Get your friends to try a fun pose next time you’re on top of a peak

Find an epic view

If you are trying to capture that lasting memory of your friend on top of a peak, make sure you include the view which identifies the location. Otherwise they could just be anywhere.

Capture the moment

That moment of glory might not be the summit of the mountain but a point along the way, so keep your camera accessible and ready. If you are setting up a posed shot, try to get your friend to do something funny rather than just a boring shot of them facing the camera.

Compose the shot

With shots of people, try not to place the person in the centre of the photograph. Think about the rule of thirds and position the person on these third lines. When positioning a person to one side, have them look into the empty space, not out of the photograph. This will guide the viewer’s eyes to wherever the subject is looking.

Create a sense of scale

If you are trying to emphasise the scale of a landscape or height of a peak, don’t get too close to the person you are photographing. You want them to be a small part of the picture to give the landscape some scale.

Location: Summit, Mt Taranaki
Camera settings: 20mm lens, ISO 400, f9.5, 1/1500 second