In this instalment of my tutorial series “Great Subjects”, we’re going to be looking at one of my favourite types of landscape photography: intimate landscapes.
As landscape photographers, we tend to become engrossed in the grand vistas, the vast expanses that make up scenes with great depth. But small scenes can have a large impact too. Photographs of intimate landscapes can make extraordinary images on their own or they can be used to complement the grand vistas that usually capture our attention.
What is an intimate landscape?
An intimate landscape is simply one small part of the scene that is extracted from the overall picture and put in a frame of its own. It’s about the smaller details.
Think of landscape images in three categories: the grand vista, the extreme close-up and what falls in between is an intimate landscape. While textures, lines, shapes and patterns are critical components in the composition of an intimate landscape, it’s more than just filling the frame with something. It tells a part of the story.
The term “intimate landscape” can be attributed to American photographer Eliot Porter who had the first exhibit of colour photography at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1979 – an exhibit titled Intimate Landscapes. I encourage you to view some of the photos from this exhibit to help you understand what intimate landscapes are.
One reason for pursuing the intimate landscape is that you’ll create images that are uniquely your own. Whereas everyone who pursues the grand vista of The Watchman at Zion National Park inevitably ends up standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a line up of photographers on the bridge, the small scene that happens nearby will change with every season, with every day, and never be the same. The resulting photographs are more personal, and more emotional.
How to find an intimate landscape
It’s easy to see a grand vista. When you have something interesting in the foreground, a lake in the middle ground, and mountains with snow capped peaks in the background, it’s hard to miss the composition. But once you take that shot, spend some time at the location, and soak it up. Think about how the place makes you feel and what kind of details are there that embody that feeling. You’ll be surprised at the details that start to grab your attention that you might not have noticed before.
Photographing intimate landscapes requires patience. You need to give yourself time to appreciate a scene and take in all the details. If you’re in a rush, you’ll miss it. Spend some time simply observing things and looking for subjects that give the viewer more information about a place or tell a story about a place. These “small scenes” contain the kind of details that you might overlook if you are focussing only on creating the grand landscape.
What else is there that is interesting? Consider the textures, patterns, shapes and lines around you. What grabs your attention? What shows the character of the place? Once you’ve found a subject, get a little closer to it. And then closer again. Think about how you can lead the viewer’s eye to it. Are there any leading lines you can make use of? What kinds of foreground elements could you use?
A good tactic is to “scout” the location first. If you have a day with harsh unforgiving light, that is often the best time to go to a place without your camera and just look. Be an observer. Take note of some special spots. Then on another day when the light is good, you’ll know right where you want to be during those few precious minutes of magic light.
The best thing about this type of photography is that it can be done anywhere, in any season, in any climate, under any conditions. No matter where you are, there will always be some small part of the landscape that contains a key feature that tells a story about the place.
What makes a compelling intimate landscape?
At any location, think about what “small scenes” exist that tell a story about a place. Once you find your scene, create a composition that contains an interesting graphic design. That’s a winning combination!
Look for elements of design to include in the frame such as lines, textures, patterns, colours, and shapes (especially repeating shapes).
When I was visiting a historical settlement in New Brunswick, I came upon an old woodshed. In it were all sorts of treasures! I was attracted to these three barrels because of they told a story about the place and there was a repeating graphic element.
You’ll find these kinds of scenes everywhere once you start looking for them. At the beach, the combination of rocks, kelp and a seagull feather tell a story. Within this small scene, you get a feeling for the nature of the place. I positioned myself so that the feather would create a diagonal line through the frame.
In Palm Springs, I visited Palm Canyon, a beautiful location with palm trees (of course), springs (of course!) and all sorts of plants in amongst the rocky gorges. But what interested me more, was the dried up palm leaves that littered the ground. These leaves told a story about the place without the viewer having to see the grand vista.
I made this photo in historic old town in Seattle, Washington. As I’m sure you can imagine, there was a lot to see at this location. But this one street sign captured my attention both for the statement on it and the shape of it against the ornate buildings behind it. By only seeing a little bit of the place, you get a piece of the story being told.
