Alister, I think what you say is spot on. No need for bells, whistles and a cherry on top. Being true to ourselves means we can always look back and appreciate those moments in time that we've captured through photography
Another thing about bedring true to yourself and the landscape is that it produces images that does well printed. All the great manipulated images is something that do well as consumable art but easily gets boring after a week on the wall. But again I think that going through phases as a new photographer is important. One learn the possibilities that a landscape can be transferred into a dream through knowledge of the tools we have. I more and more often find that I no longer cant or want to spend countless hours in front of my computer trying to make something just so I can present something consumable for others. It’s very inspiring to listen to these small ideas and your transformation into doing what you love.
THANK YOU for being honest. No need to apologize for who you are. This is what has drawn me into these videos and learning from you. I too decided some time ago that "we have forgotten what the sky looks like at dawn or sunset" by what is 'liked on Instagram' or featured. I go out to share the experience with others and invite them into the landscape. I feel like if I stop doing some big vistas that are natural looking (with my expressive photography look), we are giving in to the hype of perfect dramatic skies. The world is imperfect and we need to see it that way. BUT our reaction to being in nature can be authentic. I will get up in the morning at 3am ready for the excitement of the unknown of sunrise in the mountains...Drive the 2 hours and hike a bit to experience it. All the while just being there for the experience and the photo will be a bonus. Looking forward to seeing this development of creativity from the channel.
Thanks so much Chris, your insights and honesty are fabulous. I see you are also an admirer of TJ Thorne, you will love our chat on Wednesday's Vision & Light
Great message and your “authentic” images look great and DIFFERENT to many others. I love the way your channel is developing and I will definitely be on board. Thank you Alister.
Thank you so much! - You know I appreciate your support very much and I believe we have a chance to build a channel that actually focusses on the real issues and allows people to shrug themselves free from the shackles of "like-based" external validation! :-) Still ranting!
Catching up on some videos of yours from the year and all I can say is WOW!! You took the words, literally out of my mouth. I've worked through this exact struggle the last few years of my photographic career. I wrote and submitted an article to OP over a year ago about this very topic. I came to realize what mattered most to me was creating images that truly spoke to me, regardless of their level of popularity. When I tried to process my images in a way that was popular or the way I saw many others doing it, I lost my way with what was most important to me-my own way of seeing and my personal experience translated in my images. My vision! It doesn't mean I cannot make grand landscape shots, but they have to be mine from capture through processing. Over-exaggerating my color landscapes images to get noticed has never satisfied me inside. I've gone back to my roots, and photograph again because I love photography, and want to express my inner experiences with nature and the landscape.
Excellent episode Alister. I agree with you 100% on this issue, so much so that I stopped doing colorwork 10 years and concentrated on traditional darkroom methods here at our gallery. I hope more folks get on board and the "PS enhance look" we have dreaded for so long becomes a distant memory. Thank you for bringing this to a much larger audience.
A thought provoking message Alistair. I think social media has made it too easy to produce generic images for likes rather than images that move us as individuals and express our creativity and emotional connection. I love your channel and approach. I find it refreshing after watching other channels that focus on gear and settings. Thank you for sharing.
The grand vistas tend to serve up a stunning photo composition simply by getting to the view and setting up a tripod with good weather/light. I like the smaller scenes because they feel like more of a challenge! It's also easier to develop a personal style compared to the "epic views" styles
Yeah, that's all true enough. I have recently got back into shooting bigger scenes, but after a 4 year break I have changed my perspective. It's been quite fun,.
I am glad you used the word lie, because that is what most images out there, are. Very honest. Ironically it is now more likely you will become unique by not over processing photos but leaving them natural. True to yourself, no other way to go. “Nothing to do but be, nothing to be but me”. Issa. I hope others now feel more confident to be more true to themselves after watching this.
You're so right. It's ironic that people like Rachel Talibart, Guy Tal, TJ Thorne and Theo Bosboom are out there making beautiful and anonymous work. It's the same with music, trends come and go and people jump on bandwagons. At 3am when we lie awake we have to answer to ourselves and only we know if we are living a lie, or are truly fulfilled.
This is awesome! Came across your channel when you released your interviews with Rachael Talibart and I’ve just been working through your videos ever since - this one spoke to me in so many ways simply because I HATE doing what everyone else does! Your point on shouting louder and ‘someone always does it better’ was so true - Connecting with the landscape in your own way to capture intimate scenes I think is where the really uniqueness comes in, and my moral compass too centred around authenticity and my own voice rather than the masses. Awesome content and can’t wait to watch more!
Thanks Harry. I’m always delighted to hear from people with whom the videos really connect. I think that’s why we do it, not to be the biggest or most popular, but to connect to those looking for some authenticity.
Photography to me is a journey, we've all done images to "wow" the public, but after a while they become hollow with little honesty behind them. My best images are the quiet ones in which my vision is expressed, they may not be my most popular images, but I sure love them, and at my age, that's important and rewarding. Thanks for this series, it's a therapy session during these unnerving times.
Yes, yes, yes and yes. I get so frustrated and I feel like I’m alone and havethe same feelings with Instagram for instance. I focus my energy on increasing my printing technique editing technique camera composition emotion in photo etc. Your photos that ring true to you are far superior than that first photo. And I think it’s really important that people build a community locally with actual people. I do have some good connections on Instagram but dealing with an algorithm and .....popularity is not quality. Thanks for listening
Thanks for saying out loud what many of us have been thinking. It seems that for quite a while now there has been an emphasis on highly saturated, overly dramatic, hyper real images promoted by the various publications. And we all get seduced to it by trying to "measure up" to an artificial ideal. I know I have, and friends have pulled me back from the brink of absurdity a few times. Now, I more interested in making images in 'stillness', rather then trying to check things off the bucket list of epic locations. Keep up the good work, we all enjoy your insights.
I'm glad to have discovered your channel and have watched several videos. I feel that what I'm hearing you say is that preferable to seeing a scene and trying to capture it, is to let a scene "see me" and then let it lead me as I process it. There seems to be an authenticity to allowing that dynamic.
Well, thank you, that's hugely encouraging. Now, the secret may be that you need to find your own way. What I aim to try an do with the channel is to look at the disciples that can help open doors. But you still have to choose the door.
We can also be more expressive by shooting the smaller, more intimate scenes. There are so many instances where scenes from locations begin looking the same based on viewing so many images from the location on social media. There are styles that become popular and everyone starts processing their images that way. There are so few shooting or even looking for the intimate landscapes. Images from artists such as Eliot Porter, Guy Tal and yourself are far more expressive and unique.
I am so pleased with where you say this channel is going. I have struggled with finding art, feeling and story in my photography. I do think though that this kind of authentic photography is getting more recognition by the general public. As a compositor, I do a lot of storytelling by merging images together, I am at the two extremes when it comes to photoshop, my intimates and landscapes have little photoshop but then I have the other extreme with my compositing . I feel comfortable with that, but don't like the overworked landscape. I love the simple image caught in camera with texture, light and form. Thanks Alister, you have been a gift during this pandemic.
Wow, your video series are changing my thoughts towards the landscape photography. I will try to be creative and honest on me from now on, wherever it leads me.
As always, thanks for another installment of truthful and authentic advice. I feel like I grow immensely with every new episode as you provide a lot to think about, and I find quiet moments to reflect on the material you present.
This was a great, thought-provoking video. I am only starting out, but it is nice to hear someone say that it is ok to be a little different, to not just focus on foregrounds, to not live in photoshop, and to do things a bit more by feel. Thank you!
Thank you so much! I am 100% convinced that this is the point of creativity - for us to develop as humans and become better, more caring and more aware. Lots more to come.
I totally agree with your sentiment, for me i use what’s in the RAW file if you start adding features , skies etc.. it becomes a digital image and no longer a photograph. I’m really enjoying this question and answer sessions.
