I believe great landscape photography is an intepretation of what we experience when we are out there. It can be so much more than just a snapshot of a pretty place. It’s a way of expressing ourselves, if we want to.
Everyone is unique. Each of us has a different story and we see things differently. Developing your own photographic style is as much about exploring the landscape as it is about exploring yourself.
As photographers these days we are constantly being bombarded with images. It’s inspiring to see what others are doing and of course we want others to look at our work, but the never ending flow of images can also be a distraction making it hard to find our own style. Our own voice.
Maybe we need to disconnect from the digital world once in a while to connect with ourselves and reflect upon what we really want to do with our photography.
But how do you find your own photographic voice? That’s a hard question to answer, but I have a few suggestions that might be helpful:
- Photograph a lot (obvious, right!)
- Reflect on what you are doing
- Go back and explore places that you like
- Think about what kind of photographs gets you excited
- Study the work of photographers that you enjoy
- Challenge yourself by trying new things
- Ask yourself the burning question; why?
- Have fun!
Actually this blog is a way for me to both develop my voice and learn how to use it. It forces me to put words on what I’m doing with my photography and that can be really helpful.
