Thanks Guy for a really superb article this month (Essential Landscape - 6 silver bullets). IMO, this is one of your best articles, and will prove extremely helpful for many photographers.
Thanks also for all your tireless efforts to make NPN such a great site!
Here, here!!! Absolutely agree! This one is terrific. I love the way this Guy looks at things and the encouraging ways he has with us lesser mortals.
Bob
Posted by Tom Nevesely on July 5, 2007 at 12:33 PM
Great article indeed! In fact it inspired me to get up at 2:30am on Monday so that I could drive out to the mountains for a sunrise shoot (Sun rise is at 5:30am). Unfortunately the sun didn't cooperate and I didn't get any shots. I still enjoyed being out there and to me it was still worth it.
Another well written concise essay others would be wise to read.
from Guy's essay >>>"The more time you spend outdoors, where your favorite subjects are, the more likely you are to be at the right place and time to experience and photograph them.
...
If you've been to a beautiful place and did not capture great images, you are still better off than if you had not gone at all. If you let your lack of photographic success on a given trip make you bitter and frustrated, only then will you have truly wasted your time.
...
Much as we are dependent on any number of factors that are beyond our control, there still are a lot of things we can do to increase our chances of finding those special scenes in their prime."
Unusual conditions and weather often are necessary to produce outstanding images especially on mature subjects. Else we all are on the same limited mediocre playing field. Both those who have the best equipment and skills through those that have far less. The great thing about mathematical chance is it has nothing to do with luck. Luck is a wishful illusion. The simple numerical advantage is in repetition. Thus patiently being out in the field more even for those that don't have a clue when, where, or what, will over the long term be more productive. But repetition alone is only a part of a successful formula. Additionally that increased experience has the potential to add to one's knowledge and wisdom about those when, where, and whats. And the latter is where some significant advantages lie. However the window leading into those advantages will only be uninterestingly murky if one also doesn't make a complementary effort to gain knowledge and understanding that clears the view. ...David
A very nice article, Guy. Thanks for sharing your insights with us.
David Senesac wrote : Unusual conditions and weather often are necessary to produce outstanding images especially on mature subjects. Else we all are on the same limited mediocre playing field.
David, I didn't follow the part about "mature subjects". Can you kindly elaborate? Also, I never felt that unusual conditions and weather are necessary. I could be wrong and if that is so, I guess my chances of making an outstanding image are close to zero. I almost never photograph in unusual conditions.
Anil my relative statement was "often necessary". Optimal weather, light, and conditions, that Guy referred to as "prime". Such can potentially make a moderately nice subject much better and excellent subjects superb. In some cases a person with mediocre equipment and or skill might capture a much more outstanding result versus the work of even the best photographers if they simply had superb light. Though it is also true some subjects like closeups of wildflowers might be worked well regardless of whether they only have common weather to work with.
Galen Rowell in Mountain Light referred to mature subjects as those that have been long been photographed by many others. As such the standard to rise above the work of others increases to higher quality. Especially to stand out in comercial level work. Conversely if one finds unique subjects that have not been photographed, one might need far less.
I recall Galen used an example of capturing a common animal like a deer(?) showing the full profile which has been over photographed to death versus capturing a shot of a rare snow leopard. For the former, a more unique image like having the deer peer out between some trees might have more appeal while for the snow leopard shot, an audience would much rather see the whole animal and closer within the landscape. ...David
Discussion
10 repliesThanks also for all your tireless efforts to make NPN such a great site!
Bob
from Guy's essay >>>"The more time you spend outdoors, where your favorite subjects are, the more likely you are to be at the right place and time to experience and photograph them.
...
If you've been to a beautiful place and did not capture great images, you are still better off than if you had not gone at all. If you let your lack of photographic success on a given trip make you bitter and frustrated, only then will you have truly wasted your time.
...
Much as we are dependent on any number of factors that are beyond our control, there still are a lot of things we can do to increase our chances of finding those special scenes in their prime."
Unusual conditions and weather often are necessary to produce outstanding images especially on mature subjects. Else we all are on the same limited mediocre playing field. Both those who have the best equipment and skills through those that have far less. The great thing about mathematical chance is it has nothing to do with luck. Luck is a wishful illusion. The simple numerical advantage is in repetition. Thus patiently being out in the field more even for those that don't have a clue when, where, or what, will over the long term be more productive. But repetition alone is only a part of a successful formula. Additionally that increased experience has the potential to add to one's knowledge and wisdom about those when, where, and whats. And the latter is where some significant advantages lie. However the window leading into those advantages will only be uninterestingly murky if one also doesn't make a complementary effort to gain knowledge and understanding that clears the view. ...David
David Senesac wrote : Unusual conditions and weather often are necessary to produce outstanding images especially on mature subjects. Else we all are on the same limited mediocre playing field.
David, I didn't follow the part about "mature subjects". Can you kindly elaborate? Also, I never felt that unusual conditions and weather are necessary. I could be wrong and if that is so, I guess my chances of making an outstanding image are close to zero. I almost never photograph in unusual conditions.
David, I am also curious to learn more about what you mean by "mature subjects".
Guy
Could it be possible that David meant to say, nature subjects instead of mature subjects? Just a guess.
- Dan.
Galen Rowell in Mountain Light referred to mature subjects as those that have been long been photographed by many others. As such the standard to rise above the work of others increases to higher quality. Especially to stand out in comercial level work. Conversely if one finds unique subjects that have not been photographed, one might need far less.
I recall Galen used an example of capturing a common animal like a deer(?) showing the full profile which has been over photographed to death versus capturing a shot of a rare snow leopard. For the former, a more unique image like having the deer peer out between some trees might have more appeal while for the snow leopard shot, an audience would much rather see the whole animal and closer within the landscape. ...David