landscape

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The Nature of the Abstract

With its beautiful colors, intricate patterns, and graceful flamingos, Lake Magadi has been a highlight of my 30-year journey as a nature photographer. It felt like a final exam of sorts: a technical challenge requiring abstract compositions and quick captures of giant flocks of birds within a limited time. But it was so much more than that.

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Dreamlike Nightscapes — Exploring Reality and Beyond

In this article, I’d like to dive into what composite photography is, since we are seeing it more often, with very few photographers being transparent or honest about using compositing techniques in their work. There is nothing wrong with composites. I truly believe it is not less work or effort, nor easier than “traditional” photography. What is wrong is lying or denying you’re doing it.

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Why Every Landscape Photographer Should Go Backpacking

On the surface, backpacking seems terrible. It’s incredibly hard work, often uncomfortable, cold, and exhausting. And yet, trip after trip, I go back for more, because backpacking has brought me more moments of pure joy and beauty than any other activity. Here are my top five reasons why, plus some tips to help you have a successful first time out if you’re new to backpacking.

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Your Subject is Not Your Subject

Good photography is a process of making an effective photograph that is often counterintuitive. To excel at photography, one must learn to see the world the way the camera sees it, use limitations as artistic opportunities, and include other visual elements that work together with the subject to engage the viewer with the story being told.

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Simplicity

Hank discusses the importance of simplicity in photography, paired with the differences between the way the camera captures a scene versus how the human eye perceives that same scene. He emphasizes that the power of photography lies in its ability to express feeling and perception, rather than serving solely as a document of a moment in time. He notes that it is the artist’s job to clearly communicate their intended message through their photograph, rather than leaving it up to the viewer to search for the meaning.

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