This vison of yours ( not rant) really resonates with me, and I am so glad to have found some likeminded people regarding this matter. So recognizable, the whole 500px thing, I had already quit that two years ago, because I did not have any connection with the style of popular photos over there. Of course, to each their own, and I can appreciate some skillful postprecessing for sure. I think every photographer has to make up his/her mind on how to create their art, and if that encompasses advanced Photoshop processing, then they should go ahead with whatever makes them happy. I recently found I am most happy with my work, if it does not have a real foreground for instance, or if it is not about an icon landscape, but about what I found intriguing in a pattern etc. . Trying to be a little different from the mainstream is whHat I aim for. Thank you so much for this wonderful and inspiring series ! All the best, Karin.
That's great to hear Karin, I appreciate your message. I think more self awareness comes from these engaged moments with the landscape than any other form of creativity.
It seems to me that the "epic" possibly highly manipulated images mainly target those who will never have the chance to see the scene in person. This contrasts with the brief I was given when I started to take images for my local NT site as a volunteer - "We want pictures that will encourage people to visit but not leave them disapointed when they arrive".
Thank you for being so refreshingly honest, Alister. I believe in the way that you approach and practise landscape photography, though I also wonder if and how one can do the grand landscapes and still be authentic and unique.
Firstly, thank you for your very kind comment. There is nothing inherently wrong with celebrating the majesty of a grand landscape. I have massive respect for Marc Adamus and his passion for big landscapes and his expertise in processing the,. I know Marc really well and his first priority is to be in the landscape. He doesn't care about popularity, he only started an Insta Account about 2 years ago and only to remove all the fake ones where people were pretending to be him. I only question the motives of people who trash landscapes top "get the shot" or openly deceive people for the sake of their own ego. If you want to make images of grand landscapes as a celebration of your awe, then great :-)
@@Alister_Benn Thank you for taking the time to respond personally to our comments, Alister. One of the lessons that I have learnt in isolation, and one of the reasons why your philosophy is so relevant and timely, is that one doesn't have to travel far and wide in search of epic grandeur. There is as much natural beauty to be discovered closer to home.
@@alancoligado8540 Thanks for that. I try to reply to every comment. As the channel grows, it may get to the stage where that becomes impossible, but for now I'm trying!! :-)
Alister, the detail in some of the images you showed from your print web site (?) is simply amazing!!! The comments about your current photographic philosophy are a valuable lesson for me; thank you.
Loving the direction you’re taking Alister ... you are definitely listening to the best of your own drum. Authenticity is so important as an artist, I believe, and it’s so refreshing to hear someone sharing wisdom in a calm and focused way. Thanks for the inspiration.
Interesting to hear your perspective on this. I still remember the words you said to me when we first met all those years ago which was ‘show people something they would not normally see’ and to me intimate scenes do exactly that. In my view when someone is looking at the ‘big picture’ there is often so much that they don’t see whereas in the intimate scene there is so much to discover as you are journeying into the minutiae, in essence it can be a voyage of discovery which, for me, makes the image far more exciting therefore it is more personal. Nothing wrong with images of grandeur showing some wonderful locations but it is all about what makes your heart sing. Great videos, thank you.
Hey Jane, yeah, the channel is taking shape, and it's good that it still feels true to where I was a few years ago when we had our little one to one. Seems like a lifetime ago!! Hopefully see you again soonish.
Great message. I agree nothing wrong with photoshopping and composting if that is what you like but like you I don't find to be a true representation of what one experienced. Also, think people should disclose when they do add/remove things in images to enhance them. Really enjoyed the atmospheric series, especially that first image. Looking forward to the next one.
People are reluctant to disclose. Even 15 years ago the big question was "is it Photoshopped!?" The buying audience somehow felt cheated if you said yes, of course - but that meant any blending, or dodging and burning!
Great video Alister and I agree with nearly everything you say. I think my one point of personal difference is the suggestion that grand landscapes need great light. Obviously great light can help make such vistas look wonderful, but part of what draws me to want to photograph is a love for, and intimate connection with, our slightly bruised and battered old landscapes in the British Isles. To me I feel very at home in and very connected to an overcast rainy day on Rannoch, for example, and really love to take images in those conditions. They don't do very well on social media though....!
Thanks Steve - public opinion would subscribe to the idea that big landscapes need great light, I personally don't. I agree with you and I've shot many a grand landscape in the rain. As you say though, they struggle on SM.
I agree entirely on your view of authenticity. With my woodland photography I'm aiming to capture not just a composition but a feeling, atmosphere of how it felt to me at the scene, using Lightroom and a little Photoshop if required to bring the image to life, but staying true to the landscape.
Thanks for that. There is nothing inherently wrong with using whatever means we need to express ourselves. The question is the motive. Throwing a bunch of effects onto a dry guitar sound can turn it into something insanely deep, and that's fine. Just don't press autoplay on an electric keyboard and tell me your an artist :-)
Interesting introspective, as usual, thanks Alister. I enjoy photography, but it is really just a means to an end, and that end being the landscape itself (and nature). [Unless I'm on a 'photo adventure', my camera just sits in its bag for weeks]. As such, I like my images to have context for the the viewer to place themselves there as well, but this means they often lack the creativity or 'artfulness' that can make for a 'good' photograph. The challenge for myself is to try and get nature at its 'artful' best, which can mean visiting locations time and time again to get the right conditions - I recently snagged an image of sunlight on early morning mist in the rainforest at a particular location - it only took me 20years!
This definitely resonates with me. I agree with your point of view. I think this takes time to develop as you move through the different phases of developing as a photographer and tap into our individual creativity and what moves us. Hopefully we're able to feel what is right to us individually and bring that unique perspective to create art.
I'm amazed at how my experience tracks with yours. Where I was once all Max Rive and posting on inststatwitfaceflickpx, chasing the likes, I am now more Adam Gibbs and Sarah Marino and not giving a single crap about likes. I am gratified that I seem to be progressing in a parallel manner to you. I'm going in the right direction and for the right reasons. I find your images compelling and beautiful and will be thrilled if I end up capturing the future landscapes with a fraction of your creativity and skill. Thank you for sharing!
That's really kind Rob, I try to keep away from comparative judgements. I believe strongly that your work and perceptions are no less valid than anyone else's. The articulation is the process.
Great commentary, Alister! I've crossed off many of the grand vista photographers in favor of more intimate works, and I especially appreciate your philosophy and your work. These trying times have certainly created the space and the need for quiet and intimacy. Many thanks!!
Refreshing Alastair. I went through a similar epiphany towards being more honest with the work and agree heavily on your 'do it for you not the popularity, transcend the like culture.. I think that is the genre simply moving forwards. There are some aspects in the community which seem to hold it back, and for their own reasons. Competitions are one of these. Online at present there is a trend to post ones' rejected' images from competitions like LPOTY and its interesting seeing these rejects and equally those posted that have gone through the initial pass of judging. To my eye the passes are back to basic post card shots, nothing new, not as creative as the rejects. My thought is that is deliberate, a commercial direction by the competition judging to keep it inclusive hence to keep the entries (money) coming in. If the quality and artistic standard is too high then the entries drop off. I admire your honesty within the youtube creator community, refreshing. Cheers mate
Thanks Martin for your great comment. I agree in many ways, business is business and feeding trends is good business. Art of the antithesis of conformity and trends. Each of us has a unique voice and one that only we can articulate. Why the human condition to fit in and become vanilla!?
I thought your personal exposé in this video was wonderful. Thank you so much for a very thought-provoking video. I've been struggling to define, even understand, my own photographic "style" for some time. I tend to photograph what affects me emotionally, and this can literally be anything, big or small, urban or rural. I have eschewed Ps to date because I don't like post-processing over-elaboration, ie. "creating lies" (I solely use Capture One software) . So, quantifying a specific style has been a challenge - one that I'm not now sure has any real value. I'm finding your videos more helpful to me personally than any other photographic material I have accessed. So, please keep going.
