Wednesday 12th March marks the day Albert W. Stevens captured the first aerial photography of the Earth’s curvature in the 1930s, and this photo got me thinking about landscape photography.

We’re so lucky to be surrounded by picturesque places to take landscape photography, and you don’t need the whole camera set up or gear to get you that great shot. Other than taking amazing selfies, you can also take great shots You can go on a nice walk and go HAM on your phone camera. Drive to a nice view and take a photo there.

Here are a few places, I recommend – because we’ve been there and the images you can take are exquisite! That photo stays with you and those moments stay with you as well.

Snowy Mountains

Image by Andrea Purnomo (Dre). Shot on film 35mm half frame. Olympus Pen EE2 on Portra400.

Mt Kosciusko National Park will give you amazing mountainous landscape shots, possibly the best NSW has to offer. You can just pull over on the side while driving along the winding roads to take some crazy shots of the mountains surrounding you. It looks spectacular in all seasons, a few months after winter you can get some charming shots with a bit of snow sprinkled over the mountains. Black & white photography would be great a great option at this time.

You can choose to climb Mt Kozi if you wanted to make an outdoor adventure out of it, and really to earn that shot.

Head to Lake Jindabyne for images of the expansive lake, the Snowy Valleys along their forested trails, or shots along the valley’s streams or lakes.

Once you’re in the area, you have a lot to choose from so spend the weekend there.

Cape Solander Trail, Kurnell

Image by Mikhail Zenon texturedworld.au

For something coastal. You don’t have to do the trail to the lighthouse to get great shots here, but I highly recommend it. The walking trail goes along the sandstone cliff and the rocks have this natural brushed, or wave patterned texture on them. It looks unreal. 

It’s an unfenced cliff edge so you can take fantastic undisturbed oceanic shots, but take extra care along the edge. 

Try taking a shot of the wave patterned rocks in the foreground, with waves of the ocean in the mid ground, then if it’s a cloudy day – the sky in the high ground – bam, you just played with textures.

Berowra Heights

Image by Mikhail Zenon texturedworld.au

The name says it all “heights”. Expect forest shots from up high. The entrance is from Turner Rd and you’ll great views along any of the walks in the park. There’s the main fire trail you can take, or the mtb Turner trail great views that makes you want to stop riding to appreciate the scenery. Some of these trails are also part of the Great North Walk. 

Berry’s Bay Lookout, Waverton

Image by Mikhail Zenon texturedworld.au

This place is gun for Sydney Harbour shots – another type of landscape photography. It’ll give you the bridge, boats, houses and the harbour in one. 

There’s parking at the lookout, at the end of Larkin St and it’s close to public transport as well – just a walk away from Waverton Station and near bus stops as well. 

A metal rail pathway will take you to the lookout – suspended over the cliff. You can sit and enjoy the view, have a picnic, or take the path way down to do a short walk that leads you to Carradah Park, continue north to Waverton Park for more harbour and water views. 

Barrangaroo/ Barrangaroo Reserve

Image by Andrea Purnomo (Dre). Shot on film 35mm half frame. Olympus Pen EE2 on HP400

We covered the mountains, coastal, forest, how about urban photography? For a man-made landscape. Barrangaroo has new flashy looking buildings and spectacular architecture to get great architectural photography. The mix of strict structured lines, with curved buildings, and mix of glass, concrete and botanic material makes for some beautiful architectural photography. But if you make your way towards Barrangaroo Reserve, on your right is The Rocks, and you can take photography of the polar opposite – heritage buildings. 

Then walk over to Barrangaroo Reserve for water view shots and another angle of the harbour bridge.   

Tallowa Dam, Lake Yarrunga, Morton National Park, Tallowal

Image by Mikhail Zenon texturedworld.au

You can just go to the picnic area and get awesome photos. There’s also the Tallowa Dam lookout with a body of water flanked by forest on either side. It’s a nice shot. 

If you have a kayak or non-motorised boat, take it out on the water and you won’t be disappointed at the photo ops there. The dam leads you to Lake Yarrunga where you just just but a speck, in between colossal gorges and the coachwood trees. You’ll find yourself paddling through a coachwood graveyard in the water bed – beautiful images.