It’s the start of a new year — the perfect time to think about what you want to achieve with your photography. If improving your landscape photography is on the list, here are five practical ways to make real progress in 2026.
1. Make time for practice
There’s truth in the old adage: mastery comes with practice. Setting aside 2–4 hours per week for focused practice is one of the most effective ways to improve your landscape photography in 2026. Consistency beats the occasional epic shoot — and over the course of a year, those hours will add up to make a BIG difference.
2. Research locations with potential
One of the biggest challenges in landscape photography is finding interesting subjects that make interesting photos. If you’re shooting once a week, you’ll need a list of potential locations. Researching locations close to home reduces travel time, allowing you more time in the field to practice.
3. Study the work of other photographers
In art, nothing comes from nothing — every great photo builds on what came before. Studying the work of other photographers will spark fresh ideas and inspiration. The goal isn’t to copy their photos, but to steal their ideas. And remember: steal from one, it’s plagiarism; steal from many… that’s research!
4. Critique your own work
In photography, there’s no such thing as failure — only opportunities to learn. If a shoot doesn’t go as planned, ask yourself: Why? What would I do differently next time? Over time, this honest reflection gives you valuable insight into the areas you need to focus on to improve.
5. Revisit locations to correct your mistakes
There’s no point in critiquing your work if you don’t go back and apply what you’ve learned. Returning to a location lets you refine your compositions, correct past mistakes, and create stronger photos. Over time, revisiting locations turns small improvements into consistently great photographs.
I’ll make you a promise: do these five things, and in 12 months, your landscape photography will be unrecognisable. How do I know? Because these are the exact same techniques I have used to transform the work of photographers in oneLandscape, the online community for landscape photographers.
So, are you ready to transform your landscape photography in 2026?