Well said. I have noticed that a lot of photos I've seen on Instagram seem to be testimony to Photoshop skills rather than photography skills. Not every photographer I follow but some of them for sure.
There is no problem having technical mastery and there are a few who's work is truly inspiring. However, there are many who do it to stroke their own ego and gain popularity and the deception is ignored.
Excellent video. It’s been a while since I have posted! I am glad to see the channel growing! I have lately been struggling to discern why I take the photos I do, and just this last week I came to the same conclusion you have: I must photograph something I connect and feel which requires experience. Thank you for your continued efforts and work. It is inspiring and very refreshing. Also, could you elaborate potentially in a future video in how to make a sound portfolio?
Wow, that was amazing, insightful and inspiring for me, Thank you Alister for sharing your visions with us. This is what our community as landscape photographers and enthusiasts needs. I think. Thank you.
Thanks so much for this video, Alister. Your philosophy is quite similar to mine but I have been having a hard time expressing it quite as succinctly and honestly as you have. Your words help me understand where I am and where I'm going as a photographer and storyteller. I'm a recent subscriber to your channel and it's quickly becoming one of my absolute favorites. And I'm just about to pull the trigger on your "Night" and "Luminosity and Contrast" books. (-:
Thanks for buying the two books - hopefully you'll enjoy them. Thanks also for your comment and encouragement. It's great on the channel that all the feedback is so positive and folks are really in for the long haul.
LOL, yes, our processing skills can be far more relaxed and intuitive when we're not trying to fake it. This is why I tend to only show Lightroom in my videos. We can do massive amounts with very basic adjustments.
Such a great discussion and the direction you have in mind for the channel is exactly the type of content I am interested in. So much I find of what is on RUclips atm for landscape photography is just repeated content from other content creators. I look forward to the series and I’m about to read your ebook again 👍
"It's a lie". Thank you for saying this. I'm a hobby photographer and shoot for myself, I attempt to do as little processing other than to bring back what I saw through the viewfinder. Of course, there will be a little licence within the processing but as little as possible to balance the image. I occasionally expose my work to constructive critique to gain different perspectives but will not be a slave to comments, more being able to reflect on comments. I am growing tired of the Instagram over-saturated content that is so far removed from reality.
100% agree, about authenticity. I feel it is only going to get worse in that regard AI postprocessing software, pretty photos are just a click away. It won't be long before your phone just wants to you to hold it up, decide what image to take for you, and PP an rendition of what it thought would be popular on social media. All with out any input from the user.
Excellent video, Alister. You summarized my own feelings more eloquently than I could have myself. It is the idea of the intimate landscape that revived my love for photography at a time when I was very discouraged by the fakery employed in the most compelling grand landscape images. Even though I knew it was fake, I still found that these images affected my own standards and expectations when I arrived at a scene. I was pretty discouraged for a while. This is the reason I will be forever grateful to Adam for introducing me to this different kind of photography and demonstrating how he does it in the field; and to you for taking these ideas and presenting them in a very thoughtful and organized manner. (I do not mean to suggest that either your content or Adam's is somehow derivative of the other.) I'm looking forward to future content. Thanks!
Thank you so much, that is a very kind and insightful comment. Adam and I have quite complimentary styles and approaches. In many ways we are very similar, yet manage two create a very different aesthetic in our work.
I'm a relatively new subscriber and I have been thoroughly enjoying your channel. I am also a great fan of intimate landscape. It was so refreshing to watch this episode and to hear your genuine and authentic thoughts on landscape photography and where you are at in this journey. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to learning more from you! Cheers from downunder and hope to see you here one day :D
I like the direction you're going with the series, it's going to be stimulating to go along with you. I can understand why the 500px Himalayan hit no longer appeals, it's like one of these over-sweetened breakfast cereals, but the Yellow Mountain images I could look at with interest every day.
Thanks man, I appreciate your great feedback and support (always) - It's amazing how foul over-sweetened cereal tastes when you finally appreciate how amazing an apple is! :-)
I Strongly believe that "type of genre" is slowly dyeing out and a more authentic approach to landscape photography is slowly igniting. Let's just let those people yell louder and louder over each other on social media platforms; while we try and focus more on developing our own unique approach to more 'intimate and authentic' genre's.
Excellent messages Alistair - really enjoyed this, and it echoes some of my recent focus. While I like to take the epic scenes, the small scenes are so interesting, so plentiful, less dependant on the light, and the images more defined by the creativity of the photographer. I was hoping to see your 2020 edit of the Himalayan image ..... would be interesting to see what result you would deliver today!
LOL- I'm not sure I would process it, but maybe I might now!! (See, that's the competitive side of me still alive!!) - Thanks so much, it is really encouraging for me to see so many people embracing introspection and creativity over shouting for popularity and ego stroking. Much Appreciated.
Great vlog Alister. Some food for thought for sure. “It’s a lie” just cracked me up for second 😆 Quite timely for me personally as someone who started photography last spring. I’m at a stage where I’m contemplating which direction I want to head in; and how far to take my post processing skill and embellishments. As great as these crazy images I see on Instagram are, (and respect for the skill it took to create them) at the end of the day, it’s fabrication; and in some cases total fabrication. That’s not we’re the enjoyment lies for me, so I’m hoping I have the will power to subvert that temptation. Presenting a total fabrication surely can never be as rewarding as presenting an image that maintains authenticity as well as beauty. This is why Adam Gibbs and his work is so admirable; and it’s this type of work that I regard as the benchmark. The balance is just right... in my view at least. Keep up the vlogs, they are great and so helpful and insightful 👍
Thanks Jon for your thorough and insightful comment. In many ways you are lucky, as there is so much more transparency today than there was a decade ago. A lot of the BS slipped under the radar as people didn't know you could do these types of things. Enjoy your journey, it's the only one you've got :-)
Hi Alister: Thanks for making this video and I really like the change of direction for your You Tube channel. I could agree more with your comments regarding 500PX. While I still refer to 500PX to get 'scouting' locations ideas for future trips I am always guided that these images are the combination of a base image + a great deal of PS imagination. I applaud you for acknowledging and embracing your recent changes to the 'intimate landscape'. To me the measure of a great images is whether or not the image creates an emotional connection within me that wants me to see more of the location or more images by the photographer. For me, you have nailed both. Have you considered 're-working' your original Himalayas image to reflect your current belief system within photography? As I learn more about PS techniques and photographic self, I often go back to old images to re-work them to see what else I can bring out in the image. Keep safe.....Cheers, Keith
Thanks again Keith for the great comment. I rarely rework images, but that style of photography just doesn’t resonate with me anymore, so I’m happy with my intimates and introspection.
Authenticity against popularity is a difficult path to walk. It may be my grumpy views, but I have found that folks don't seem to listen to authenticity until you have become popular and it's hard to be popular when you're authentic. Although, I do still strive to be authentic and anyone who watches my videos or reads my stories find that once they meet me, I am that exact person. And having them remind me that they appreciate that in me actually is better than huge troops adoring popularity. Again, thank you for you thought provoking insights.
In my interview with Sarah Marino she said that one consequence of shooting quieter scenes is your audience will be smaller. But, it's the quality of the audience that matters. I'd rather have 10K people who truly engage with what I do, than 100K clickbait junkies looking for a quick fix.
Expressive Photography I missed that discussion. I’ll need to look for it. I have noticed that when I try to play with the big boys and photograph/edit what’s popular, I feel as if I’m losing myself in the noise. But I’m happiest when photographing the detail of my home state.
