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Originality & Creativity

Tuesday, December 05, 2023 | By: Rob Strain

The art show that I just participated in is one of the largest in the country. That means there were lots of photographers…at least ten landscape photographers. Over and over again, visitors to my space exclaimed, “Your photography looks different.” I asked what they meant by that, and always got the response, “The other photographers all have the same pictures.”

Well, they are not really the same pictures, but they are pictures of the same thing. It may be that they have those pictures because they are best sellers, but I was also selling at a pretty good pace with more original pieces. Photographers tend to photograph iconic spots with their own style. They are certainly iconic because they are so strikingly beautiful, but they are not very original. Established photographers often joke about Mesa Arch, one of the most photographed landscapes in the U.S. About eight years ago I captured this image along with around 10 other photographers who arrived by 5 am to establish their tripod location.

As a practicing cosmetic dentist, made lots of beautiful veneer smiles. There were dental laboratories that would create beautiful “cookie cutter” smiles. They all looked the same. But people don’t look the same. There faces aren’t the same shape and neither are their teeth. My disdain for cookie cutter smiles meant I always designed the smile for my technician, rather than relying on the technician’s ideas without seeing the patient. Perhaps that has spurred my desire for creativity in photography.

Which brings me to the real topic of this article: “How do you get creative and original landscape photographs?” The following are some thoughts on this for the newer photographer and those of you who are happy with your smart phone cameras.

  • It starts with the iconic. It’s really difficult to get creative until you have excelled with the more ordinary. You start with your training wheels on. It’s easiest to measure your abilities and build your confidence when you have something to measure it against. Soon, however, you will tire from getting the same images everyone else has. It will be time to get beyond training.
  • Look at the results of photo contests. What sets many of the winning photos apart? How many winners are from iconic scenes (likely none)? 
  • I used to take workshops. It was apparent that my training wheels were coming off when I found myself always moving away from a lineup of tripods and their owner photographers who were following the lead of the workshop leader. Perhaps the desire to be creative isn’t innate, but it can be practiced. Leave the group!
  • Shoot from a different perspective as in the creek photo above. Find the spot that gives a different view of the scene. Part of the reason drone photography is so compelling is that we haven’t seen those images before. But now it is getting commonplace to see drone images of badlands, so they are getting less interesting. Always be on the lookout for a different perspective…get lower, get higher, go to the side.
  • Put on a different lens. Wide angle lenses are popular in landscape photography. The image below is possibly even more compelling than the standard shot since it helps the viewer feel part of the scene. A telephoto lens can compress a scene and can bring more attention to areas that are kept in perfect focus by leaving some areas out of perfect focus. Try long exposures with an ND (neutral density) filter. 
  • Break some rules. Don’t be afraid to fill a frame with mostly sky, let a tree run off the top of a print, or throw a minimalistic print into your mix. Learn some ICM (intentional camera movement) techniques. Experiment with a variety of these techniques. You might not like them all, but you will come up with some winners.
  • Observe how you and other photographers are using light and form to enhance images. If there is any one thing that seems to be the same among those landscape photographers is that they capture and use light in pretty much the same way. Use light to lead the viewer into and around your photo. It isn’t all about finding wonderful sunsets. This may mean boning up on your post processing techniques, because finding perfect light in an existing scene is extremely rare.
  • Look for the metaphor. Trees are a great example of metaphors. People love tree photos for this reason. But there are many other landscape scenes that offer metaphors. 
  • Look for scenes that express emotion. This can be memories of the past (think an old barn or tire hanging from a tree), relaxation (flowing water), success (mountain climbing), or peace (still water). The end of the day scene below expresses peace and relaxation, as well as as an uplifting feeling due to the upward arrow shape.


Photography is a creative outlet for me. But it can be an experience of the senses for the viewer. Enjoy the process of getting creative.

RS

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