UKH

Just watched a YouTube episode where the presenter was going on about landscape compositions and he said something that really peaked my interest. The advice was basically to focus on the "What" of the subject and not just the "Where" of the location.

What other tips or advice do you have, or been given, for photography in general that you found useful?

Remember to put the memory card back in the camera!

and make sure the battery is charged/have a spare.
I managed to sneak into a NT property when it was being renovated and set everything up to start taking photos.  Pressed the remote shutter release and nothing happened as the battery was totally dead.
How disappointing...  
 

And leave a spare one in the bag for when you inevitably don’t!

What did he mean by that? Basically point your camera in the right direction?

I imagine something like, if you want to take a great photo, it's not enough to just to, e.g., go to Yosemite. You also need to find a subject, e.g. moose fighting, butterflies mating on wildflowers, Honnold soloing the Rostrum. Otherwise it'll just be another mediocre photo of Half Dome.

Shoot well in the first place so you don't have to mess around with sharpening software. 

Although landscape was specified. Makes obvious sense if "where" means a whole area rather than a specific location. I was assuming being in the right spot but then getting a good composition.

I'm going to guess that the usual photo rules also apply for landscapes - i.e. they should have an actual subject, not just be a camera pointed at some kind of vista.

I agree, there has to be a subject for a great landscape photo. Look at Ansell Adams shots, he's not just pointing the box any old way at a nice view. Same for Joe Cornish and to a large extent Colin Prior. It's still life, just at a large scale.

So really we are just talking about composition.

I guess, but for me composition is what happens after you've decided what the subject is.

Fair enough. In the end it all comes down to right place, right time, point camera in right direction (easier said than done). The rest is just technicalities.

I've always liked this one from Ansel Adams -

"There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept"

I just wish I could remember it every time before I press the shutter release.

Another more general comment I heard on a photography forum. Although there is more to photography than this, I think it is very true -

Beginners think it is all about the camera.

Enthusiasts think it is all about the lens.

Photographers know it is all about the light.

Dave

I like that