I really appreciate this video and can identify with so many of the things you said. I never really got into the whole 500px game but I certainly visited the site often enough. I found that in general the best performing photographs were not real like your example. There certainly was a lot of visually stunning material but I have been to enough places on this planet to have recognized quite a few of the spots and it wasn't unusual to see, having been there, that the light can't possibly be like that in that location ever - the sun doesn't rise in the north in Italy for example. Why is the opposite side of the peak from where the sun is all lit up? It was especially obvious in photos from my home state of Arizona, a mecca for landscape photography and home of many places I have been to hundreds of times and run many workshops in. I saw many shots that were obviously total fakes. I certainly do a lot more in post today than I did early in the digital photo era but always with the photographic material from the actual shoot, not substituting a sky I took in Arizona and placing it in a photo I took in Tasmania. I guess I grew up in photography in the era of Phototrust when digital first came to the fore and we had to certify our images as real for publication by most publishers. I still have a Phototrust T-shirt :) In any case, I do more intimate stuff these days than I used to but still do the grand stuff and do the best I can with what nature offers or go back. Some of the world's most successful photographers, at least from a print sale perspective and Instagram love perspective post a lot of Photoshop fabricated stuff and I certainly enjoy the visual but those that don't do what we do often believe that this is what it actually looked like. Sorry for the diatribe, thanks for the video and I couldn't agree more.
@@Alister_Benn Stay safe and healthy my friend. I'm sure you have seen or heard the disaster that my area is now - the worst county on Earth. Let's hope we can shoot together again in the future.
Couldn't agree more.. I don't like to spend hours on one image dodging and burning it any more. Geometry is great. Just learnt you stayed in China back in the day :) The Huang Shan series is amazing !
Thanks so much - yes, 15 years on and off. Mostly in Yunnan and Tibet. I think I've been to Huang Shan about 4 or 5 times and it is an amazing landscape. But China has so many insanely beautiful landscapes!!
Dear Alister, I have to say that I love where these series seem to be going! I always tend to stick to the elements that were present at the moment when I took the image. replacing the skies have never been an option for me. Focus stacking, image blending yes but total image creation is above my PS competencies that I never wanted to develop (in this direction) Trying to make an appealing image whatever the light whatever the conditions is the objective for me :)
Very much with you on this , I think it’s much easier to find your “ own “ images with the smaller more intimate scenes Most of the big vistas have been done to death
Very true , I do find the smaller scenes give me much more pleasure, I can’t claim to be totally original or artistic but I am much more inspired by other photographer’s intimate work
It doesn’t have to be a major photoshop manipulation for the image to be fake. I’d say applying vignette, localized edits, color channel adjustments, etc even when done moderately make the photo fake. The only close to reality photos are those that look “flat”. Good topic. I like your Himalaya and new photos.
"Be true unto yourself" as the saying goes. Good on you for getting it out there, it's a good path to take and to share. It can only be a good thing for us and you I guess LOL I need to figure how to get over the Like thing, but I digress.
Thanks Andrew, I do feel good about moving this channel forward with an even clearer focus. The like thing is poison, it really is. I do still struggle sometimes with it, but getting better. Sitting on a high mountain in the Himalaya for a year helped!
In terms of interest and involvement in an image, to me, there's as much available in an "intimate" image as in a wide angle landscape. Again to me, wide angle landscapes are about the expanse, the sky and colors of it since most all are from sunrise or sunset (dramatic involvement). Bottom line, no matter which type image I make, if I'm not moved by it, I'm not interested in it. I am impressed with what you accomplished with the Himalayan image, cudos!
I agree that today many people shall be called photoshoppers rather than photographers. But time pass by and people change and so the use of photography. But it is my choice as photographer in the end. It's like fashion. I personally stay more with you, subtle use of the tools brings often better result for me than pictures you know they aren't really similar to the reality, but again, I love fantasy films too...
I agree 100% and people can do whatever they want. I am never going to say I like music from one band and anyone who listens to anything else is wrong. I have just stated that I will no longer do this other style of modern photography as it no longer interests me.
Rant on! the smaller scenes and your philosophy is why I'm here every time..
LOL - yes, I think ranting is on the horizon!! :-)
Alister, I think what you say is spot on. No need for bells, whistles and a cherry on top. Being true to ourselves means we can always look back and appreciate those moments in time that we've captured through photography
I have a folder of images called "What was I thinking!! :-)Thanks John, I truly appreciate your comment
Another thing about bedring true to yourself and the landscape is that it produces images that does well printed. All the great manipulated images is something that do well as consumable art but easily gets boring after a week on the wall. But again I think that going through phases as a new photographer is important. One learn the possibilities that a landscape can be transferred into a dream through knowledge of the tools we have. I more and more often find that I no longer cant or want to spend countless hours in front of my computer trying to make something just so I can present something consumable for others. It’s very inspiring to listen to these small ideas and your transformation into doing what you love.
Thanks again for your great comment. Totally agree, the flashy images get old after a short while. Intimate images ask more of the viewer.
THANK YOU for being honest. No need to apologize for who you are. This is what has drawn me into these videos and learning from you. I too decided some time ago that "we have forgotten what the sky looks like at dawn or sunset" by what is 'liked on Instagram' or featured. I go out to share the experience with others and invite them into the landscape. I feel like if I stop doing some big vistas that are natural looking (with my expressive photography look), we are giving in to the hype of perfect dramatic skies. The world is imperfect and we need to see it that way. BUT our reaction to being in nature can be authentic. I will get up in the morning at 3am ready for the excitement of the unknown of sunrise in the mountains...Drive the 2 hours and hike a bit to experience it. All the while just being there for the experience and the photo will be a bonus. Looking forward to seeing this development of creativity from the channel.
Thanks so much Chris, your insights and honesty are fabulous. I see you are also an admirer of TJ Thorne, you will love our chat on Wednesday's Vision & Light
Great message and your “authentic” images look great and DIFFERENT to many others. I love the way your channel is developing and I will definitely be on board. Thank you Alister.
Thank you so much! - You know I appreciate your support very much and I believe we have a chance to build a channel that actually focusses on the real issues and allows people to shrug themselves free from the shackles of "like-based" external validation! :-) Still ranting!
And that’s exactly what I am hoping to achieve. I am spreading the word by sharing with our camera club...
Brilliant comment Nick
@@nickshepherd8377 Thanks hugely for that...
Catching up on some videos of yours from the year and all I can say is WOW!! You took the words, literally out of my mouth. I've worked through this exact struggle the last few years of my photographic career. I wrote and submitted an article to OP over a year ago about this very topic. I came to realize what mattered most to me was creating images that truly spoke to me, regardless of their level of popularity. When I tried to process my images in a way that was popular or the way I saw many others doing it, I lost my way with what was most important to me-my own way of seeing and my personal experience translated in my images. My vision! It doesn't mean I cannot make grand landscape shots, but they have to be mine from capture through processing. Over-exaggerating my color landscapes images to get noticed has never satisfied me inside. I've gone back to my roots, and photograph again because I love photography, and want to express my inner experiences with nature and the landscape.
That’s great hear, big developments coming on this channel start on Sunday
Excellent episode Alister. I agree with you 100% on this issue, so much so that I stopped doing colorwork 10 years and concentrated on traditional darkroom methods here at our gallery. I hope more folks get on board and the "PS enhance look" we have dreaded for so long becomes a distant memory. Thank you for bringing this to a much larger audience.
Well said! I couldn't agree more.
A thought provoking message Alistair. I think social media has made it too easy to produce generic images for likes rather than images that move us as individuals and express our creativity and emotional connection. I love your channel and approach. I find it refreshing after watching other channels that focus on gear and settings. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for the great message of support. It helps to know there is an audience for the message.
The grand vistas tend to serve up a stunning photo composition simply by getting to the view and setting up a tripod with good weather/light. I like the smaller scenes because they feel like more of a challenge! It's also easier to develop a personal style compared to the "epic views" styles
Yeah, that's all true enough. I have recently got back into shooting bigger scenes, but after a 4 year break I have changed my perspective. It's been quite fun,.
