The Only 3 Travel Lenses You’ll Ever Need
As a travel landscape photographer, having the right lenses in your camera bag can make all the difference when it comes to capturing stunning landscapes and unforgettable memories. In this post, we'll discuss three must-have lenses for travel landscape photography and the features you should look for when selecting the perfect lens for your next trip.
Wide Angle Lens
Tamron 17-28mm f2.8
First and foremost, a wide-angle lens is a must-have for travel landscape photography. This lens lets you capture a wide field of view, putting more of the landscape in your photograph. A wide-angle lens is great for creating a sense of depth and scale in your photograph, making it ideal for capturing vast landscapes. This is also your best option if you are interested in astrophotography, which I consider a landscape photography sub-genre.
Be careful with this lens class, though. Wide-angle lenses can distort the perspective of what they will see in photographs. Getting too close to a subject will likely distort it from the user's perspective.
Wide-angle lenses typically range from around 14mm to 35mm, but I opt for the 17-28mm version produced by Tamron.
Mid-Range Lens
Sigma 24-70mm f2.8
A mid-range lens is also important for travel landscape photography. This lens is typically associated with the natural perspective of the human eye. With focal lengths of 35mm and 50mm, what you see is what you will get in your photos. This is an excellent walk-around lens, making it great for hiking. Many people just use this lens as a cure-all for their landscape photography woes.
It is also an excellent choice for capturing cityscapes and street photography. It's perfect for when you're driving on the road and want to take a quick shot or decide to make a stop in the city and grab some cityscapes.
Telephoto Lens
Tamron 70-180mm f2.8
Lastly, a telephoto zoom lens is great for travel landscape photography. This lens usually covers the range of 70-200 and is excellent for capturing distant subjects. Mountains are the first subjects to come to mind. If you travel in the Western United States, you will likely see some mountains in the distance. The previous two lenses are not enough to capture the true magnificence, so this lens is a must. Furthermore, the lens's compression makes it a great option for accentuating scale.
This lens is essential when it comes to wildlife photography. It allows you to keep a safe distance between you and the subject and compress the scene, making objects appear closer to distant objects. Ideally, you want to get one with a minimum aperture of 2.8, as it will perform better in low light and have more flexibility in terms of aperture.
By selecting the right lenses for your travel landscape photography, you can ensure that you capture unforgettable memories and stunning landscapes. Make sure to choose lenses with a wide angle, mid-range, and telephoto option to have a great variety and get the best results.
