Landscape photography is a type of photography that captures the beauty of nature, bringing the viewers into the scenery, setting, and mood in these outdoor locations. Most landscape photos are taken in colour to capture features like the sky or colours of nature, but I have chosen to look at photographers who shoot in predominantly black and white – I prefer this because i feel like it captures more emotion.
Light is by far the most important element of a landscape photograph. A photograph of a stunning location taken in harsh mid-day light will fall flat. A photograph of a boring location taken at that perfect moment when the light is magical will turn into a unique and memorable photograph. Another important feature is composition – whilst taking the photo there are key things to think about such as texture, colours, shapes and frames.
IMAGE ANALYSIS
This photo was taken by Ansel Adams of a wind-damaged tree in the mountains. The dark branches and leaves of the three juxtaposes the light background of the sky, most likely taken on a sunny day. The tree casts a shadow on the floor again contrasting the bright background whilst the light from the sun illuminates the silhouette of the tree.
These two photos show the difference between a poor landscape photo and a better one. Depending on aesthetic the left photo could be considered good, but the blur and poor choice of lighting makes the focal point unclear. However, the photo on the right is clear and has two major focal points – the tree and the lighting in the background – the colour contrast between the tree and the sky plays a major part in making a good photo.