Today, I want to share the 3 landscape photography secrets that nobody will ever tell you. I have honestly lost count of the number of times that frustration drove me to the edge of smashing my camera. Fortunately, I never actually smashed it, and as the years passed, I eventually learned a few untold truths. So, let me share what years of frustration, amazement, exploration, monumental failures, and fleeting success have taught me.

in the beginning, we are blobs of clay waiting to be molded

The beginning of a journey

Photography was exciting, and I was always looking forward to exploring nature. I loved finding new local parks and trying new techniques. As a result, I would always carry my camera during those long weekend walks. In fact, at that time, I didn’t mind the destination as long as I could experiment with my camera. But, after a few months of experimentation and local exploration, I grew indifferent to the city’s landscape. I felt the need to explore the world, and that was the transition moment in which I fully immersed myself in landscape photography.

By and large, I decided to spend all my time and energy to make money to buy better photography gear. That was the beginning of my biggest photography mistake. In hindsight, I lost my joy for photography when I started to compare myself to other photographers. At that moment, I was creating images to please the crowds, and during this process, I forgot to account for my personal aesthetic. Yes, mimicking and idolizing the pioneer photographers is natural and healthy. We can’t live in a vacuum, so it would be impossible not to be influenced by others’ work. The problem starts to exist when you try to become a carbon copy of someone else.

Finding my own voice

At the beginning of any journey, I like to imagine myself as a blob of clay that will be molded by the experiences gathered throughout the journey. My hope is that the years and experiences will eventually create a mold that will accurately represent my aesthetic vision. But, this journey can be a treacherous one, especially if you start neglecting your inner voice. Successful people are always pushing boundaries while observing history. So blindly following someone is the sure recipe to never finding your true self. Luckily, I realized that following the greats’ footsteps without adding my personal experiences would only generate another wannabe Ansel Adams.  I count myself lucky to have come up with this realization early on in my photography journey. But, I wish I had someone who would have helped me develop my own style instead of blindingly following people I admire.

Please let me share the biggest 3 landscape photography secrets that I uncover during my struggles to find my photography style. Those secrets are just suggestions that I believe worth sharing, so you can enjoy the process of finding your own “voice.”

Landscape Photography Secret N˚1: Less is more

No, I’m not talking about less is more in the context of composition. You can read more about composition in my previous post. I’m talking about less is more in the context of camera gear. As previously mentioned, I firmly believed that my gear was to blame for the faults in my images – silly me. So, I decided to start doing a bunch of freelance work to save money to invest in better equipment. I can still feel the excitement while driving to the camera store to buy my first full-frame and L-lens. I remember holding my new camera during that snowy December night. Now, I can finally capture stunning images that will be featured in National Geographic.

Unfortunately, my illusions of grandeur didn’t last long. I did notice an improvement in image quality. But, it was painful to realize that artistic skills were not included in the camera bundle. The solution, you ask? Buy more gear. It was a vicious loop, and I ended up with a 10’s of thousands of dollars in equipment that today lives in my wardrobe. I remember the frustration of carrying all that equipment and never capturing a single compelling image.

But, just as I was getting ready to give up on photography, I got a book that changed my perspective about photography. I realized at that moment that great photography required patience and dedication, and not a bunch of extra lenses. After reading that book by Ibarionex Perello, I decided to simplify my camera kit. At that period, I would travel to the mountains with just a camera body, two lenses, a tripod, and a couple of filters. Without the gear weight, I was finally able to explore different angles more freely. So, the big lesson here is, “Less is definitely more.”

Landscape Photography Secret N˚2: Be passionate about your work

Another one of those landscape photography secrets that people don’t emphasize enough is that passion is visible in your work. I have experienced several photography styles before discovering my true passion. I was keen on not forcing myself to be molded in any way, shape, or form. My shift towards landscape photography was very gradual and organic; I just love getting lost – sometimes literally – in nature. The more I explored and learned about the secrets of landscape photography, the more I wanted to create. I couldn’t fight the urge to create and express my perspective. And after years of exploration, I finally understood that the burning passion for a craft it’s what drives people to overcome mediocrity.

In my lifetime, I have tried many different career paths. But, I never completely immersed myself in a single path. Nothing ever really caught my attention; consequently, I was always interested in learning or trying something else. Landscape photography was the first topic that really consumed all of my energy. Capturing an image that perfectly portrays our big blue marble’s beauty is a challenge that seems to be a very tall order, but at least it’s one that I’m willing to pursue.

So, my advice to you is: – Find that “thing” that makes you lose your sleep at night, and that drives you out of bed in the morning. Find which style of photography you never get tired of admiring while scrolling down on social media. Once you find it, keep it close to your heart and start chasing your vision.

Landscape Photography Secret N˚3: You don’t need traveling to do landscape photography

And last but not least, photography doesn’t require traveling. As a matter of fact, I would argue that traveling actually makes landscape photographers’ life harder. Scouting for a location, waiting for the perfect light, and finding the best angle is hard enough when you are not in a crush for time. Now, imagine you have to do all of that in a couple of days. The stress of planning an itinerary, driving to the location, researching local restrictions and laws can suck all the joy of photography.

I remember planning for my first big photography trip. The plan was to spend 4 days exploring Montana, and I had the whole trip planned down to the minute. After driving for 700Km and barely crossing the US border, I lost my GPS and cellphone signal. The last 100km took over 2:30 hours. I remember arriving at the hotel exhausted. After a short night of sleep, I woke up to an overcast sky day. I learned during that trip that mother nature laughs at our landscape photography plans. After this painful experience, I realized that I should explore the parks and landscape that made my city unique.

During this process, I started to find photography opportunities and experiences that were truly unique to the city I lived in. The city of Edmonton has uncountable attractions for those who are open to adventure. I was a few minutes away from amazing spots to observe wildlife and the Northern Lights. And since I didn’t have to drive for hours to arrive at the final destination, I could always scout locations during the day and save those spots for those nights in which the Lady Aurora decided to grace us with her magical lights.

In conclusion:

Photography has been a big part of my life during the past decade. It shaped my personality and helped me learn to appreciate the ever-fleeting beauty. I certainly faced challenges and painful experiences during the process of uncovering some of the landscape photography secrets. But, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m glad to have something that constantly pushes me to grow. And after years of trial and error, I can finally say that the initial blob of clay has started to assume a shape that represents my values.

I no longer have the illusion that gear and exotic location are the determinant factors in creating a perfect image. As a matter of fact, I don’t even believe in a single static perfect creation. We are always evolving and learning, and the result of this constant growth will be visible in the work that you passionately create during your journey.

Enjoy the ride.