-flung corners of the world. An experienced landscape and travel photographer, he\u2019s also a passionate teacher of photography who shares his expertise by leading budding creatives in workshops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople tend to come into landscape photography from two directions,\u201d Andy begins. \u201cIt\u2019s either because they\u2019re really interested in photography and cameras, or the side I came from where you\u2019re really interested in hiking and nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom a young age, I did lots of camping with my parents and hiking in the Peak District. I always loved being out in nature. For me, it\u2019s all about the experience \u2013 how being in that place makes you feel \u2013 and photography is a way of recording that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo 2019 \u00a9 Andy Mumford | FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF10-24mmF4 R OIS, 1\/125 sec at F9, ISO 160<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Trial and error<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By his own admission, Andy\u2019s first attempts at landscape photography weren\u2019t particularly good. But rather than being discouraged, he became fascinated by figuring out what made some photos better than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI remember as a kid, we would take a film camera on holiday. When you\u2019d get the photos developed, there\u2019d be this expression: \u2018This one\u2019s come out well; this one hasn\u2019t come out.\u2019 But I\u2019d never questioned what that meant,\u201d Andy recalls. \u201cWhat does it mean when a photo comes out or doesn\u2019t come out \u2013 and why might that be? What caused it to be out of focus, or for the exposure to be blown?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo 2019 \u00a9 Andy Mumford | FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF10-24mmF4 R OIS, 1\/30 sec at F8, ISO 160<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI started looking into it and trying to work out why I liked some photos while others were terrible, so I joined some early online photographic communities. I learned through that and quickly became obsessed with taking better and better photos \u2013 long exposures, waiting for golden hour, these sorts of thing. I just taught myself, but it all came primarily from a love of being outside in nature.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This love for the outdoors means the core of Andy\u2019s photography is about communicating a sense of a place rather than creating a documentarian depiction of the landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not really photographing the place,\u201d he muses. \u201cYou\u2019re trying to photograph the way the place makes you feel. That\u2019s the ultimate goal of any photo, especially in landscape photography.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo 2020 \u00a9 Andy Mumford | FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF10-24mmF4 R OIS, 25 secs at F9, ISO 160<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Creating a mood<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not a stickler for technical perfection. I used to worry a lot about clipping highlights and things like that, but as you get more confident in your photography you learn to lean into imperfections,\u201d Andy suggests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor example, I might be shooting a scene where nothing is happening in the sky. In a lot of places I work, like Namibia, the skies are usually very empty. That means it\u2019s fundamentally not an interesting element in the photograph,\u201d he notes. \u201cWhat you can do there is lean into blowing the sky out, to make it white and hazy instead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While technical aspects can be pulled around and played with, Andy believes you can\u2019t compromise on a strong composition. \u201cThe composition has to feel harmonious,\u201d he asserts. \u201cThere are all kinds of rules for composition, but what they come down to at the end of the day is creating something with visual balance. There must be harmony in the way the different elements fit together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo 2017 \u00a9 Andy Mumford | FUJIFILM X-T2 and FUJINON XF10-24mmF4 R OIS, 1\/6 sec at F11, ISO 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Something crucial for a great photo \u2013 yet harder to define \u2013 is mood. \u201cWhat makes the difference between a good photo and an excellent photo is the mood,\u201d Andy continues. \u201cFor that, you need the right conditions, which means there is an element of fortune about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs I\u2019ve progressed, I\u2019ve learned ways of dealing with bad weather and flat light to find or create mood \u2013 whether by underexposing or post-processing to introduce higher levels of contrast. Mood is something you need to elevate an image. It\u2019s so important, even people who don\u2019t have a technical understanding or interest in photography will notice it and be able to feel something from the photo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo 2019 \u00a9 Andy Mumford | FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF10-24mmF4 R OIS, 1\/60 sec at F8, ISO 160<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Elements of spontaneity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the world of landscape photography, planning goes a long way, Andy explains: \u201cI have a partner I work with who doesn\u2019t value any image that\u2019s spontaneous. He spends so much time looking at weather forecasts and Google Earth that his satisfaction comes from seeing all the pieces come together as he predicted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Andy\u2019s work also centres around extensive planning, he\u2019s much happier to leave room for the unforeseen in his photography. \u201cThere\u2019s usually an element you don\u2019t expect to see. You know the light will interact in a certain way, but certain conditions could light up a particular part of the scene you hadn\u2019t expected \u2013 so you have to be flexible and ready to adapt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTypically, in an image, you might have a foreground within 20 feet of you, while your subject could be kilometres away. Between your foreground and background, all kinds of things can be happening. There might be no light at all on your foreground, while the background is very well lit because of a gap in the cloud or something you couldn\u2019t have anticipated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo 2023 \u00a9 Andy Mumford | FUJIFILM X-T5 and FUJINON XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR, 1\/2000 sec at F6.4, ISO 640<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn that instance, you could take off your wide-angle lens and use something like the FUJINON XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR<\/a> to remove the foreground, punch into the distant landscape and start composing in a different way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf I think about my portfolio, a lot of images are planned \u2013 we go and wait for the intended light and then make the shot. But even within that, there\u2019s often an element of trying to find a particular foreground that works with the background we\u2019ve already scouted, or the light will behave unexpectedly. You\u2019ll just think, \u2018OK, this will work.