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In perspective with nature, our existence becomes meaningless for sure. So tiny we are, that even our local landscapes are vast enough for us to feel overwhelmingly small. Truly independent from ourselves, earth’s scenery is filled with great opportunities for some spectacular tripod-friendly photography. And never expect them to present to you in the most fashionable of ways; landscape photography requires patience – and several hours invested in scouting. I’m sure many in this forum will agree with those two basic principles of emotional, meaningful and storytelling landscape photography — with number 3 being some adequate walking shoes of course.
As Ansel Adams could agree, landscape imagery isn’t just registering what lies before us, but also about the deeper emotional truths that our existence is capable of interpreting. Showing this in an aesthetic way is possible thanks to how photography can render reality due to exposure capabilities. In a nutshell, emotional landscape photography requires intertwining what nature whispers to us, with how we want to transmit such whispering with the world.
A couple of days ago, Rob and Jason were discussing a bit about stoicism over our staff’s communication channel. This triggered my attention and decided reading a bit more about this — since I’ve been flagged as stoic before but never got interested in knowing more about it; know I know why 😂 Also, I found this space to be good opportunity for reflecting on how this can enrich our visual intentions amidst how flooded the internet has become thanks to AI generated images. According to the stoics, truth comes from understanding our place within the natural order — hence recognising our place in the universe becomes important for achieving emotional landscapes.
If this line of thought is coherent for you, then you should accept what is, rather than fighting what isn’t. As photographers, we must learn to work with the conditions present. Some of my most memorable images came not from perfect conditions, but from moments when nature presented unexpected gifts. Examples of these jewels are sudden breaks in the clouds, unexpected patches of snow, a golden ridge on a mountain or the early morning mist covering a vast valley.
The ultimate goal is not to impose our will upon nature, but to reveal what it speaks to us. When we approach photography with this mindset, we create images that speak not just to the eye, but to the soul. In essence, they are visual mediations on the profound connection we can have with the natural world. And now —for indulging our eyes— a rich selection of emotional landscapes captured by our passionate members. For it, consider colour mood, lighting, time of day, colour harmony, weather, saturation and composition. Remember, this one is part two of our “Colour Theory in Practice” set! Click here for some examples of how to apply colour in street photography.
Photo of the Week
One of the cool things about landscape photography is the fact that it does not only apply to vast open venues, but also small hidden treasures within nature. Almost as a snake, the frozen tree-trunk reaches for the light of the day! Thanks Elin for sharing this gorgeous and interesting shot!
Weekly Photography Challenge Digest
Thanks again to Tersha and Dahlia for pushing our creative boundaries one step forward every week!
For contributing, check out the original challenge post!
A Highlight on the Latest Activity at our Community
Averil will be travelling to Tasmania, and asked for some recommendations so swing by if you have any! She also introduced us to the vibrant work of Patricia Hopwood-Wade:
beth captured this stealthy fellow at Lake Apopka:
And Patrick captured some canine folks in all sizes and shapes:
Don’t forget to check the photo contest winners for Light and Shadow Play; and remember, this month’s photo contest is now open for entries. The theme is “Color Theory in Practice“. Submit your photos for a chance to win $250 and please don’t forget voting as well. Last but not least, check out the Members Picks for January. The instructions are pretty straightforward:
Members reference what you might consider a five star photo. Give a call out to the photographer and share their photo even if it lies in the Shark Tank and feel free to give a Critique on why it trips your Trigger. Be sure to mention the photographer and the Thread you saw it in.
And if you want to make out the most of your LightStalking user account, make sure to check the latest posts. Also, don’t forget to swim the Mobile Monday Challenge! Last but not least, Check out the current reading throwdown, it has some nice insights and recommendations!
We’d Love To Hear Your Thoughts
Our Feedback Forum is a fine place for all those people wanting to grow fast as photographers. Here, you’ll get your work reviewed by well-intended photographers, but you’ll also have the chance of commenting on the work of others. We believe in the power of feedback, and here are the latest shots shared in the pool:
The Shark Tank is a great place to learn and to discuss, but please read the instructions in order to get a better experience. Share your comments, opinions and doubts on any or all of the images above. We also will be delighted to see some of your own images. Remember all comments are given to the photographs; not the photographers. Also, don’t forget to participate in our upcoming challenge!