When photographing traditional landscapes, you’ll most likely want the entire scene to be in focus. To achieve this, you will need to use a small aperture to get great depth of field (Figure 5.2). You could always set your camera to Av mode (Aperture Priority) and set your aperture at around f/11 or f/16, but because the camera chooses the shutter speed, it could vary, changing the look of your image. To prevent this, consider using Manual mode.
Just as with all other styles of photography, if you want to be in control of your images, you should select a shooting mode that allows you that control. Once you are set up and ready to shoot, the light in your scene probably won’t change drastically in a short period of time, so your exposure will stay consistent as well. Shooting in Manual mode will ensure that you get the look you want, because you will have full control over both shutter speed and aperture.
Now, just because most landscapes are photographed with great depth of field doesn’t mean you always have to photograph your images the same way (Figure 5.3). There’s no “right way” to do any one thing, so feel free to break the rules and try something new.
