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I've come to realise there are some missing elements/aspects of my photography that I would like to add. I'm under no illusion about my current state of progress, generally they lack a message, emotion and a story. I do believe they are a fairly technically accurate documentary of pleasant landscape scenes (well to me & to some people) but lack real emotional depth of which I aim to include (will need a lot of practice).
Does anyone else have missing aspects you would like to incorporate in your photography and which are they?
..please don't go and look at my pf and click, it's just a discussion I was after.
People see the world in different ways John. Some look at a street scene and think drama, others see the street in mono or HDR.
Your landscapes are obviously born out of some sense of emotion or you wouldn't take them. The scenes must evoke emotion in you. But your obviously in a comfort zone that you might want to break out of.
I often browse through magazines to see what the months challenges/competitions are for the month. This site too runs a monthly themed competition. I obviously don't enter them all but I usually have a go at the theme or technique. You'd be surprised how quickly your range improves and opens up new areas for you.
Paul
I know what you mean. There's is definitely a skill in imparting an emotional resonance on a landscape and I think the key is undertsanding what aspects of imagery evoke what feelings and then using them as composition rules.
I can't do it yet either !
I think you have summed it up Paul quite well, I'm happy with my images in general, although there are only 3 or 4 I'm truely content with, but I want to branch out and see if I can achieve the more deeper meaning image. I think I know what I need to do but its just a case of having a go and practising.
I've probably been looking at too many other inspirational sources.
One area I can try straight away is ditching the wide angle and looking for more simplistic images, I tend to cram too much in a scene generally.
John
John, landscape doesn't have to be wide open spaces in my opinion.
OK, it's nice to have a mountain range with rivers and fences leading the eye into the image etc etc.
But I also consider what I call 'Close landscapes'. Wooded areas, flood parks and large gardens are some subjects I shoot when lost for ideas.
Also picking out part of a landscape with a long lens can have the desired effect.
Gerry.
Indeed it doesn't Gerry and I'm starting to appreciate that a lot more now having been browsing a few different sources.
I have a 70-200 lens Paul and going to use more often and also go out in all conditions more and I don't reckon its all about the light neither, I reckon colour and texture are as important to some types of shots.
Plenty to think about.
John
I have a friend who calls me a 'wide angle boy' and firmly believes that because my main interest is landscapes and invariably use the 10-20 that I automatically think wide when tackling any subject.
He does the reverse and invariably uses long focus first for 'close landscapes'. Sometimes I feel that his shots have more 'feeling'.
I have not got a clue how to create emotion in a picture of a landscape even if that can be done. All I can say is that by varying the type of images taken is a certain way of restoring creativity which seems to be a big talking point with a lot of people at the moment.
Some of my own personally stirring images have been taken in poor weather conditions and when I view these I can feel personal emotion because I was there and can remember what I went through to portray the atmosphere at the time. However I don't know if this translates into emotion for other viewers.
An interesting topic John, probably one which will be discussed over a few pints in the Clachaig very soon!!
Mike
Had a look at your pf john - stunning images of some splendid mountains They are beautiful images of beautiful places, but I think I know where you are coming from when you say they lack emotional depth...
I can appreciate the awesome mountains, crashing waterfalls, etc, but because I don't know the places, I've never been there, the images mean very little to me, other than a nice view... I think it would be very difficult for a landscape shot to arouse emotions in a stranger to that landscape. Sure they can make you feel cold, warm, or have a "feelgood" factor, but unless they evoke a personal memory the viewer will usually be rather detached...
Maybe the answer is to include people in the landscape? Or evidence of people?
Hmmm... tricky one!
I think a long lens can make you think more in terms of shapes and structure in a landscape shot.
This is something I have been pondering over too, though I hasten to add my work is nowhere near as accomplished as yours. ( Not being a creep but I have only been seriously trying to take good shots for about six months now. You obviously know what you are doing whereas I am still finding a lot of stuff out. )
I have a 10-20 and am finding it does dictate the shot i take rather too much. I took some landscape-ish shots with my 55-200 which made me look in a different way.
