Photography tips

Focal length

Mount Pilatus massif in Central Switzerland surrounded by fog in the evening light

Key tips

  1. Use a fast shutter speed or a stable base when shooting at a long focal length of 400 mm to prevent motion blur.
  2. Select a medium aperture at high focal lengths to capture the subject clearly.
  3. Use a fast shutter speed with long focal lengths to prevent motion blur caused by the magnification.

Photographs on this topic

172 photographs with tips

The exact camera settings for each shot are shown below it - a starting point for recreating the look yourself. Click through to a photograph for detailed photography tips on that specific shot, under "Photography tips for this image".

All subjects Mountains Architecture City Landscape Pilatus Lucerne Lake Lucerne Central Switzerland
Mount Pilatus massif in Central Switzerland surrounded by fog in the evening light 400 mm · f/8 · 1/10 s · ISO 800 Mountain range Pilatus near Lucerne wrapped in clouds during evening light 400 mm · f/9 · 1/15 s · ISO 800 The cloud-covered peaks of Mount Pilatus in purple evening light. 400 mm · f/9 · 1/15 s · ISO 800 Full moon behind clouds over the dark Pilatus mountain 400 mm · f/8 · 1/250 s · ISO 25600 Group of alphorn players in traditional Swiss costume in front of the Pilatus rock face 45 mm · f/18 · 1/320 s · ISO 500 The summit of Mount Pilatus surrounded by clouds in warm light 150 mm · f/9 · 1/10 s · ISO 400 The mountain chapel on Mount Pilatus near Lucerne, with Lake Lucerne and the city of Lucerne in the background. 165 mm · f/11 · 1/320 s · ISO 250 Hotel Bellevue embedded in the rock formations of Mount Pilatus 400 mm · f/11 · 1/640 s · ISO 400 View of the Pilatus peaks with hotel and transmission towers in daylight 100 mm · f/11 · 1/160 s · ISO 100 View of the rock formations at the summit of Mount Pilatus with a paraglider flying by 100 mm · f/11 · 1/200 s · ISO 125 The summit cross on Mount Pilatus surrounded by clouds and rocks 300 mm · f/11 · 1/640 s · ISO 250 Young ibex grazing in rocky terrain on Mount Pilatus. 400 mm · f/11 · 1/800 s · ISO 800 Young ibex standing on a rocky slope at Mount Pilatus 400 mm · f/11 · 1/800 s · ISO 800 Two ibexes on a rocky slope at Mount Pilatus 225 mm · f/11 · 1/500 s · ISO 500 Young ibex in a rocky environment on Mount Pilatus 400 mm · f/11 · 1/800 s · ISO 640 An ibex standing on a rocky ridge on Mount Pilatus. 400 mm · f/11 · 1/800 s · ISO 400 A young ibex standing on a rocky slope at Mount Pilatus. 400 mm · f/11 · 1/640 s · ISO 320 Red Pilatus cogwheel train travelling through the steep rock face of Mount Pilatus. 100 mm · f/14 · 1/125 s · ISO 200 The red Pilatus cogwheel train travels through the steep rocky landscape of Mount Pilatus. 236 mm · f/14 · 1/320 s · ISO 640 The Pilatus cogwheel railway runs along a steep cliff. 325 mm · f/14 · 1/500 s · ISO 1000 Red cogwheel train driving through steep rock and grass landscape on Mount Pilatus. 214 mm · f/11 · 1/500 s · ISO 1600 View of Mount Pilatus and Lake Lucerne during sunset 15 mm · f/11 · 1/60 s · ISO 400 Dark silhouette of Mount Pilatus against a softly colored evening sky 400 mm · f/20 · 1/400 s · ISO 2500 Dark silhouette of Mount Pilatus against a softly coloured evening sky 400 mm · f/20 · 1/500 s · ISO 2500

Related topics

  • Mountains
  • Architecture
  • City
  • Landscape
  • Light
  • Camera settings
  • Perspective
  • Composition
  • Pilatus
  • Lucerne
  • Lake Lucerne
  • Central Switzerland
  • Evening light
  • Fog
  • Sunset
  • Night
  • Snow
  • Blue hour
  • Rain
← All photography tips