Generally landscapes require a great depth of field, which can be obtained by using a small aperture of around f/16. Also landscapes require components of the image in the forground and also in the background which are in focus.
Landscapes will have a more pleasing appearance if the lighting is low in the sky, which means that the best time to photograph landscapes is early morning or late in the day.
Several other conditions such as mist or dramatic clouds and lighting in the sky will add to make a landscape a spectacular image. When taking landscapes it is critical to elininate camera movement, hence it is advisable to use a tripod where possible.
The above image shows the early morning as
the sun rises at Kakadu National Park which
was captured with a tripod.
The above image is from Noosa National Park,
Australia and illustrates the great depth of field
required in landscape images.
The Glass House Mountains at sunset with a tripod to steady the
camera to improve the image sharpness.
Late in the day, sunset is a great time to capture excellent lighting,
but ensure you use a tripod. This image was taken at Ubirr, Kakadu
National Park, Australia.