I am glad you used the word lie, because that is what most images out there, are. Very honest. Ironically it is now more likely you will become unique by not over processing photos but leaving them natural. True to yourself, no other way to go. “Nothing to do but be, nothing to be but me”. Issa. I hope others now feel more confident to be more true to themselves after watching this.
You're so right. It's ironic that people like Rachel Talibart, Guy Tal, TJ Thorne and Theo Bosboom are out there making beautiful and anonymous work. It's the same with music, trends come and go and people jump on bandwagons. At 3am when we lie awake we have to answer to ourselves and only we know if we are living a lie, or are truly fulfilled.
Thanks Alister, this resonates deeply with me. The misty mountains are profound.
Thank you so much - I really appreciate that.
This is awesome! Came across your channel when you released your interviews with Rachael Talibart and I’ve just been working through your videos ever since - this one spoke to me in so many ways simply because I HATE doing what everyone else does! Your point on shouting louder and ‘someone always does it better’ was so true -
Connecting with the landscape in your own way to capture intimate scenes I think is where the really uniqueness comes in, and my moral compass too centred around authenticity and my own voice rather than the masses. Awesome content and can’t wait to watch more!
Thanks Harry. I’m always delighted to hear from people with whom the videos really connect. I think that’s why we do it, not to be the biggest or most popular, but to connect to those looking for some authenticity.
@@Alister_Benn my pleasure! And absolutely agree with you 😄🙌
Photography to me is a journey, we've all done images to "wow" the public, but after a while they become hollow with little honesty behind them. My best images are the quiet ones in which my vision is expressed, they may not be my most popular images, but I sure love them, and at my age, that's important and rewarding. Thanks for this series, it's a therapy session during these unnerving times.
Thanks Nick, you're right, we need this type of therapy right now.
Yes, yes, yes and yes. I get so frustrated and I feel like I’m alone and havethe same feelings with Instagram for instance. I focus my energy on increasing my printing technique editing technique camera composition emotion in photo etc. Your photos that ring true to you are far superior than that first photo. And I think it’s really important that people build a community locally with actual people. I do have some good connections on Instagram but dealing with an algorithm and .....popularity is not quality. Thanks for listening
Thanks for saying out loud what many of us have been thinking. It seems that for quite a while now there has been an emphasis on highly saturated, overly dramatic, hyper real images promoted by the various publications. And we all get seduced to it by trying to "measure up" to an artificial ideal. I know I have, and friends have pulled me back from the brink of absurdity a few times. Now, I more interested in making images in 'stillness', rather then trying to check things off the bucket list of epic locations. Keep up the good work, we all enjoy your insights.
This pleases me :-) The quiet voice has most to say....
I'm glad to have discovered your channel and have watched several videos. I feel that what I'm hearing you say is that preferable to seeing a scene and trying to capture it, is to let a scene "see me" and then let it lead me as I process it. There seems to be an authenticity to allowing that dynamic.
Thank you for sharing the evolution in your approach to photography. It is motivating and foundational.
That's great to hear - I truly appreciate it.
Really on board with you here Alister. This is the direction I want to go. I just need to be shown how. 👍👍👍👍
Well, thank you, that's hugely encouraging. Now, the secret may be that you need to find your own way. What I aim to try an do with the channel is to look at the disciples that can help open doors. But you still have to choose the door.
Alister .... this one is definitely top shelf of my "food for thought larder". I really am enjoying my journey with you - thank you so much.
Thank you so much - it's rapidly turning into an "all you can eat" buffet!! :-)
We can also be more expressive by shooting the smaller, more intimate scenes.
There are so many instances where scenes from locations begin looking the same based on viewing so many images from the location on social media. There are styles that become popular and everyone starts processing their images that way. There are so few shooting or even looking for the intimate landscapes.
Images from artists such as Eliot Porter, Guy Tal and yourself are far more expressive and unique.
Thank you so much, that's some hallowed company to be associated with. It's an honor for me.
Another fabulous video Alister. This channel really is amongst the best content on RUclips at the moment.
Thanks man, hopefully you're surviving.
I am so pleased with where you say this channel is going. I have struggled with finding art, feeling and story in my photography. I do think though that this kind of authentic photography is getting more recognition by the general public. As a compositor, I do a lot of storytelling by merging images together, I am at the two extremes when it comes to photoshop, my intimates and landscapes have little photoshop but then I have the other extreme with my compositing . I feel comfortable with that, but don't like the overworked landscape. I love the simple image caught in camera with texture, light and form. Thanks Alister, you have been a gift during this pandemic.
Thanks for that. I have absolutely no problem with compositing as an art, much of it is incredible. But I ask what the motive is in some cases.
Wow, your video series are changing my thoughts towards the landscape photography. I will try to be creative and honest on me from now on, wherever it leads me.
As always, thanks for another installment of truthful and authentic advice. I feel like I grow immensely with every new episode as you provide a lot to think about, and I find quiet moments to reflect on the material you present.
Is a simple thank you sufficient? :-)
Absolutely loving your last couple of videos Alistar.
Thanks so much, I hugely appreciate your encouraging feedback. Thanks.
More inspiration ! Being Real | I look forward to your next lesson. Thanks man,
Awesome! Thank you! - much appreciated.
Those smaller scenes are stunning. Really enjoyed this video.
Thanks so much, hugely appreciated
I preferred that first pano anyhow, looked amazing without the loud sky. Cheers.
LOL< ain't that the irony :-)
This is the first if your videos I've watched and wow, superb. Really like your style and delivery, looking forward to seeing more. Thank you.
Welcome aboard! I hope you like it here, it's a bit different from the others...
This was a great, thought-provoking video. I am only starting out, but it is nice to hear someone say that it is ok to be a little different, to not just focus on foregrounds, to not live in photoshop, and to do things a bit more by feel. Thank you!
Thank you Joanna, I'm really glad you're getting value from the content.
Wait... people aren't wearing padded shoulders anymore?! Well said man! Always appreciate the honesty.
Not on the Ardnamurchan Peninsular at least :-) All the best, and thanks always for your comment.
I can’t wait for your future videos!! Very self enlightening
Thank you so much! I am 100% convinced that this is the point of creativity - for us to develop as humans and become better, more caring and more aware. Lots more to come.
I totally agree with your sentiment, for me i use what’s in the RAW file if you start adding features , skies etc.. it becomes a digital image and no longer a photograph. I’m really enjoying this question and answer sessions.
Thank you so much for that. I agree with you 100%
This vison of yours ( not rant) really resonates with me, and I am so glad to have found some likeminded people regarding this matter. So recognizable, the whole 500px thing, I had already quit that two years ago, because I did not have any connection with the style of popular photos over there. Of course, to each their own, and I can appreciate some skillful postprecessing for sure. I think every photographer has to make up his/her mind on how to create their art, and if that encompasses advanced Photoshop processing, then they should go ahead with whatever makes them happy.
I recently found I am most happy with my work, if it does not have a real foreground for instance, or if it is not about an icon landscape, but about what I found intriguing in a pattern etc. . Trying to be a little different from the mainstream is whHat I aim for. Thank you so much for this wonderful and inspiring series ! All the best, Karin.
That's great to hear Karin, I appreciate your message. I think more self awareness comes from these engaged moments with the landscape than any other form of creativity.
It seems to me that the "epic" possibly highly manipulated images mainly target those who will never have the chance to see the scene in person. This contrasts with the brief I was given when I started to take images for my local NT site as a volunteer - "We want pictures that will encourage people to visit but not leave them disapointed when they arrive".
LOL< that is such a great brief... I see shots of locations with Milky Ways over them that would never have a Milky Way over them!!