There are lots of intimate scenes to be found at a marina. In this photo, you immediately get the impression of a large dock where a large boat is tied, without seeing either of those things. I was attracted to the lines and textures in this small scene.
You can’t see the swamp, but you know it’s there. In this photo of an alligator at Everglades National Park in Florida, I focussed on the S shape made by its arm and the textures of its skin.
How to Approach the Scene
When making images of intimate landscapes, it can be hard to know where to start when you have a scene with lots of different things going on. I usually start by taking a wide angle photo of the overall scene. Then I look at the photo and look at the scene in front of me and start making some choices.
You don’t have to decide what the best thing in the scene is, you just have to pick one portion of the scene to work with first. You might choose a different portion later. Take some time to think about what parts of the scene are most interesting, pick one, and then start getting closer to it. Make sure you have decided in your mind what exactly you are photographing and what your purpose is. That will help you to convey meaning in the image.
When you are working with your small scene, take some time to think about whether you want the entire scene to be in focus or not. Don’t just go with whatever settings your camera chooses, be thoughtful about whether you want a shallow depth of field or if you want everything in the frame in focus. If you want a shallow depth of field, where the subject is in focus and the background is soft and out of focus, use a wide aperture like f/5.6. If you want everything to be sharp, use a small aperture like f/11 or f/18. For more information about depth of field, read my tutorial Taking Charge of Depth of Field in Your Photography.
If you are using a small aperture, and you have a low light situation, you might find that you need longer shutter speeds, so carrying a tripod will be helpful. Using a tripod will also help you be more purposeful in your compositions.
Now that you’ve decided what portion of the scene you are working with, what your goal is, and what kind of depth of field you want, make sure that you focus in the right spot. If you are using a shallow depth of field, then you can just focus on your main subject and let everything in front of it and behind it fall into blur. But if you want everything in the frame to be in focus and you’re using a small aperture, generally the best method is to focus one third of the way into the frame.
Now, you can get all scientific about it if you want and calculate exactly what the hyperfocal distance is, but personally I hate doing math in the field. All you really need to know is that if you are trying to maximize your depth of field, the best place to focus is one third up from the bottom of the frame.
Once you have made your photo, be sure to preview the image on your LCD to make sure you have the essentials covered before you move on to the next scene:
- check your exposure using your histogram
- check your focus by zooming in and making sure the most important elements in the frame are sharp
- check the edges of the frame and the background to ensure there are no distracting elements
Story Telling
One of the features of intimate landscape photographs that I mentioned above is that they represent a small portion of a larger scene and they serve to tell a story about that scene by drawing the viewer’s eye to some specific detail.
Think about telling a story about the larger scene with your intimate landscape photos. Take a look at the grand vista before you and spend some time thinking about what it is saying to you. What is important? Come up with some words and then make photographs that feature those specific things.
For example, one of my favourite small towns in the United States is Terlingua, Texas. It’s just one of those special places … One day when I looked at it from afar I thought “Why do I like this deserted place so much?”
It doesn’t look like much from a distance. So I decided to go find and photograph those specific things that make it special. Here’s what I found:
Of course, I found some grand vistas too, but I think it’s these intimate landscapes that do a better job of telling the story about the place.
Equipment Choices
When my plan is to photograph details in the landscape, I often go out with just one lens for a few reasons:
- First, with only one lens to work with, all of my attention is on finding a good subject and making an interesting composition. I’m not taking up any time in the field by switching lenses. I’m just looking, finding, and photographing.
- Second, by not being burdened by the weight of additional gear, I am able to be more agile, hike further, and find things I wouldn’t have reached if I had been carrying lots of stuff.
- Third, a mid-range zoom lens is the best lens for creating an intimate landscape. Landscape photographers usually love their wide angle lenses, but when it comes to an intimate landscape, wide angle lenses tend to include too much background and too many different subjects that distract attention away from the details that are the main subject. That’s not a hard and fast rule, but generally speaking a mid-range zoom tends to work best. The lenses I use most often for intimate landscapes are the 24-105 with my Canon 7D, or the 55-210 with my Sony NEX6. I prefer the Sony for this type of photography for the weight consideration I mentioned above.
