LANDSCAPE FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

THE ART OF LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY (Article by Martin Osner)

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Out of all the genres, landscape photography remains the most popular to both photographers as well as collectors, and yet for the photographer, it is one of the most difficult to master. 

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So why is this discipline so popular? 
Well, I think it has a lot to do with our love for the outdoors again for both the photographer as well as the viewer. Travelling, exploring and enjoying nature is the main attraction. For the artist capturing a great photograph of the landscape is the main prize. A photograph serves as a wonderful way of preserving memories and sharing places, experiences and adventures with others. For the collector, it is more than likely the recollection to a memory that attracts the interest. 

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So what makes it so difficult when it comes to photographing a landscape? 
Well, I think it boils down to one simple fact. What the human eye sees combined with what we experience in reality, is very different from what the camera and lens can record. Seasoned landscape photographers will testify to this. 

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Human eyesight is three-dimensional combined with peripheral vision and in comparison the photographic process records in two dimensions on a linear axis which is very different from one another. Once you take away depth and the emotional experience which includes expectations, sound and smell, you are left with a two dimensional, flattened interpretation of the scene. The camera does not capture exactly what we are seeing let alone experience. 

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Colour, contrast, depth, exposure, lens compression and distortion all play a role in altering the scene. The photographic process is different from the human eye and we need to embrace this instead of fighting against it. "I photograph because I like to see what the scene will look like once photographed". Sounds strange, but it's true. One also has to come to terms with the fact that not every scene can be photographed well and I have often had to put my camera down and simply enjoy the experience without taking a picture, even though the scene I am looking at is incredible! 

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This happened to me just a few years ago on a trip to the Richtersveld in the Northern Cape and again in the Cederberg a few months later. In both locations, I was overwhelmed by the landscape, parts of the Richtersveld felt like it was on another planet and some of the locations in the Cederberg the mountains felt prehistoric! 

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Yet both proved to be unsuccessful trips yielding very little to show photographically. Translating the splendour of the landscape at these locations on the day proved virtually impossible for me, mainly because of uncomplimentary lighting conditions and bland uncomplimentary skies. 

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The quality, direction and colour of light are, without doubt, the catalyst in this genre of photography. Light can transform an average scene into a sublime impression and the angle and quality of light play a significant role. Back, side and front lighting all create a different effect. Backlighting amplifies contrast and introduces mood, side lighting increases texture, and front lighting flattens texture and contrast which can be used to achieve simplicity. For every scene, there would be an ideal lighting condition, sometimes even more than one, depending on the photographer's vision and intention.
 
Keep in mind that great lighting will very often reveal itself from behind a curtain of unusual weather and atmospheric conditions. Storms, clouds, dust, pollution, smoke, moisture, mist, fog, etc. all play a role in creating beautiful light. It taunts and teasers as it comes and goes. 

Blue clear skies and harsh uninterrupted sunlight are not welcoming conditions for shooting, enjoying an ice-cold beer or a chilled glass of wine,