> Real Landscape Photography, Standing Up <
Hi there... Ugo Cei?...
I read your article, I love your boldness and the amazing discussion you have generated on a worthy topic.
I must say, it's been a busy day on the internet, but I wanted to pen a response to your article:
Ugo Cei: "Will The Real Landscape Photography Please Stand Up"
As you've probably gathered, I'm a landscape photographer from Australia, my name is Mel.
No doubt you're probably tired of reading other peoples' responses by now, but I thought to weigh in on the banter, as I feel I have something to add to it. I'll make it short, I promise.
This, is a real Landscape Photography image. It is also a single exposure. It was taken in 2012 in Iceland and this very morning summarizes my entire trip; awe-inspiring, colourful and unforgettable.
This image once graced the top echelons of 500px, way back in 2012. It was my story, my pride and joy. Today it remains one of my most recognizable images. It is common to question, to feel deflated by what everyone else is doing, to the point of depression or feeling apathetic about your hobby, your passion, your baby? We've all been there, trust me.
What I want you to consider, is that these images, the ones gracing the hallowed halls of front-page 500px - are simply data sets that your creative eye does not read.
Think of these images as file types. A video file that your brain (the computer) does not know how to translate. These images are designed for everyone, pretty pictures for them to escape their own realities - dreamscapes - formed FROM the land, into something hyper real. Yes they're real places - representations of that fact. They are taken and created by each person who sees the grandeur (for whatever reason, this is not your place to judge) in them, and was upvoted by a community that also thought so.
If 500px isn't to your liking, then maybe 1x is the better place? Remember this is a very small, miniscule representation of photography in the modern world. There are thousands of other websites where artists are creating works with stories, meaningful, sorrowful, touching stories. 500px isnt a true representation of what is happening, and nor should it be - it's yet another place we can rank ourselves against our contemporaries. If you want work that speaks to you, that creates soul and whispers something to your passion, then go hunting for that. I know you never meant to bemoan or "hate on" the other artists on 500px, but if it doesn't suit you, there's another place that will happily have you. I'm not being rude, I'm being honest.
I pride myself in being a single exposure kind of girl. I love my artsy single captures. Very rarely do I composite, if it is, I'll tell you so. There's heaps of us out there, and just because it's on 500px, doesn't mean that it's "fad" or trendy work. I rarely make the front page of 500px, and you know what, I'm quite fine with that. I have two practices, a public one, and another for myself and one for professional competition (AIPP), the latter of which is rarely seen online, due to this very response, it won't be accepted as widely, and that's fine. Sure we all hope for success, but I chose to love my images first, before putting them online.
We make and create our own realities, images, conversations from our souls. I look at 500px and often feel a mix of anger (that I didn't capture that) and inspiration (some day, I will capture that). Take from it what you want, don't let it dissuade you.
Why can't we all just get along?
Comments
Admittedly, when saying I take single exposures, I hadn't considered HDR as being multiple. What I had considered a composite, was say, a sky taken on Monday at sunrise and a foreground captured on a tuesday, and the exposures composited to form a new image - arguably along the lines of digital art.
Yes I do indeed use HDR in my practice, but, this is getting away from Ugo's and then my response - I do not want to argue the finer merits of the image creation, but this correction to my definition was needed.
Regardless of the camera I have, I do believe it is the photographer that makes the images, never more, never less. Thanks for your feedback :)
Are you against the HDR process as you mentioned all images were single shot. "I pride myself in being a single exposure kind of girl. I love my artsy single captures. Very rarely do I composite, if it is, I'll tell you so." All the images I saw in your scapes galleries just had titles so assume that they were all single shot images? The colours seem much more vibrant that real life in places that I know and have visited in your gallery. Are these images also straight out of the camera or post processed to enahnce the shadows and saturation?
The whole debate is certainly an interesting process.
Wow - that's extreme. I've seen a lot of photos from that location (and indeed been there many times myself) but nothing like this. It isn't at all to my usual taste, but it's a pretty remarkable accomplishment! The signature kind of destroy the balance of the composition though, it's a shame you felt the need to add it...
My problem is that, if you take that one picture in isolation, you are wowed. When you take it together with too many others, you start to feel the fatigue. At least this is what's happening to me.
Anyway, I've just published a follow-up post here: http://blog.ucphoto.me/the-power-of-ambition/ I hope you will appreciate it and keep up the good work!