Landscape photography shows spaces within the world, sometimes vast and unending, but other times microscopic. Photographs typically capture the presence of nature but can also focus on man-made features or disturbances of landscapes.

 

Landscape Photos should:

 

Tell a Story

A good landscape picture should make a connection with the viewer, and tell you a story. A good landscape picture will have you finding interesting details in the photo for several months after you first see it. The skill is to entertain the viewer within the singular moment of the photo. Capturing the instant in time, and preserving it forever, can make it into something amazing. It can remind you of a certain location, a certain point in time, or a period of your life.

 

Show someone more than they see

Landscape photography is not purely about taking yourself to beautiful locations- in fact the real skill comes from finding the beauty in everyday life. I came across a quote that I liked by Eliot Porter, an American nature photographer - “All the cycles of life are beautiful.” This quote rings true to the landscape photographer, as you search for the “special parts” in life around you. Many great landscape photos have been taken in places that would not usually be considered beautiful - by choosing what to include or exclude, and bringing your own unique perspective, you can choose the scene that best represents your creative vision.It all comes together when you push the camera shutter and the photo reveals something special and spectacular.

 

Sharing the feelings of a moment

Another aspect of landscape photography is to share the feelings that come with these incredible moments in time. It is one thing to be able to see these amazing things yourself, it is quite another to be able to share them with others.

 

Remind people of the beauty of our world

The final purpose that I will talk about is the ability to remind people of nature, and the natural world. In our current lives it is easy to run out of time to stop and smell the roses. It is common to get caught in your own busy world and lose track of the outside world.Landscape photography should remind you of that connection we all have to the land, and remind you to stop every so often, to take a big breath, and be aware. Landscape pictures can also show both the strength and the fragility of nature - the volatile beauty of the wilderness and the earth that needs to be protected.The act of photography intensifies ones visual experience.

 

- Andrew Carter