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo 2023 \u00a9 Andy Mumford | FUJIFILM X-T5 and FUJINON XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR, 1\/15 sec at F5.6, ISO 160<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Andy\u2019s landscape photography equipment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a discipline that can combine photography with long days of hiking, Andy has to consider the trade-off between portability and sheer optical quality when selecting his equipment. \u201cCameras and lenses are so good compared to when I started 15 to 20 years ago,\u201d he points out. \u201cWe\u2019re incredibly blessed. Generally, the highest-quality lenses are heavier, so the GFX System<\/a> is what I use if I want to nerd out over quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I want portability, though, the FUJIFILM X-T5<\/a> is what I\u2019ll reach for. And Fujifilm\u2019s less expensive lenses \u2013 the ones that aren\u2019t the very top of the line \u2013 are excellent for my needs. Typically, rather than bringing the best, sharpest primes and F2.8 zooms, I\u2019ll have what\u2019s lightweight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo 2023 \u00a9 Andy Mumford | FUJIFILM X-T5 and FUJINON XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR, 1\/40 sec at F6.4, ISO 640<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019ll always be a wide-angle zoom in there \u2013 something like the FUJINON XF10-24mmF4 R OIS WR<\/a> \u2013 and I\u2019ll bring a telephoto zoom, like the XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR. Then in the middle, I\u2019ll have a standard zoom. The one I use is the FUJINON XF16-50mmF2.8-4.8 R LM WR<\/a>. It\u2019s a superb lens and weighs just 240g. Alongside something like the XF70-300mmF4-5.6, which is just 580g, you\u2019ve got a lightweight set-up with amazing coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t obsess about using the absolute sharpest lenses. If I did, I\u2019d use things like the FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR<\/a>, XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR II<\/a> and XF8-16mmF2.8 R LM WR<\/a>. Those are incredible lenses with fixed F2.8 apertures, but heavier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost people are never going to see that extra percentage of sharpness in my work. I might notice it if I\u2019m zooming in to 100%, but for the prints I sell or the images I make for online campaigns, you\u2019re not going to see the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo 2019 \u00a9 Andy Mumford | FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF10-24mmF4 R OIS, 30 secs at F13, ISO 160<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to improve your landscapes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While bringing the right equipment for the job is important, Andy notes that it\u2019s far from the first thing fledgling landscape photographers should be thinking about. \u201cDon\u2019t get hung up on it,\u201d he notes. \u201cWhat you should be more focused on is improving as a photographer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe golfer Gary Player said: \u2018The harder I practise, the luckier I get.\u2019 The more you get out, the more you\u2019ll be in places where you have opportunities to take good photos. You don\u2019t have to go far,\u201d Andy adds. \u201cMuch of what I taught myself came from shooting the coastline near Lisbon, within 45 minutes of where I live. Most people live within driving distance of some form of nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s important is getting out there at hours that aren\u2019t necessarily comfortable. Getting up in the cold for the sunrise isn\u2019t nice. Being out for sunset might mean having dinner very late. But it\u2019s worth getting into that discomfort zone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo 2023 \u00a9 Andy Mumford | FUJIFILM X-T5 and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1\/800 sec at F7.1, ISO 1000<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It takes more than simply creating photos to improve though \u2013 reflecting on your work is a crucial part of the process, suggests Andy. \u201cYou also need to be a critic about what works compositionally. With cameras these days, getting exposure and focus right is relatively easy. That leaves composition, which is a phenomenally complex thing to understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the hardest thing to teach. It\u2019s like trying to teach someone why a certain arrangement of musical notes makes a nice melody, but if you change those notes around it sounds wrong. It\u2019s something we feel almost subconsciously. Why are certain shapes appealing? Why is a lone tree more appealing than five trees? You have to practise \u2013 and keep looking at your photos to learn what works and what doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Landscape photographer Andy Mumford discusses kit, technique and imaging advice Andy Mumford may currently be based in sunny Lisbon, but his image making has taken him to far-flung corners of the world. An experienced landscape and travel photographer, he\u2019s also a passionate teacher of photography who shares his expertise by leading budding creatives in workshops. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":437,"featured_media":354187,"template":"","category":[2084,1006,1202,1055,3211,320,3162,1986,565,7180,8503,9140,9238,9189,3358],"post_tag":[],"b2b-solutions":[],"class_list":["post-355784","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-be-inspired","category-cameras","category-category","category-lenses","category-x-series-mirrorless","category-products","category-x-mount","category-x-series","category-stories","category-x-t5","category-xf10-24mmf4-r-ois","category-xf10-24mmf4-r-ois-wr","category-xf150-600mmf5-6-8-r-lm-ois-wr","category-xf70-300mmf4-5-6-r-lm-ois-wr","category-zoom"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"fujifilm_category_label":"XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR","publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-10-01 07:22:05","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/es-es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story\/355784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/es-es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/es-es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/es-es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/437"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/es-es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/354187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/es-es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=355784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/es-es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category?post=355784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/es-es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_tag?post=355784"},{"taxonomy":"b2b-solutions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/es-es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/b2b-solutions?post=355784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}