Thanks for this series. Just loving it.
Glad to hear it! - really appreciate your support.
Thank you for being so refreshingly honest, Alister. I believe in the way that you approach and practise landscape photography, though I also wonder if and how one can do the grand landscapes and still be authentic and unique.
Firstly, thank you for your very kind comment. There is nothing inherently wrong with celebrating the majesty of a grand landscape. I have massive respect for Marc Adamus and his passion for big landscapes and his expertise in processing the,. I know Marc really well and his first priority is to be in the landscape. He doesn't care about popularity, he only started an Insta Account about 2 years ago and only to remove all the fake ones where people were pretending to be him.
I only question the motives of people who trash landscapes top "get the shot" or openly deceive people for the sake of their own ego.
If you want to make images of grand landscapes as a celebration of your awe, then great :-)
@@Alister_Benn Thank you for taking the time to respond personally to our comments, Alister. One of the lessons that I have learnt in isolation, and one of the reasons why your philosophy is so relevant and timely, is that one doesn't have to travel far and wide in search of epic grandeur. There is as much natural beauty to be discovered closer to home.
@@alancoligado8540 Thanks for that. I try to reply to every comment. As the channel grows, it may get to the stage where that becomes impossible, but for now I'm trying!! :-)
Alister, the detail in some of the images you showed from your print web site (?) is simply amazing!!! The comments about your current photographic philosophy are a valuable lesson for me; thank you.
Wow, thank you! - thanks always for your feedback
Loving the direction you’re taking Alister ... you are definitely listening to the best of your own drum. Authenticity is so important as an artist, I believe, and it’s so refreshing to hear someone sharing wisdom in a calm and focused way. Thanks for the inspiration.
Beat not best!!!
Thanks for that, and obviously I agree 100% - I read beat :-)
Interesting to hear your perspective on this. I still remember the words you said to me when we first met all those years ago which was ‘show people something they would not normally see’ and to me intimate scenes do exactly that. In my view when someone is looking at the ‘big picture’ there is often so much that they don’t see whereas in the intimate scene there is so much to discover as you are journeying into the minutiae, in essence it can be a voyage of discovery which, for me, makes the image far more exciting therefore it is more personal. Nothing wrong with images of grandeur showing some wonderful locations but it is all about what makes your heart sing. Great videos, thank you.
Hey Jane, yeah, the channel is taking shape, and it's good that it still feels true to where I was a few years ago when we had our little one to one. Seems like a lifetime ago!! Hopefully see you again soonish.
Thank you for your honesty!
Appreciate that - and I am jealous of your name spelling, I got stuck with Alister!!
Great message. I agree nothing wrong with photoshopping and composting if that is what you like but like you I don't find to be a true representation of what one experienced. Also, think people should disclose when they do add/remove things in images to enhance them. Really enjoyed the atmospheric series, especially that first image. Looking forward to the next one.
People are reluctant to disclose. Even 15 years ago the big question was "is it Photoshopped!?" The buying audience somehow felt cheated if you said yes, of course - but that meant any blending, or dodging and burning!
Great video Alister and I agree with nearly everything you say. I think my one point of personal difference is the suggestion that grand landscapes need great light. Obviously great light can help make such vistas look wonderful, but part of what draws me to want to photograph is a love for, and intimate connection with, our slightly bruised and battered old landscapes in the British Isles. To me I feel very at home in and very connected to an overcast rainy day on Rannoch, for example, and really love to take images in those conditions. They don't do very well on social media though....!
Thanks Steve - public opinion would subscribe to the idea that big landscapes need great light, I personally don't. I agree with you and I've shot many a grand landscape in the rain. As you say though, they struggle on SM.
Alister - a big thank you 100%
Thanks again :-)
Simply ART! Thanks for share.
Thank you! Cheers!
Very authentic, very sympathetic full stop. Thumbs up and keep it up
Thank you, I will - I really appreciate all the support.
I agree entirely on your view of authenticity. With my woodland photography I'm aiming to capture not just a composition but a feeling, atmosphere of how it felt to me at the scene, using Lightroom and a little Photoshop if required to bring the image to life, but staying true to the landscape.
Thanks for that. There is nothing inherently wrong with using whatever means we need to express ourselves. The question is the motive. Throwing a bunch of effects onto a dry guitar sound can turn it into something insanely deep, and that's fine. Just don't press autoplay on an electric keyboard and tell me your an artist :-)
Love your honesty. Love the more ethereal authentic images
Thanks for that - I'm jealous of your name spelling!! My parents cursed me with mine!! :-)
Interesting introspective, as usual, thanks Alister. I enjoy photography, but it is really just a means to an end, and that end being the landscape itself (and nature). [Unless I'm on a 'photo adventure', my camera just sits in its bag for weeks].
As such, I like my images to have context for the the viewer to place themselves there as well, but this means they often lack the creativity or 'artfulness' that can make for a 'good' photograph. The challenge for myself is to try and get nature at its 'artful' best, which can mean visiting locations time and time again to get the right conditions - I recently snagged an image of sunlight on early morning mist in the rainforest at a particular location - it only took me 20years!
It's quite better to caress stones then to lie about landscapes! I prefer to caress stones and trees to express myself!
Thanks for your examples!
Well said!Thanks always for your comments and support.
Honesty in photography, I love it. I dont want to spend hours processing images. Keep up the good work Alister.
Weird huh? Now, if I spend an hour on an intimate scene it is pure engagement, feeling, responding, thinking. It's a continuation of the flow state.
This definitely resonates with me. I agree with your point of view. I think this takes time to develop as you move through the different phases of developing as a photographer and tap into our individual creativity and what moves us. Hopefully we're able to feel what is right to us individually and bring that unique perspective to create art.
Thank you Janet, I appreciate that. Only by being us can we articulate our unique perspectives.
I discovered your channel like 3 weeks ago, and I just love it, thank you.
I'm so glad! I really appreciate your being here.
I'm amazed at how my experience tracks with yours. Where I was once all Max Rive and posting on inststatwitfaceflickpx, chasing the likes, I am now more Adam Gibbs and Sarah Marino and not giving a single crap about likes.
I am gratified that I seem to be progressing in a parallel manner to you. I'm going in the right direction and for the right reasons. I find your images compelling and beautiful and will be thrilled if I end up capturing the future landscapes with a fraction of your creativity and skill. Thank you for sharing!
That's really kind Rob, I try to keep away from comparative judgements. I believe strongly that your work and perceptions are no less valid than anyone else's. The articulation is the process.
Great points, looking forward to the next video 👍🏻
More to come! - ALWAYS!!! Thanks so much for your feedback
I love your authenticity morals and look forward to future postings, thank you :-)
Thank you so much! - Your comment is hugely appreciated.
I am so glad I found you! Just love your authenticity and thoughtful content. Really meaningful stuff. Cheers from Toronto, Canada
Welcome aboard! So happy too hear that.
Great commentary, Alister! I've crossed off many of the grand vista photographers in favor of more intimate works, and I especially appreciate your philosophy and your work. These trying times have certainly created the space and the need for quiet and intimacy. Many thanks!!
Many thanks as always, the world needs looking after and introspection has to help.
Refreshing Alastair. I went through a similar epiphany towards being more honest with the work and agree heavily on your 'do it for you not the popularity, transcend the like culture.. I think that is the genre simply moving forwards. There are some aspects in the community which seem to hold it back, and for their own reasons. Competitions are one of these. Online at present there is a trend to post ones' rejected' images from competitions like LPOTY and its interesting seeing these rejects and equally those posted that have gone through the initial pass of judging. To my eye the passes are back to basic post card shots, nothing new, not as creative as the rejects. My thought is that is deliberate, a commercial direction by the competition judging to keep it inclusive hence to keep the entries (money) coming in. If the quality and artistic standard is too high then the entries drop off. I admire your honesty within the youtube creator community, refreshing. Cheers mate
Thanks Martin for your great comment. I agree in many ways, business is business and feeding trends is good business. Art of the antithesis of conformity and trends. Each of us has a unique voice and one that only we can articulate. Why the human condition to fit in and become vanilla!?