- Fourth, when you go out for a day with only one lens you have an opportunity to really learn how that lens works with different subjects and settings. That is something that can be hard to pay attention to when you’re switching lenses all the time.
Another essential piece of equipment for the intimate landscape is a tripod. Even in situations when you have lots of light to work with and you might not need a slow shutter speed, a tripod helps you do one other thing that is key to this type of photograph: slow down. By taking your time and getting to know the place, you’ll discover the important details that make the scene special and those are the best subjects for your intimate landscape.
For more in this tutorial series, check out “Great Subjects”.
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I love this tutorial … Such a great topic an as always stunning pictures
Thanks Spencer! Your comments are always appreciated.
Great post as always, I enjoy reading and looking at your images. It’s always refreshing and inspiring. One convenience that I find while I’m riding my bike to explore the city I live in is simply using my Samsung S4, not always the best quality in terms of dynamic range but mostly for just studies and finding interesting subject to photograph.
Cheers!
Hi Angelito, that’s a great idea. Carrying a small camera with you is convenient and most of them make really good images these days. They are also handy for recording those interesting scenes and where exactly they are so that you can return to them later with all your gear in hand.
Thanks for this tutorial your beautiful photos and ideas I find inspirational
Thank you so much Denise! It makes me so happy that you find inspiration in my photos 🙂
You’re quite right, Anne – a great post. Sometimes, you can crop part of a larger image to create an intimate landscape – but the quality will suffer. Where possible, look more closely – then get in close and personal!
🙂 george
Thank you so much George, I appreciate your visit and comments.
As always, I really enjoyed you article. I did not know it but I have been making intimate landscape photos all for years. Still, it is nice to have my style validated by your article. I appreciate that you do not take the easy route of discussing equipment. It seems evety article I read, except for yours, starts out with a lengthly description of the equipment neeeed. You on the other hand focus on the art, the vision and the story.
Thank uou fir thd link to Eloit Porter’s photos. Some of them remind md of paintings by some members of the Group of Seven. http://www.mcmichael.com/collection/seven/
BTW: There are apps to calculate the depth of field and the hyperfocal distance although, like you, I have never actually done the calculations in the field even though I taught physics for much of my life. I have found through experience that havihg distant objects focused a bit soft in a landscape is usually more acceptable than having near by objects out of focus. That is probably because atmosperic perspective from moisture or dust in the air softens the image anyway, although that is less so in the desert whrre the air us clean, dry and clear.
Hi Brian, thank you so much for your comments! I too have been making intimate landscapes for years and didn’t realize there was a category for them until I came across Eliot Porter’s work. I sometimes discuss equipment, but I really feel that most of photography is more about the vision of the photographer and conveying emotion than it is about gear. Gear is just tools we use to make our images. I wonder if painters discuss brushes all the time? Thanks again for your comments.
I’ve been a painter for 30 years and I teach photography at a local community college. Helped start a local art association in a small mid-west town and in the beginning of that, our founding members were mostly all painters. We rarely ever discussed our equipment. You are right on when you talk about it being nearly all about the vision. I try to convey that sense of vision to my photography students. With camera in hand, I compose first, work the camera second. Maybe that’s just the artist in me coming to the forefront first. I send out a daily email of my murals, watercolors and photography to approximately 400 photographers, artists and art patrons. Like you Anne I enjoy the feedback. Love your work and informative articles. Keep up the great work!
Hi Kris, it’s nice to have the perspective of a painter. I think it is essential to spend a bit of time thinking about the image and what it is exactly that you want to convey before you can pick a technique that will help to convey it with the camera. Thanks for your comments!
So, now we have another e-book in the making. This article was a paradigm shift for me and how I consider landscape photography. The big picture has been done thousands of times but the intimate details number in the millions of unique possibilities. Thanks for sharing this article Anne.
