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TEN TIPS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR LEARNING CURVE AS A LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER, EXPLAINED BY THE COMMUNITY!
1) Embrace your passion, enjoy the path:
@marco_nervo_ph: “I started taking pictures because I have always loved the solitude of the mountains and nature in all its aspects. I believe that personal growth and improvement are incredible ways of inspiration you can have in this world. So there was nothing I wanted to know when I started taking pictures. Perhaps the only thing I wanted to know when I started is that photography could be a reason for living, organizing, and planning everything around.
That my photos are appreciated makes me happy, but I can’t be the one to judge them as attractive or not. I am grateful I found this passion that ultimately leads me to discover places. Photography pushed me one step at a time further and further away from home, making me appreciate the solitude and the solemn silence of the mountains.
Now I know how to appreciate fatigue, long hikes, and long waits. And as a photographer, the best result for me is to be able to convey all these emotions that I feel while taking the photo, to make the sounds and smells heard and felt through my images, to make the emotions that nature gives me without asking for anything in return.
And are precisely those emotions that push me to the next trip, the next adventure, the next starry night.”
2) Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today:
@monwaypl: “Photos are the way to speak with people without words, to share the view you are lucky to experience by yourself. When I started taking photos, I wish I had known the following:
You should not be frustrated if you are not entirely happy with the result. Either you win, or you learn. Try again, and learn more about photography and practice. If you do not give up on the way, there are 100% chances that your photos will be better.
It is ok to change the style of your photos. Your style of making and editing images will evolve with you. Photography is art – between all the rules about the perfect composition and color grading, there is a whole part that cannot be described easily by words. Your photos will change with you, and that is beautiful.
Perfection is objective in the world of photography – you decide what message you share with your work. So do not compare yourself with others. Let them be your inspiration, your motivation. As Jordan B. Peterson said — ‘Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.’
I think what makes my photo appealing to the eye is that it introduces an element of something unusual. It creates a positive uncertainty to ask ourselves – what and where is it? Have I seen something like this before? And these questions can be the roots of inspiring creativity.”
3) Add a person to the scene to make the landscape more impressive:
@szymekdobrowolski: “When I started taking photos, I focused on landscapes. For a long time, there was nature only in my photos, and sometimes I felt that something was missing – even when the scene was excellent and dramatic, I felt like I could do better.
Then, I figured out that adding a person to the scene makes the landscape more impressive. I don’t know why I skipped this part which is the PERSON – since I am doing many hikes and I love photographing them. Now the scenes have their broader story. Sometimes you can show a comparison of how huge nature is, whereas, without this character, it is not that noticeable.
I think this is one thing I didn’t know back then. Of course, there are many technical things (bright lenses, equipment, or editing techniques) I wished I had known when I started.
Diving now into the image, I think my photo is appealing to the eye because there are a lot of warm colors. Also, I captured the photo during a mesmerizing sunrise – not a typical time for people to shoot there. So it resulted in unique golden hour tones and highlighted clouds as well.”
4) Sometimes you have to keep it simple:
@withtomliot: “When I started photographing, I would have liked to know that in photography, you have to be patient, take your time, and test new things every day so that the photos are more beautiful.
About the edit of my photo, it was pretty simple. I pushed the warm colors because now it is summertime and decreased the shadows to have a clear image. Sometimes I like to give a vintage look to my photos with some grains, pushing down the saturation.
I think this is because it was a beautiful moment of nature and people love that. Sometimes you have to keep it simple.”
WINNER BEST OF THE WEEK 32
5) Learn how to compose your images and express the story unfolding in front of you:
@marc.hennige: “What did I wish I knew when I started photographing?
How to compose my images, and what is crucial for a good shot or understanding how to reach a high editing level.”
6) Focus on big and small details:
@kahwailin: “I wish I had known more about how to express the story and compose the image rather than blindly clicking the shutter button.
Now, many years later, I think doing things and pursuing creativity is crucial. Spend a lot of time looking at big and small details and experimenting with different compositions.
A picture with a story is the most important. Technique and composition is your tool to achieve it.”
7) Create the illusion of three-dimensionality:
@peter.paton: “The one thing I wish I knew would be that camera gear isn’t as important as I thought. In retrospect, it’s best to practice the essentials and get to grips with the settings and rules of composition so that they come second nature. Then once you’ve perfected those, you’ll be able to do much more when working with better gear.
Many things go into a photo for it to be eye-catching and award-winning. A great photo consists of a balanced composition, complementary colors, and dramatic light, among many other details.
The crucial factor for a photo to stand out from the rest is its potential to draw the viewer in and create the illusion of three-dimensionality. You want them to get momentarily lost in your art, to draw them in by creating depth. My favorite way to do this is by using a blurred-out foreground object at the bottom of the frame.”
8) Seize the whole essence:
@withkhyun: “Above all, I craved to seize the whole essence, in the confines of one single photograph, of some situation that was in the process of unrolling itself before my eyes! I fight to take a good photo every single time.”
9) stay loyal to yourself:
@pranger_michael: “In my case, I wish I had grabbed the camera much earlier to get faster into the material, but at least I found the right way the last year to stay loyal and keep my dark style like I always did and preferred.
I think the key is to stay loyal to yourself, so people see the same harmony in your pictures.
Finally, take the pictures using different angles, which will also help your style.”
10) Create memories with people while traveling:
@_lukasrichter: “For me, the most important thing if I drive to a location or even a new country is to create memories with the people I’m there. Because I’ve made so many trips where I would bring home a tone of pictures of the location, but nearly none of the group or people I was there.”
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Oliver Torreño (@olitc): Best of the week 39 at #nomadict 2024
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Arnaud’s journey into photography began in 2023, inspired by a friend’s breathtaking road trip photos. Starting with a basic drone and a desire to capture the beauty around his home, his passion quickly grew, leading him to invest in a camera and fully immerse himself in the craft. Though still early in his journey, Arnaud’s dedication to practice, patience, and embracing mistakes has already shaped his evolving style. One of his images won the Best of the Week at Nomadict.
Cuno de Bruin (@cunodebruin): Best of the week 33 at #nomadict 2024
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Harry Sohal (@harrysohalphoto): Photographer based in Canada
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