3 objectives when taking a photo

[KCrowley]

It is a nice photo with the landscape, the beautiful dog's gaze leading the viewer into the picture, and the other hunters and dogs in the distance. I just think if the camera would have been tilted up slightly you'd get more sky in the image, the dogs head would be closer to the lower third grid lines on the right side. I'm guessing a majority of people would say it's a good image. I'm also guessing a majority of landscape photographers would say it's an image that could easily be improved upon. Just my amateur take. Thanks for sharing your images and tips, they are good ones.

Most landscape photographers would tell you there aren't a lot of rules in the form. Even the rule of thirds is meant to be broken. There is no reason to include elements(like cloudless skies) that don't add to the image. That said, I think what is being talked about here is hunting photos that include the environment rather than landscape photos.

Here are two true landscapes that I've one awards for that break the cardinal rule of landscapes - don't put the horizon in the middle:




But my bestselling landscape/environmental shots often have very little or no sky in them at all.





As with most everything, it all comes down to personal preference, but the personal preference I focus on is that of certain editors and publishers.

 

[AKSkeeter]

That dog really finds a lot of partridge!

I like huns early in the year before pheasants open and late in the year when my
rooster spots have crunchy snow I can find south-facing sagebrush slopes snow-free with huns.

 

[AKSkeeter]

One of my favorite cell phone photos hunting hun here in Montana.