Hi Carlton, yes, I think there might be an eBook here too 🙂 How wonderful that the article changed the way you think of landscapes. There are so many unique ways to create compositions when you focus on the details. Thanks for your visit and comments.
PS: Can you still get a room at the State for 75 cents?
You can always ask 😉
Anne,
This a great article and inspiration. I am always looking at the wider picture.
Like you say make the larger picture and then look at the intimate landscape.
Thanks again for inspiring us, Anne
John, thank you so much for saying that my article was an inspiration. I can’t tell you how much that means to me. If I can inspire others to get out there and make images – especially unique images – then I am doing what I aimed for. Thanks!
Thanks again Anne for a very informative and “intimate” article! I appreciate you taking the time to write the “who, what, where, when, which, why and how” in your articles! It makes a difference!
Thanks Nancy, I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Good post! I’ve always enjoyed taking these kind of shots but didn’t know it had a name:-)
I was the same until I came across Eliot Porter’s work. Thanks for your visit and comments Lee!
Anne, enjoy your pix and teaching, but you ALWAYS leave out the POST-processing. I can’t help but feel that a great bit of “photoshopping”, HDRing, combining, stacking, “special programs and filters” is being performed. This is NOT meant as an insult, more of a “explain yourself” as to what is done ……. AFTER the shutter is pushed. There is no question about your skill as as photographer, but I think you rely a GREAT DEAL on post processing and manipulation after the fact……as I tell my photographic son….”you seem to be a BIT HEAVY in the *artsy* category”. He takes 50 pix (of the same thing) and then spends HOURS making it what he “WANTS IT TO BE” rather than “what it is”. I consider that as “ART” and not photography. But, TO EACH HIS/HER OWN. I prefer the “natural to the GRUNGE HDR, thank you.
The only reason I bring this up is for a long time, I could NEVER get the same pix at the same location as others were getting. Finally (years later) I found out WHY. They had POST PROCESSED to the extent that YOU COULD NEVER get the same results without the SAME manipulation……. inserting clouds, focus stacking, stitching, HDR=ing, erasing, inserting and special program filters.
It would be very helpful if you could , in a future article, do a “before SOOTC” and then an” after” and how it was all done….and WHY.
Say “HI” to Ray, really enjoy his videos on “Love My Rv”
JIM
Hi Jim, Thanks for your comments! Actually I do talk about post processing quite a bit in my regular posts, but in this series I am more focussed on how to capture the type of image or type of composition in the first place. I wouldn’t apply a blanket type of processing to go with all intimate landscapes, or all weather photos, for example so discussing post processing doesn’t really work with the concept of the “great subjects” series. The type of processing choices I make depends entirely on the individual photo.
However, I can tell you that in all of the photos in this post, only the photo of the barrels and the photo of The Watchman at Zion (the one that is not an intimate landscape) are HDR images where I combined different exposures into a single final image. All of the other images are single exposures with only minimal amounts of processing. So I would argue that I do not rely heavily on post processing as you have suggested! I like post processing, and I certainly do process all of my images, but I feel the most important part of photography is what happens when you make the image in camera.
I have take exception with one thing in your comments: you said “I consider that art and not photography”. Well … photography is an art! Unless a person is doing photojournalism, which I am not, there is nothing wrong with processing photos. As an artist, you are free to do whatever you want.
I am actually just putting the final touches on a Lightroom Video Course where you’ll be able to see exactly how I go about processing my images including the before and after. I think you’ll be surprised how little processing is done! A little goes a long way. Photos need to be processed. This isn’t new to digital photography, it’s just that the job now belongs to the photographer and not to a lab technician that used to do it. I think you’ll find when you start to process your photos you’ll be happier with the results.
Well I hope I have explained myself!! I do appreciate your comments 🙂
Anne, I really enjoyedreading this article. I particularly liked the “depth of field” article as I can never get enough reinforcement on this. Thank you so much for sharing your incredible skills with us. Patty
Thank you very much Patty. Depth of field is a difficult concept, but once you get the hang of how it works, you’ll have so much more control over how the final image turns out. Glad you enjoyed the article!