I thought your personal exposé in this video was wonderful. Thank you so much for a very thought-provoking video.
I've been struggling to define, even understand, my own photographic "style" for some time. I tend to photograph what affects me emotionally, and this can literally be anything, big or small, urban or rural.
I have eschewed Ps to date because I don't like post-processing over-elaboration, ie. "creating lies" (I solely use Capture One software) . So, quantifying a specific style has been a challenge - one that I'm not now sure has any real value.
I'm finding your videos more helpful to me personally than any other photographic material I have accessed. So, please keep going.
Well said. I have noticed that a lot of photos I've seen on Instagram seem to be testimony to Photoshop skills rather than photography skills. Not every photographer I follow but some of them for sure.
There is no problem having technical mastery and there are a few who's work is truly inspiring. However, there are many who do it to stroke their own ego and gain popularity and the deception is ignored.
Excellent video. It’s been a while since I have posted! I am glad to see the channel growing! I have lately been struggling to discern why I take the photos I do, and just this last week I came to the same conclusion you have: I must photograph something I connect and feel which requires experience. Thank you for your continued efforts and work. It is inspiring and very refreshing.
Also, could you elaborate potentially in a future video in how to make a sound portfolio?
Welcome back! - great input and an excellent suggestion for a future video. We'll do that one for sure.
Thank you so much for this. I love this journey with you.
Thank you, that means a huge amount,
Wow, that was amazing, insightful and inspiring for me, Thank you Alister for sharing your visions with us. This is what our community as landscape photographers and enthusiasts needs. I think. Thank you.
Thanks for that - I have zero interest in following the herd into vanilla town!! :-)
Thanks so much for this video, Alister. Your philosophy is quite similar to mine but I have been having a hard time expressing it quite as succinctly and honestly as you have. Your words help me understand where I am and where I'm going as a photographer and storyteller. I'm a recent subscriber to your channel and it's quickly becoming one of my absolute favorites. And I'm just about to pull the trigger on your "Night" and "Luminosity and Contrast" books. (-:
Thanks for buying the two books - hopefully you'll enjoy them. Thanks also for your comment and encouragement. It's great on the channel that all the feedback is so positive and folks are really in for the long haul.
Many many thanks for shearing this !!!
My pleasure
Very well said Alister,
most times I am glad my Photoshop Skills are pretty basic. It’s hard to improve on good light in the first place! 👍
LOL, yes, our processing skills can be far more relaxed and intuitive when we're not trying to fake it. This is why I tend to only show Lightroom in my videos. We can do massive amounts with very basic adjustments.
Such a great discussion and the direction you have in mind for the channel is exactly the type of content I am interested in. So much I find of what is on RUclips atm for landscape photography is just repeated content from other content creators. I look forward to the series and I’m about to read your ebook again 👍
Awesome, thank you! That's really great to hear and thanks for your support.
"It's a lie". Thank you for saying this. I'm a hobby photographer and shoot for myself, I attempt to do as little processing other than to bring back what I saw through the viewfinder. Of course, there will be a little licence within the processing but as little as possible to balance the image. I occasionally expose my work to constructive critique to gain different perspectives but will not be a slave to comments, more being able to reflect on comments. I am growing tired of the Instagram over-saturated content that is so far removed from reality.
Hi John, Thanks for your great comment and it sounds like you're on a good path.
100% agree, about authenticity.
I feel it is only going to get worse in that regard AI postprocessing software, pretty photos are just a click away.
It won't be long before your phone just wants to you to hold it up, decide what image to take for you, and PP an rendition of what it thought would be popular on social media.
All with out any input from the user.
Absolutely. It horrifies me that there are mainstream "experts" selling cloud brushes! AI may become an acronym for Artistically Irrelevant! :-)
Very interesting insights. I like this way ahead.
Thank you - I'm very happy to hear that.
Excellent video, Alister. You summarized my own feelings more eloquently than I could have myself. It is the idea of the intimate landscape that revived my love for photography at a time when I was very discouraged by the fakery employed in the most compelling grand landscape images. Even though I knew it was fake, I still found that these images affected my own standards and expectations when I arrived at a scene. I was pretty discouraged for a while. This is the reason I will be forever grateful to Adam for introducing me to this different kind of photography and demonstrating how he does it in the field; and to you for taking these ideas and presenting them in a very thoughtful and organized manner. (I do not mean to suggest that either your content or Adam's is somehow derivative of the other.) I'm looking forward to future content. Thanks!
Thank you so much, that is a very kind and insightful comment. Adam and I have quite complimentary styles and approaches. In many ways we are very similar, yet manage two create a very different aesthetic in our work.
@@Alister_Benn Yes, I agree. Your photographic output is each distinctive.
You expressed yourself very well, and fortunately, I'd like to think I live that philosophy as well. Thank you.
Thank you! - yeah, I think I have a clear mind of where I fit in all of this :-)
Great video. I admire your honesty.
I appreciate that! - Thanks a lot.
Food for thought. Looking forward to what's ahead in this series.
Thanks John. Lots of looking in the mirror and being honest :-)
I'm a relatively new subscriber and I have been thoroughly enjoying your channel. I am also a great fan of intimate landscape. It was so refreshing to watch this episode and to hear your genuine and authentic thoughts on landscape photography and where you are at in this journey. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to learning more from you! Cheers from downunder and hope to see you here one day :D
Thanks Sharon. We're really hoping to get back to Australia one day. I lived there for a while in the early 2000's and would love to get back!
I like the direction you're going with the series, it's going to be stimulating to go along with you. I can understand why the 500px Himalayan hit no longer appeals, it's like one of these over-sweetened breakfast cereals, but the Yellow Mountain images I could look at with interest every day.
Thanks man, I appreciate your great feedback and support (always) - It's amazing how foul over-sweetened cereal tastes when you finally appreciate how amazing an apple is! :-)
Again, very inspiring.Thanks.
Thanks again!
If that's a rant, then give me more of it. Love it. Inspiring.
I suspect you may just get that! :-)
I Strongly believe that "type of genre" is slowly dyeing out and a more authentic approach to landscape photography is slowly igniting. Let's just let those people yell louder and louder over each other on social media platforms; while we try and focus more on developing our own unique approach to more 'intimate and authentic' genre's.
Let's hope so, or I'm out of a job :-) - Thanks for your great insight, much appreciated.
Excellent messages Alistair - really enjoyed this, and it echoes some of my recent focus. While I like to take the epic scenes, the small scenes are so interesting, so plentiful, less dependant on the light, and the images more defined by the creativity of the photographer. I was hoping to see your 2020 edit of the Himalayan image ..... would be interesting to see what result you would deliver today!
LOL- I'm not sure I would process it, but maybe I might now!! (See, that's the competitive side of me still alive!!) - Thanks so much, it is really encouraging for me to see so many people embracing introspection and creativity over shouting for popularity and ego stroking. Much Appreciated.
A very honest answer, loved it.
