9 Photography Tips for Capturing Swiss Landscapes

The place of dream of photographers is Switzerland. Every part is a postcard, snow-capped Alpine mountains and green lakes, pretty villages and picturesque trains. As a novice with a smart phone or an experienced photographer with a DSLR, a thought out Switzerland Tour will provide inexhaustible possibilities to shoot some spectacular landscapes. When you think of Switzerland trip packages from India, you will want to know how to capture the pictures of these scenic places so that you can go back with memories that can last a lifetime.

To ensure that you do not miss out on any experience in your trip, the following 9 tips on how to capture the real beauty of Swiss landscapes in an easy to follow way are presented.

1. Plan Your Locations with the Light and not the Places.

Switzerland is a beautiful country throughout the day, however, the magic is made during golden hours. The light of the sunrise and sunset is soft, has long shadows and warm colors and enhances even simple landscapes.

Find out the time of daylight and nightfall prior to your Switzerland Tour particularly on a visit to mountainous areas such as Zermatt, Jungfrau or Mount Titlis. Early mornings also imply a reduced number of tourists and, consequently, pristine and empty views of famous perspectives.

Trick: Lakes such as Lake Lucerne and Lake Brienz are very beautiful in the morning when there is no water movement.

2. Add Foreground Elements to provide Depth.

A typical error in landscape photography is the manner of concentration on the mountains in the distance. To make the images more interesting, also add strong foreground objects, e.g. flowers, rocks, fences of wooden material or winding paths.

The natural foregrounds in Switzerland include the meadows, hiking paths and lakeshores that guide the eye of the viewer into the frame. This effect gives your photos the feeling of making them more detailed, particularly when you are on a scenic Switzerland Tour in the countryside.

3. Master Composition using rule of third.

Efficient composition has the potential of turning an ordinary photograph into a stunning one. The rule of thirds is a basic rule in which you break down your frame into a grid of 3x3 and then the important elements are situated along these lines or crossroads.

In the case of Swiss landscapes, one would want to add:

• The mountains of the upper third.
• And lakes or meadows through the lower third.
• An intersection of a church or a chalet.
• This sets it in an unobtrusive and attractive way that seems natural and corporate.

4. Don’t Fear a Shifting Climate.

Weather variation has been one of the best secrets of Swiss photography. Clouds, mist, rain and even snowfall will create a mood and drama on your shots. Landscapes can also be mystical with fog floating over the valleys or clouds shrouding the peaks.

Rather than stowing away your camera when it is a rainy day, you should take it up. On cloudy days, the skies give the possibility to take more special and emotional pictures than on blue days.

Hint: It is always important to keep a lens cloth and a rain cover so that you can protect your equipment.

5. Reflections in Water in Lakes and Rivers.

Switzerland boasts of some of the most photogenic lakes in Europe. When the mountains, forests, and villages are reflected on the smooth water, the mirror-like compositions are formed and they appear to be beautiful right out of the camera.

Reflection shots must be done in early mornings or in still evenings. Shoot at low angle towards the edge of the water. The ideal locations to use this technique are lakes like Lake Geneva, Lake Oeschinen and Lake Zurich.

6. Put People in Scale and Narration.

Although landscapes are beautiful by themselves, the inclusion of a human being can help tell the story and give the landscape a scale. Your photos will be more relatable and dynamic to a lone hiker, a cyclist or a couple admiring the view.

When you are taking a Switzerland Tour, you will have opportunities to capture natural candid shots of people, as they ride a train, walk around the village or take a hike in the mountain trails. These pictures are more living and touching.

7. Take Tripod Shots with Sharp and Creative Shots.

The tripod is another very helpful landscape photography tool, particularly during low light. It allows you to:

• Take pictures of sharp sunrise and sunset.
• Take long shots of waterfalls and rivers.
• Make panoramic shots in an impeccable alignment.

The waterfalls and streams of Switzerland are also beautiful to be photographed in long exposure whereby the water is seen to be smooth and silky.

8. Test Alternative Prospectives.

Most of the people who travel take pictures of the landscape at eye level making them to look ordinary, however, by trying the different angles your pictures can be different. Try:

• High level of low angle shooting in order to highlight flowers or grass.
• Getting uphill shots with great wide shots.
• Defining scenes with the help of windows, arches, or tree branches.

Cable cars in Switzerland, mountain trains and train routes provide numerous opportunities to view creative views along the way.

9. Photoshop Lightly To Make Photos Natural.

It is important that we process it after processing it but it is vital that we do it subtly. Swiss natural landscapes are beautiful, and too much saturation and heavy filters should not be used. Focus on:

• The regulation of exposure and contrast.
• Enhancing clarity slightly
• Correcting white balance

It is meant to portray what you actually saw when you were on a trip and not to dominate the natural beauty of Switzerland.

Bonus Tip: Honor Nature and Domestic Laws.

There are numerous scenic destinations in Switzerland which are protected areas. Remain on designated paths, do not step on vegetation and take advice of the locals. When you are engaging in responsible travel, these sceneries will be left clean so that when a traveler or a photographer comes there, they will still have something to capture.

Final Thoughts

The art of capturing Swiss landscapes is a matter of being patient, watching and enjoying nature. Under the proper skills, your photographs can reveal the real beauty of mountains, lakes, and villages which make Switzerland so unique. You can go on your own or accompany your family members, an adequately planned Switzerland Tour provides a lifetime of opportunities to capture beautiful images.

In case you are willing to make all these tips come true then it is time to start planning a Switzerland sightseeing holiday and see with your own eyes why this country is among the most photographed in the world. Your camera, and your travelling soul, will salute you.