Anne, let me thank you very much for your great useful articles. Like Patty, I have a terrible mess in my brain to understand this concept of depth of field and to associate it with my lens. I have no teles. My camera is a Olympus OM-D E-M1 and I have a 12-40cm, a 7-14cm and a 25cm lens. The two first with f2.8 and the last with a f1..8. All of them are very sharp and I like them very much. Also, I like landscapes and bought the 7-14 for it. So, when I see my photos I find that those taken with the 12-40 are all in focus it doesn’t matter how far away they are while, with the 7-14, things in the distance appear very far and very small quite difficult to recognize them. On the other hand, many photographs recommend you to go out for street photography (I like it very much) with an wide angle lens. With my own I have to be so close to the subject as if I were on it. How to understand this ???? many thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.
Hi Aguado, I see what you’re saying. Wide angle lenses are wonderful for landscapes, but you need to get close to something in the foreground. Anything in the background will look small. If you are trying to get something in the background to look large, it’s better to use a telephoto lens. As far as street photography goes, using a wide angle there does work well because usually you are only a few feet from your subject. A lot of people use the “shoot from the hip” technique so people are less aware that you are photographing them. Use a wide angle if the people are close to you on the street. If you’re photographing people that are across the street, you’ll want a telephoto. I hope this helps.
Thank you for the great advice. I just purchased a 24 to 120 mm lens for the take around with the tripod.
Hi Bill, that’s a great range for those times when you want to go out with only one lens. I like my 24-105 for the same reason, but yours has a little more reach than mine. Enjoy your new toy!
As usual so much great information. I am heading to the Rockies and then on to the Great Smokey Mountains later this spring. You have given me much food for thought. Thank you Anne!
You are most welcome Deborah. Have a fantastic time on your trip and don’t forget to photograph some of the details in addition to the grand vistas you will no doubt find in those locations.
I enjoy reading your articles, just enough information to consider without being overwhelming. I have a question for you, as you use the A6000 with the 55-210mm. Do you have a circular polarizing filter for that lens? if yes, can you let me know which brand?
Hi Maureen, I actually have two circular polarizing filters I use with that lens. They are both Hoya. One is a regular type and the other is a warming circular polarizer known as “Moose’s” (after Moose Peterson). It combines a warming filter with a polarizing filter and I really like it! I hope this helps. Thanks for your question.
Anne, thanks for the feedback, I have the filter on order and look forward to using it, especially in Canyonlands in November
You are most welcome Maureen!
I never knew what to call these type of landscapes but they are my favourite style!
Very interesting tutorial. Thanks!
Thanks Nicole, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I enjoy your articles very much, and today while reading this one, the one that really hit home was about your single lens. I am one who take too many lens with me and you can miss a lot of scenes while your changing from one to the other. Thank you so much.
Hi Jack, you are so right! I do like to go out with only one lens once in awhile because not only does it make you focus on what you can do with the equipment you have, but you learn a lot about your lenses too. I appreciate your visit and comments!
Hi Anne
Is the first image in this series of Athabasca Falls as I have some images of that area and that’s caught my eye
Hi Dave, No it’s not, it is from Glacier National Park in Montana. I’m glad you like it though!
Just this morning I got to read this article and greatly enjoyed it! Still have many basic things to learn.
With my previous film cameras I had many lenses. When I finally went digital I started with a very small point and shoot and with the prices of the lenses for the digital cameras I have been Limited to some of the better” point and shoots. Currently, I use a Canon 50SX.
It’s a great tutorial. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Tran, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
These are all just so pretty, but I think the first waterfall is my favorite one. Being able to capture the detail of the rocks and the motion of the water at the same time is so good. I really like the other water pictures as well though, like how you got a picture that makes the Virgin River in Zion look like molten gold.
