Location and its effect on your photographic style

It has been awhile since I've posted here and thought I'd share some insights I've recently discovered. As some of you might be aware of, my wife and I moved from the coastal areas of Southern CA., flatlands, to Bishop, CA. in the heart of the Eastern Sierra.
Well its been a little over a year now and I've noted some significant changes in my photographic style since moving up here. One of the biggest changes has been to my preference of landscape oriented framing instead of portrait or vertical. I used to favor the portrait framing before moving.

I thought about it for awhile as to why that might have changed. I came to the conclusion that it must be the influence of this wide open and majestic views this Owens Valley affords. It's effect is so pronounced that I feel really cramped if shooting portrait and feel like something is getting left out. This is really only when I'm shooting a "grand" landscape and not so much of an intimate or abstract type of image. It's a feeling that is hard to describe.

Before moving up here I didn't really consider myself a "grand" landscape type of photographer. I saw myself of a more intimate and abstract type of style, still do, but now I struggle with feeling the "need" to shoot the grand vistas too. Which I enjoy doing, but never this much. I wonder if this is just a phase?

Never did I even remotely expect something like this to happen as a result of living here. I just thought I'd have to struggle with finding enough time to fit all the exploring and photography in!

I would be interested in knowing if anyone else has experienced something like this too.

Unlike you Cory, I haven't moved anywhere recently which affected my tendencies. But I do find that when I travel to coastal or mountainous areas I tend to shoot more landscape format because of the sweeping vistas. Personally, my eye tends toward the vertical spectrum so I shoot much more often by framing in a portrait orientation. Maybe that's because I'm shooting a lot more intimate landscapes and flora images than anything else. But I'm sure there is some basis in what you experienced.

I think that is a really valid observation, Cory. I hadn't thought about it in a focused way (no pun intended ), but I think your subject matter clearly effects how you view your photography. I have a 14mm w/a lens that I rarely put on the camera, but when I am shooting "city scapes," I automatically put it on the camera. I haven't had the pleasure of shooting out West much, so my work, too, tends to be more "intimate" and I tend toward the vertical. I live in Michigan, and a lot of my photography involves trying to purposely exclude things from the image. But I have no doubt that where I am shooting effects both my perspective and my choice of lenses.

Labeling yourself or others as a "X" type photographer or "Y" photographer is counterproductive. Your vision is simply evolving and changing, this is a good thing. My style and vision has changed multiple times over the last 15 years as a pro. If you look at some of todays best outdoor photographers (another label) the ones that really shine can't be pinned downed (like James Balog). When I moved to Alaska, I also began to photograph grand landscapes, something I never really did, but now I am beginning to photograph people and their interaction with nature and I am even doing a bit of wildlife, and loving it. Some of my changes have been influenced by the market, what is selling, but generally, you can't really know exactly why your vision is changing, there are too many influences in life.

Forget your past efforts and embrace your new vision!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this fellas!

Hey Cory,

I can see that happening and I think it's a natural progression. It's really no different than getting a new lens with a different focal length. Way back when when I bought my Tamron 300/2.8 and started shooting wildlife, I soon learned to "see" things I had never noticed before; like Egrets alonside the road, hawks on tree tops or fence posts - even owls buried deep in a thick tree.

From a location standpoint, it's also more about simply becoming familiar and intimate with the landscape. Even though I don't live in Yosemite, I've been there enough times to say that I've become very familiar... and that has effected not only what I shoot, but how and why I choose a particular scene.

I think over time, you'll also revert back to the more intimate scenes as you become more familiar with your new surroundings. Just like when someone visits Yosemite, the Tetons or the Grand Canyon for the first time, they'll no doubt try to capture the grand landscape - and why not if you've never been there. Repeat trips to the same location will no doubt bring people to try and come away with different, non-standard images.

I'm sure you're not, but don't sweat it Cory! Capture what pleases you and presents itself to you. BTW, your backyard ain't so bad... :-)

Lon