Thanks, I suffer from a bad case of honesty :-)
Great vlog Alister. Some food for thought for sure. “It’s a lie” just cracked me up for second 😆 Quite timely for me personally as someone who started photography last spring. I’m at a stage where I’m contemplating which direction I want to head in; and how far to take my post processing skill and embellishments. As great as these crazy images I see on Instagram are, (and respect for the skill it took to create them) at the end of the day, it’s fabrication; and in some cases total fabrication. That’s not we’re the enjoyment lies for me, so I’m hoping I have the will power to subvert that temptation. Presenting a total fabrication surely can never be as rewarding as presenting an image that maintains authenticity as well as beauty. This is why Adam Gibbs and his work is so admirable; and it’s this type of work that I regard as the benchmark. The balance is just right... in my view at least. Keep up the vlogs, they are great and so helpful and insightful 👍
Thanks Jon for your thorough and insightful comment. In many ways you are lucky, as there is so much more transparency today than there was a decade ago. A lot of the BS slipped under the radar as people didn't know you could do these types of things. Enjoy your journey, it's the only one you've got :-)
Wonderful session today and so relevant in a world where likes and popularity seem to thrive 👍
Thanks John, much appreciated as always. I've decided to go down a very clear road now...
Great rant, with you all the way.
It's a gift!! :-) - Thanks always appreciated.
The wall looks bare without the guitars. As a photographer who appreciates the beauty of that instrument I'd like to see their return.
Hi Alister: Thanks for making this video and I really like the change of direction for your You Tube channel. I could agree more with your comments regarding 500PX. While I still refer to 500PX to get 'scouting' locations ideas for future trips I am always guided that these images are the combination of a base image + a great deal of PS imagination. I applaud you for acknowledging and embracing your recent changes to the 'intimate landscape'. To me the measure of a great images is whether or not the image creates an emotional connection within me that wants me to see more of the location or more images by the photographer. For me, you have nailed both.
Have you considered 're-working' your original Himalayas image to reflect your current belief system within photography? As I learn more about PS techniques and photographic self, I often go back to old images to re-work them to see what else I can bring out in the image. Keep safe.....Cheers, Keith
Thanks again Keith for the great comment. I rarely rework images, but that style of photography just doesn’t resonate with me anymore, so I’m happy with my intimates and introspection.
Authenticity against popularity is a difficult path to walk. It may be my grumpy views, but I have found that folks don't seem to listen to authenticity until you have become popular and it's hard to be popular when you're authentic. Although, I do still strive to be authentic and anyone who watches my videos or reads my stories find that once they meet me, I am that exact person. And having them remind me that they appreciate that in me actually is better than huge troops adoring popularity. Again, thank you for you thought provoking insights.
In my interview with Sarah Marino she said that one consequence of shooting quieter scenes is your audience will be smaller. But, it's the quality of the audience that matters. I'd rather have 10K people who truly engage with what I do, than 100K clickbait junkies looking for a quick fix.
Expressive Photography I missed that discussion. I’ll need to look for it. I have noticed that when I try to play with the big boys and photograph/edit what’s popular, I feel as if I’m losing myself in the noise. But I’m happiest when photographing the detail of my home state.
I really appreciate this video and can identify with so many of the things you said. I never really got into the whole 500px game but I certainly visited the site often enough. I found that in general the best performing photographs were not real like your example. There certainly was a lot of visually stunning material but I have been to enough places on this planet to have recognized quite a few of the spots and it wasn't unusual to see, having been there, that the light can't possibly be like that in that location ever - the sun doesn't rise in the north in Italy for example. Why is the opposite side of the peak from where the sun is all lit up? It was especially obvious in photos from my home state of Arizona, a mecca for landscape photography and home of many places I have been to hundreds of times and run many workshops in. I saw many shots that were obviously total fakes. I certainly do a lot more in post today than I did early in the digital photo era but always with the photographic material from the actual shoot, not substituting a sky I took in Arizona and placing it in a photo I took in Tasmania. I guess I grew up in photography in the era of Phototrust when digital first came to the fore and we had to certify our images as real for publication by most publishers. I still have a Phototrust T-shirt :) In any case, I do more intimate stuff these days than I used to but still do the grand stuff and do the best I can with what nature offers or go back. Some of the world's most successful photographers, at least from a print sale perspective and Instagram love perspective post a lot of Photoshop fabricated stuff and I certainly enjoy the visual but those that don't do what we do often believe that this is what it actually looked like. Sorry for the diatribe, thanks for the video and I couldn't agree more.
Thanks man. I think it was 2003 that I joined NSN and was in awe of your work. We've been on quite the road together buddy.
@@Alister_Benn Stay safe and healthy my friend. I'm sure you have seen or heard the disaster that my area is now - the worst county on Earth. Let's hope we can shoot together again in the future.
Couldn't agree more.. I don't like to spend hours on one image dodging and burning it any more. Geometry is great.
Just learnt you stayed in China back in the day :) The Huang Shan series is amazing !
Thanks so much - yes, 15 years on and off. Mostly in Yunnan and Tibet. I think I've been to Huang Shan about 4 or 5 times and it is an amazing landscape. But China has so many insanely beautiful landscapes!!
Dear Alister, I have to say that I love where these series seem to be going! I always tend to stick to the elements that were present at the moment when I took the image. replacing the skies have never been an option for me. Focus stacking, image blending yes but total image creation is above my PS competencies that I never wanted to develop (in this direction) Trying to make an appealing image whatever the light whatever the conditions is the objective for me :)
Thanks man: As always I appreciate your thoughtful comments. I'm just trying to do my bit for sanity!!
@@Alister_Benn Keep going !!! By the way the BW tutorial is excellent :)
@@MaciejMarkiewicz Will do mate, and thanks for that - they seem to have been very well received. No complaints anyway :-)
Very much with you on this , I think it’s much easier to find your “ own “ images with the smaller more intimate scenes
Most of the big vistas have been done to death
I tend to feel that big scenes are about the place, small scenes are about the photographer. Thanks again for your great contribution.
Very true , I do find the smaller scenes give me much more pleasure, I can’t claim to be totally original or artistic but I am much more inspired by other photographer’s intimate work
Great Video! I love to await that right moment
Thanks for that...
It doesn’t have to be a major photoshop manipulation for the image to be fake. I’d say applying vignette, localized edits, color channel adjustments, etc even when done moderately make the photo fake. The only close to reality photos are those that look “flat”. Good topic. I like your Himalaya and new photos.
Thanks for you input. My take on this is we all have to be self-accountable. Each of us has their own line in the sand.
Expressive Photography That’s right. It’s the question how much is too much.
"Be true unto yourself" as the saying goes. Good on you for getting it out there, it's a good path to take and to share. It can only be a good thing for us and you I guess LOL I need to figure how to get over the Like thing, but I digress.
Thanks Andrew, I do feel good about moving this channel forward with an even clearer focus. The like thing is poison, it really is. I do still struggle sometimes with it, but getting better. Sitting on a high mountain in the Himalaya for a year helped!
In terms of interest and involvement in an image, to me, there's as much available in an "intimate" image as in a wide angle landscape. Again to me, wide angle landscapes are about the expanse, the sky and colors of it since most all are from sunrise or sunset (dramatic involvement). Bottom line, no matter which type image I make, if I'm not moved by it, I'm not interested in it. I am impressed with what you accomplished with the Himalayan image, cudos!
Thanks Steve - yes, a lot of Photoshop can take you a long way ! :-) But you're of course right, engagement and passion should be a prerequisite.
i am sinner of fake images, although my wife tames me a bit lately - i'm on the way to emulate you style. great video.
Listen to your wife :-) But seriously, all creativity is good, as long as our motives are pure.
yup!!
Lucid as ever amigo :-) :-) :-)
@@Alister_Benn I am finding it ironic, in my case at least, even though I'm continually learning more about processing my images often require less.
I agree that today many people shall be called photoshoppers rather than photographers. But time pass by and people change and so the use of photography. But it is my choice as photographer in the end. It's like fashion. I personally stay more with you, subtle use of the tools brings often better result for me than pictures you know they aren't really similar to the reality, but again, I love fantasy films too...
I agree 100% and people can do whatever they want. I am never going to say I like music from one band and anyone who listens to anything else is wrong. I have just stated that I will no longer do this other style of modern photography as it no longer interests me.
Excellent talk!
Thanks for that