Hi Sarah, that was a pretty amazing evening in Zion with the golden glow on the river. I’m really glad you are enjoying the photos and tutorials, thanks for letting me know.
Good advice and examples. Thanks for this one!
Glad you enjoyed it Wanda, thanks for your visit and comments.
Anne: Great feedback from your followers… I almost could not reach the end of the page to write you a comment. You are correct that inside the big landscapes there are a lot of Intimate landscapes, that many times are lost in the big picture.
Another alternative to intimate landscapes is when you want to tell a story about an area and you need to go from the general to the details. I have been working on a visit to a large swamp (about 1500 square miles) where I found from small towns build on poles,to many birds, plants living on the edges, fishermen, poverty etc. Great to have your ideas on How could I share in the web the entire story of the Ciénaga Grande.
Hi Mario, Thank you very much for your comments, I’m so glad that you enjoyed the post. It sounds like you have a fascinating project on your hands about documenting the Cienaga Grande. I haven’t heard about it before, so I’ll have to look it up. I hope you share your story on the web. Be sure to send me a link if you do, I’d love to read it.
Really enjoyed this tutorial Anne. Really made me think of all the intimate landscapes I have passed by or didn’t really consider. Will look a lot closer in the future. I like using my Canon 70-200 lens on my 5D for landscapes . I see you prefer the 24-105 if only using one lens. Any particular advantage using this lens rather than the 70-200mm for both the vast scenes as well as the intimate landscapes ?
Hi Colin, I’m glad you enjoyed the tutorial. It’s true, I think we all pass by some interesting photo opportunities because we’re always looking for the grand landscape. Sometimes I give myself an assignment to try to document a particular area capturing both the grand and more intimate views to create a series of images that tell a story about the place. The 70-200 is a great lens! I have the 70-300 and use it quite a bit. But I do tend to like wider angles sometimes and the 24-105 allows me to get much closer to my subject for a different perspective. Thanks for your visit and comments.
Hi Anne, I so enjoy your tutorials thank you…….intimate landscapes, as I now know it
is called, is my favourite form of photography. I’m off to India from my home in South Africa next week and hope to have opportunities for a lot of photography.
Hi Anne
Love your enthusiasm and your practical, friendly, and down to earth advice. I have the Olympus OMD E-M10 Mark II with Lumix 20mm f/1.7, Zuiko 12-50mm f/3.5 – f/6.3, and Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lenses. Even though I can make my photos look good with Lightroom and Photoshop later, I feel that my camera photos are very plain, compared to photos like yours and other photographers. Also, I feel like every time I try to use small aperture, the camera asks for a very slow shutter speed. Is my cropped mirrorless sensor partially to blame or my techniques need heaps of improvement?
Thanks, Jirka
Hi Jirka, When you shoot in RAW (which you should) your photos do come out a little bit grey and lifeless because they haven’t been processed yet. When you shoot in JPG, the camera makes some decisions for you and applies them to the photo so it has already been adjusted when you download it to your computer. But it’s still better to shoot in RAW and make the decisions for yourself in post-processing. But it is normal for them to look a little on the plain side.
I hope you’ll check out my new eBook called “Taking Control” because it explains a bit about the exposure triangle and how everything works together. You are quite correct that when you use a small aperture, the shutter speed will necessarily be longer to let in enough light to make a good exposure. You need the same amount of light whether you have a wide aperture and quick shutter speed, or small aperture and long shutter speed. You have two choices to deal with the longer shutter speed, you can either use a tripod so you don’t get camera shake blur (recommended) or you can increase the ISO. Understanding the exposure triangle is essential so you can decide how you want to tackle the situation. I hope this helps!
All your articles are great and I always look forward to receiving them. Do you have an ebook or do you think you may do one in the future. I would love to know the settings on your photos.
Hi Keith, Yes, I have quite a number of eBooks actually! 3 of them are free when you sign up for my newsletter, and the other 4 are available by clicking the eBooks link in the menu at the top of the page. Glad you enjoyed the tutorial 🙂
Thank you for guidance through your article.
