Best Places for Landscape Photography

What are the best places for landscape photography?

You’re ready to go. You know which camera you would like to try, you have your lenses packed and you’ve researched what should be in your camera bag. But now what?! You know that you want to create a landscape photograph but your backyard seems dull and boring and you want to go somewhere exciting but you’re not sure where.

Often times, we’re limited by the amount of travel time we have or by the funds we have to get some place. In this blog post, I’ll focus on a few places within the continental USA.

sunrise over portland maine lighthouse

Where to take landscape photographs

To be honest, you can take landscape photographs from almost anywhere. Given enough creativity, you can make even the most mundane and dull places seem Instagram worthy. However, if you get the itch to travel within the USA, below are the top 5 locations I would recommend.

Best states to shoot photographs

  1. Alaska: An exquisite location filled with varying terrain, wildlife, and beautiful natural elements such as glaciers and wildflowers. Depending on how much time you have, consider jumping on an Alaskan cruise for a week or so. Most cruises traverse through Southeast Alaska allowing you to disembark at various cities. It’s a great way to see a lot of places in Alaska, get a few great landscape shots from the water and not worry about the travel logistics. There are also smaller boat cruises to consider if you prefer a more intimate setting.

  2. Washington: If you are looking for a great outdoorsy landscape photograph with a lot of lush greenery, Washington state should be high on your list. No matter where you turn, you will be able to find coastline, mountains and/or a state park just waiting to be photographed. Make sure to do your research ahead of time as seasonal weather patterns can alter your travel plans.

  3. Maine: If you’re anything like me and prefer to be by the ocean when you’re photographing landscapes, Maine is a great state to head to! Filled with wildlife and various coastal scenes, you’ll also find quite a few lighthouses. Make sure to take your tripod so you can capture the rolling waves and if you have a minute, stop by one of the boutique lobster shops that you’ll inevitably find along your way and try a ‘lobstah roll’.

  4. Florida: If the heat doesn’t bother you, head to Florida during the summer months to catch one of the incredible sunsets (and/or sunrises) in your landscape photographs. If you’re not sure where to start out, consider heading to the Everglades or Key West. Both locations are further south and provide beautiful flora.

  5. Hawaii: Hawaii is on my bucket list in terms of where to photograph next. The rugged, lush mountains, incredible ocean views and beautiful sunsets are among the richest in the world. If you happen to get there before me, please let me know where you recommend to photograph landscapes!

Great Places to Take Landscape Photos

As you know, there are millions of places to take incredible landscape photographs and to practice photography. Have you been somewhere special that you’d like to share with everyone? If so, please comment below and let others know of fantastic places to try photographing.