The episode discusses the importance of simplifying compositions in landscape photography. I aim to emphasise the need to remove or quieten secondary aspects of a scene to effectively convey the intended message.
Transcript:
I've been photographing now for over 25 years, and if I were to use one word to describe what I have been trying to do over that time, whether I knew it or not, it is the word ‘simplify’.
I think the aim for all of us is to convey to our audience what we saw. And to do that, we must spend time making sure our compositions are as effective as they can be. The only way to do that is to remove or quieten down the secondary aspects of the scene. And that takes time, a lot of time, years in fact.
As beginners we tend to ignore what we don't love, and only see what we do. Love is blind as they say, and no more blind than when it comes to photographing what we love.
This explains why we often find there is a disconnect between what we thought we captured, and what we got when reviewing our images later on.
I've learned that complex scenery is perhaps not the best place to start when beginning to photograph landscapes. I think we should choose landscapes that are overly simple. Landscapes that are made up of only the barest of building blocks, namely form and gradation of tone. Some describe these landscapes as abstract places, but I like to see them as simplified places where the distractions and complexities of traditional landscapes have been removed.
They allow me to work on what is most important, namely form and tone.
Whether it is an ellipse, a curve or a straight line, all landscapes have an underlying framework. Complex scenery does a good job of convincing us that this isn't the case, but it always is.
When we can see the landscape's framework clearly, it can aid us in many ways. The most obvious is that image making becomes a lot easier. But I think for me, the most vital role it plays is that of allowing me to disassociate myself from the landscape.
In other words, I am able to abstract the scene more easily,
which makes composing a whole lot simpler. For when I abstract a scene, I am no longer thinking of rivers, lagoons or hills. Instead, I am thinking of the tonal aspect of a curve, of the smooth gradation of one ellipse to another. And I am thinking of symmetry and balance of one shape or one shade against another.
This is why I find Lensois Maranhensis in Brazil such a joy to work in. Deserts, such as Lensois, are nothing more than a framework of lines, patterns and gradation of tone. They are a perfect playground to learn the essentials of composition, light and form, no matter how proficient one may be.