You are most welcome Amit, glad you found it helpful.
Great article Anne, I try to look for intimate landscapes when I am out also, but it can be challenging at times to figure out how to cut through the chaos to the heart of a scene. I absolutely LOVE your photo with the blue cowboy boots!
Chris
Thank you very much Chris! You’ve hit the nail on the head when it comes to making intimate landscapes – you have to make order out of the chaos and figure out what to eliminate from the frame. Thanks for your visit and comments.
Great post Anne. I will be using your inspiration on my trip to Oman and Tanzania in a couple weeks. I’m trying to set my equipment list for the trip. The weight of my gear is going to be a big factor, especially in the bush planes when we are on Safari. I love the images from the Sony 55 t0 210 on my A6000. I still would like to bring my Canon 70d for the wildlife stills and video, but that’s a lot a weight.
Hi Anthony, yeah, it’s hard to make choices when you have weight considerations. When I went to Africa, there were 3 of us, and we bought an extra seat on the small planes so we could have all our gear. One option might be to rent gear. When I went on a grizzly bear trip last year I had to take small planes with a significant weight restriction and so I took a 100-400 lens. The lens itself is hefty, but I only needed two lenses… Thanks for your comments, glad you enjoyed the post.
Thanks Anne another top notch exhibit and explanation of photography at its best. Intimacy in photos brings us closer to the world around us. Our world is a busy place and your photos show us how to take a closer look and see things so many of us may miss.
Thank you so much Dale! I find that looking for these intimate scenes causes me to slow down, appreciate the details, and ultimately find more joy in the world.
Thanks Anne another top notch exhibit and explanation of photography at its best. Intimacy in photos brings us closer to the world around us. Our world is a busy place and your photos show us how to take a closer look and see things so many photos many of us may miss.
Thanks for a great article. Now I have a category for my images.
Enjoy your day!
Hi Bett, yeah I like the “intimate landscape” concept 🙂 Glad it works for you! Thanks for your comments.
HI Anne — another very nice, interesting article. I always enjoy viewing your images. The only image that stood out to me that I wonder about is the “boot” image. My thought is that with the very blue pole in the image, my eye continually goes to it due to positioning, contrast and bright color compared to the rest of the image. I wonder if you have tried a crop at the top of the rope and then cloned out the bit of blue pole left? The muted tones of the image then remain and the boots become the focal point of the image which are much more interesting for the viewer than the pole. Just a thought for discussion.
Hi Murray, Thanks for the feedback. That’s an interesting observation. I like the placement of the boots in the frame though and cropping above the rope would change the proportions. I don’t think it’s as dynamic when it is square. My feeling is that the blue pole, being a different shade of blue than the boots, doesn’t detract from the main subject. I do see your point though. I might see if I can change the colour of the pole! Again, thanks for your comments, I’m always open to suggestions 🙂
I have never thought of small portions of landscapes as ‘intimate landscapes’. What a great concept! Many of my photos are such photos. It’s hard to get consistently great panoramic landscapes, especially here in the Mid-Atlantic. But you can get very interesting portions quite easily.
Thanks Mary, I’m glad you like the concept and found the tutorial helpful. I appreciate the feedback.
Anne, thanks for the great advice. I do this type of thing myself, but often get carried away with the grand vista, and forget to concentrate on the smaller details. When photographing a less spectacular view, it is easier to look for smaller details in the landscape. I’ll have to remember to be on the lookout for details in the spectacular vista. Love your advice that there are always great things to photograph if the light is not right. Thanks for reminding me.
Hi Gary, thank you very much for the great feedback, glad you enjoyed the tutorial 🙂
A very informative and interesting tutorial. I enjoy landscape photography and always think of it in the grand scale of a large area. I was not familiar with the term “intimate landscape” until reading this piece. Now I have a new and intriguing method of photographing nature and the world around me. Thank you, Anne, for giving me new perspective and new initiative for photography.
What awesome feedback! Thank you so much Charles, I’m very glad to hear you enjoyed the tutorial.