Landscape Photography | Art, Photography and Poetry

Welcome followers and visitors to my blog and another update in my photography Beginner’s Guide to Photography.

This week I will be talking about Landscape Photography and looking at an image by Marc Adamus.

As I have stated in previous articles one can learn so much about photography by looking at; and, talking about other photographers’ work.

Landscape Photography may be defined as;

portraying spaces within the world, that can be both panoramic as well as being microscopic.
attempting to capture the presence of nature but can also focus on man-made urban-space or disturbances of landscapes.
possessing both a reflective and deductive process,
recalling observations or experiences
making a connection with the viewer through a purposeful detailed pictorial narrative that preserves a single moment in time,
making choices as to what to include or exclude, bringing ones own personal perspective to a particular scene and best represents ones creative vision.
sharing the emotional connections that come with the created image.
reminding one of the connections between individuals and the land whether it be the natural or the urban landscape devoid of human interference or as the result of human intervention.

Many landscape photographs show little or no human activity and are created in the pursuit of a pure, unsullied depiction of nature, devoid of human influence—instead featuring subjects such as strongly defined landforms, weather, and ambient light.[1][2]

[1] Ellement, Brad (U.K.) “Featured Artist: Brad Ellement”, Landscape Photography Magazine, 2014 Edition (“The Big Free Edition”), p.56

[2] Mary Warner Marien (2006). Photography: A Cultural History. Laurence King Publishing. Page 136.

As with most forms of art, the definition of a landscape photograph is broad and may include rural or urban settings, industrial areas or nature photography.[3][4]

[3] Waite, Charlie with interviewer Keith Wilson, “In Conversation… Charlie Waite”, Landscape Photography Magazine, 2014 Edition(“The Big Free Edition”), p.120

[4] Purdue Univ., “Nature and Landscape Photography”, from ”Visualizing Nature: Promoting Public Understanding and Appreciation of Nature, [Department of] Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, retrieved October 4, 2015.

http://carterlandscapephotography.com.au/what-is-landscape-photography/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landscape_photography

Screen Shot 2017-11-23 at 17.19.26 — Marc Adamus, *Forever Dreaming /Edge of the Sea,* *Olympic Nations Park, Washington*
2007

Compositionally the image presents an ocean view imbued with the diffused low key natural lighting of the setting sun. A very long exposure at twilight picks up the surreal colours and the beauty of the seascape.

The image captures the very essence and spirit of place through the light and atmospheric qualities that imbues the work and is possessed with the sense of the powerful epic majesty that is both ethereal and sublime.

The perspective with its many leading lines from the bottom of the frame that lead to the central distant vanishing point, draws the viewer directly into the image.

This instigates an engagement and dialogue with both the photographer and the experience of that which has been observed and photographed.

The work’s backdrop constitutes the sky with its back lighting and the mountains and divided by the horizon which rest at the horizontal intersection of the top third of the image.

The remaining horizontal two thirds is made up of the converging rocky runnels and the ocean with its misted reflections of the sky.

The image with its blending of depth of field and exposure, clarity, classical structure and sense of symmetry is filled with visual drama and artistry that captures the atmospheric mood of the open natural landscape – a remaking of reality.

The image demands attention and the viewer is drawn ever more deeply into the composition by some unseen subliminal force. The work is filled with visual passion that appears to reflect the photographer’s own interests.

“It’s not about where you are, but how you see”.

Marc Adamus

All these varied attributes are accentuated through the work reflecting a sense of magical energy.

The work explores the varying possibilities of structure, power, beauty, mood, light, colour, tonal range, texture that lie within the landscape “en plain air”.

The viewer is drawn into the image and becomes emotionally engaged with it through what the photographer refers to as:

“This is nature through my eyes”.

Marc Adamus

The wide-angled image is endowed with a sense of the dramatic, a panorama filled with what the photographer terms his attachment and interaction with a particular landscape.

The image displays a specific thought provoking narrative which concern the conflict between virgin landscape and man’s intervention and influence upon it.

The work’s backdrop constitutes the sky with its back lighting and the mountains and divided by the horizon which rest at the horizontal intersection of the top third of the image.

The remaining horizontal two thirds is made up of the converging rocky runnels and the ocean with its misted reflections of the sky.

All these varied attributes are accentuated through the work reflecting a sense of magical energy.

The work explores the varying possibilities of structure, power, beauty, mood, light, colour, tonal range, texture that lie within the landscape “en plain air”.

The wide-angled image is endowed with a sense of the dramatic, a panorama filled with what the photographer terms his attachment and interaction with a particular landscape.

The image displays a specific thought provoking narrative which concern the conflict between virgin landscape and man’s intervention and influence upon it.

The image demands attention and the viewer is drawn ever more deeply into the composition by some unseen subliminal force.

The image evokes an emotional response, communicates a sense of artistic creativity and through the narrative engages the viewer’s senses.

It presents the genre of landscape photography as relevant, exciting and means to instigate both social and political debate with regard to the loss of natural landscape globally.

“… a great photograph is not merely documenting the scene at hand, rather it is about fusing the essential vision of the artist with the landscape.”

Marc Adamus

The meticulous attention to detail and refinement within the work through the editing process – optimizing and adjusting contrasts, colours, tonalities and luminosity present the viewer with a visual experience and emotional connection that appears to be one of actually being present within the image.

I trust that you find some of these ideas useful within the context of your own photography. Don’t be afraid to experiment and allow different ideas to develop as you go along.

Remember what I referred to in previous articles about taking photos and creating photograms; the same applies to considering your own photos, other photographers’ work as well as applying different artist’s ideas too.

Don’t be afraid to experiment.

Experiment! Experiment! Experiment!

Remember there are no right or wrong answers or ways of doing it.

Your photographs are your world.

You can do what you like.

Don’t worry about the theory and trying to remember everything about how to take or consider how to look at or stage a photograph.

Don’t worry about what you might think is right or wrong in talking about or taking photographs.

Make mistakes. Laugh. Have fun. Just enjoy the process.

Happy Photography.

Thank you for your visit.

goffjamesart.wordpress.com

Art Photography Poetry