Even the most stunning landscapes can start to feel routine if you’re shooting the same way every time. One of the best ways to grow as a photographer is to give yourself creative challenges that push your boundaries and spark new ideas.
In this article, we’ll explore a variety of landscape photography challenges—from technical exercises to creative prompts—that will help sharpen your skills, break out of ruts, and see the world through fresh eyes.
📸 1. One Lens, One Day
The challenge: Choose a single lens (prime or zoom) and shoot all day with it—no switching.
Why it helps:
- Forces you to compose creatively within limitations
- Helps you understand your lens better
- Encourages more thoughtful framing and movement
🕐 2. Golden Hour + Blue Hour Marathon
The challenge: Capture both golden hour and blue hour in a single shoot.
Why it helps:
- Teaches how light evolves in a short span of time
- Pushes you to adapt to shifting conditions quickly
- Encourages you to think about mood and color temperature
🌧 3. Embrace Bad Weather
The challenge: Go out and shoot in less-than-ideal conditions—rain, fog, snow, or storms (safely!).
Why it helps:
- Adds atmosphere, mood, and originality to your photos
- Teaches you to work with what nature gives you
- Builds resilience and adaptability
⚫ 4. Black and White Landscape Series
The challenge: Shoot a complete set of landscapes with the goal of converting them to black and white.
Why it helps:
- Emphasizes light, texture, and shape over color
- Strengthens your compositional awareness
- Helps you see the landscape in new ways
🧱 5. Minimalist Composition Challenge
The challenge: Create landscapes with minimal elements—clean lines, negative space, simple shapes.
Why it helps:
- Focuses your attention on balance and visual weight
- Sharpens your ability to reduce clutter in the frame
- Teaches restraint and intentional design
🧭 6. Explore a 1-Mile Radius
The challenge: Spend an entire photo session shooting within a one-mile (or even 100-yard) area.
Why it helps:
- Encourages you to look deeper, not farther
- Trains you to notice small details and hidden scenes
- Makes familiar places feel new again
💡 7. Shoot a Landscape Abstract
The challenge: Create an abstract image using natural textures, patterns, reflections, or motion.
Why it helps:
- Boosts creativity and experimentation
- Helps break the habit of shooting only wide vistas
- Turns the ordinary into something artful
🔄 8. Return to the Same Spot 4 Times
The challenge: Revisit one scene at different times of day, in different weather, or across seasons.
Why it helps:
- Reveals how mood and light change a landscape
- Teaches patience and planning
- Builds a powerful image series with depth
📆 9. 7-Day Landscape Photo Diary
The challenge: Shoot and edit one landscape photo per day for a week.
Why it helps:
- Creates momentum and discipline
- Builds a mini body of work to reflect on
- Encourages consistency and daily inspiration
🧠 10. Compose Without Looking at the Screen
The challenge: Frame and shoot using the viewfinder only—no screen previews.
Why it helps:
- Builds confidence in your settings and composition
- Hones your observational skills
- Simulates the experience of film photography
🧠 Final Thoughts
Challenges are more than just exercises—they’re opportunities to reignite your creativity, identify your strengths, and stretch into new territory. Whether you’re shooting from your backyard or a mountain summit, these prompts will help you see landscapes in new light—both literally and figuratively.
Pick one challenge this week and dive in. Your next favorite photo might be the one you didn’t expect.
Happy exploring!