As for the emotional depth issue, trying to examine why you are taking pictures in the first place sounds somewhat pretentious but I think, can be very useful. Emotional impact presumably comes from an involvement in your subject. If you love the light, then make the light your 'muse', if you love being in the hills, make your pictures reflect that, and maybe it will come across.
The other thing that I am concluding is that there is a great deal of sheer hard work necessary before you/me/one can reach the point where you really know what you want to say and how to say it. Speaking for myself, for a hobbyist that is a lot to take on.
I think I will just plug away at my own speed and my own level and see where that takes me.
My missing element, to go back to the OP, is technical skill and attention to detail. That and lack of focus on a particular type of picture, I am too eclectic maybe.
sorry to drone on,
Jon
Many pros consider the 70-200mm or 80-200mm focal lengths their main landscape lenses. The term I've seen used most is selective landscape photography. One very interesting pioneer in digital photography is George Lepp, who contributes a monthly article to the American magazine "Outdoor Photographer;" I have seen many of his panoramas which he has done as macro panoramas. He does this with flowers, and other plants; sometimes vertical, sometimes horizontal. You're only limited by your imagination, as they say.
Quote: The term I've seen used most is selective landscape photography.
Ah yes. The 'myth' that you need a wideangle for landscape work...
To my mind, it actually takes a fair bit more compositional skill to selectively construct an image out of elements of a landscape, rather than to bung on your widest lens and simply plant your camera in front of an attractive bit of scenery. With scenics, the composition usually suggests itself - bit of foreground interest, balance the sky and the land and Bob's your proverbial. However, when working selectively or on a smaller scale you have to look a lot harder for your images but the pay-off is that the results are much more personal. It's about what you've chosen to include and, more importantly, what you've chosen to exclude. The other side of the coin is that it's really difficult to make a personal statement by shooting scenics - unless you are as talented as, say, Joe Cornish or Colin Prior - simply because of the constraints of the format.
MikeH, I have the same view of mine, they do remind me of my emotions at the time I took them, more some than others, like 'how cold it was but at same time very exciting to be out', 'gobsmacked by a view' etc but they are personal reminders and I don't think they translate across to the viewer and I think they are pretty unmemorable as well. If they had a strong message or story then I think would be more memorable.
Kathy, I agree totally what you are saying but believe emotions can be aroused in a viewer of a strange landscape, not the same emotions probable but can be done as i've seen a few images that have had that effect on me and none of them are like the type I take. maybe that says something..
JBA, my main passion as you can probably tell is being outdoors in and around mountains, this developed 30 years before I even picked up a camera and photography now is just an extension of that passion. I think my mountain shots reflect my character and I have an affinity with them and I'm quite happy with this style of shot but I think I'm looking to try a different type of shot to capture the bits that are missing, you know, lone trees in mist, adverse weather, people etc.
Definately gonna try the 17-70 and 70-200 more and maybe even leave the 10-20 at home...
Thanks all
John
Quote: Definately gonna try the 17-70 and 70-200 more and maybe even leave the 10-20 at home...
Noooo! Take it with you just in case
But yes, I think maybe look for the little details, the things that make one area unique. I'd suggest looking for the ugly bits too - the litter in the car park, the sheepdog covered in mud, the scrawny mountain ponies scratching a living on the hill, that kind of thing?
Maybe you feel your images are too lovely? Too tourist brochure? They certainly make me yearn to visit Scotland and the Lakes... But I know there is a darker side, that it's a place where survival is very hard for all but the toughest, and loneliness is commonplace.
I wouldn't go as far to say 'lovely' Kathy, 'pleasant records of outdoor scenes' probably and these are ok and I'll continue to do them but I'm going to try and add the missing elements into my images which means trying different types of shots I reckon. I think it's quite hard to introduce a message or story for example into a landscape such as a mountain.
John
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