It is tempting to believe that a good subject will make for a good photograph. That all what need is a beautiful tree, a grand vista, or a stunning mountain peak. In this video, I want to argue that this isn’t enough. That we need to pay attention to every inch, every pixel, of our image. Otherwise, we might end up with an image that doesn’t do justice to that amazing subject.
Innsbruck, Austria, November 2019.
An image from back when I went "compact", made in the mountains surrounding beautiful Innsbruck, Austria.
Madeira, November 2021.
Not much more I can say about this magical place.
Mallos de Riglos, Aragon, October 2021.
Riglos, one of the many cool towns in the Pyrenees.
Madeira, November 2021.
This is a favorite of mine from the trip to Fanal. I found msyelf coming back to these two trees, and even though I made images of them alone, by themselves, it felt like they belonged together. A dance of trees.
Galicia, October 2021.
Well, I don't even know if it's a house at all -it might be just a shed. But whatever it is, or was, it definitely caught my eye while riding the bike on this foggy morning. There's something about it, perhaps that all the blinds were down, the contrast between the white and the darker environment...
"Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again." - André Gide
A quote I stumbled upon a few days ago, and that resonated with me. Related to my thoughts about originality in photography, and why we should speak our truth regardless of what others have or haven't done in the past.
Madeira, November 2021.
Even though Fanal got all my attention during my trip to Madeira, I still managed to visit other parts of the island. I had done almost no research, so the spots I ran into were a surprise, including this one in a small town in the southwestern part of Madeira. I absolutely loved the square tiles, and the columns, and the ocean in the background... what a cool place!
Madeira, December 2021.
Fanal is one of those special places where magic happens every once in a while. This is a beautiful forest at any time, but when the fog rolls in, it becomes one of the most stunning landscapes I had ever seen. A place out of a fairy tale.
I travelled all the way to a tiny island in the Atlantic Ocean to photograph a small forest. A magical forest.
Lago di Garda, Italy, November 2019.
I made this image two years ago. So many things have happened since then! But I still remember the week I spent by this beautiful lake.
This wasn't an easy place to photograph. For whatever reason, I struggled during my time in Lake Tahoe. I had to push myself, but now that I look at those images, a year later, I'm so glad I did. These images have grown on me, and are some of my favorites from that road trip.
To be original, you have to stop trying to be original. Don't overthink it.
Sure, don’t chase trends, don’t go to popular locations just because they are popular. But don’t become a contrarian either, someone who avoids them just to be different, because those have also fallen in the trap. They are still comparing themselves to others, attaching a meaning to their work depending on what others do or don’t do.
We should care only about whether we are staying true to ourselves, photographing what means something to us, creating the images we enjoy looking at. If that means going to Yosemite, then so be it.
But don’t limit your photography to those trips, photograph every day no matter where you are and what you are doing, even if it doesn’t seem like there’s anything to photograph. There is, there always is.
Take advantage of that that makes you unique, and make images every single day. In the long term, that is what will make your work original, unique, and true to yourself.
A long exposure in Lake McDonald, Montana. After days of photographing the majestic peaks in Glacier National Park, I ran across this serene scene on a very foggy morning. I immediately knew that was the image of the trip, so I set everything up and took a long exposure to make it even more peaceful. The result is Glacial Tree, the Image of the Month of August.
Remember: there are two sizes to choose from, 6x6 and 8x8 (inches). In both cases, the matt and frame are 12x12 (this means a bigger margin for the 6x6 print).
Shipping is free to the US now. International shipping is a flat rate of $19.95.
A new image will be released every month and offered at a reduced price during that time. After 30 days, it will be sold at full price. They will never be on sale at any time in the future, the rate during the first month will be the lowest, ever.
You can find more information about how I create my images and all the details about pricing on The Art and Craft behind my prints.
Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, May 2019.
Sometimes, you just get lucky. I've been to the Salt Flats in Utah a few times, but I had never seen like this morning in May 2019. Recent rainfall had flooded the area with 1-2 inches of water, creating a landscape like no other. The reflections on this calm water were out of this world.
Madeira, November 2021.
An image I made today while strolling around beautiful Câmara de Lobos, in the island of Madeira, Portugal.
The dragon tree is a native especies to the area of West Morocco, Canary Islands and Madeira. They can grow really big and old, but this one seemed to be just getting started with life.
Portland, October 2020.
One of my favorite places, at sunrise.
I couldn't help but to laugh hard at this meme, because it's so true.
The reason is simple: we go to the grocery store more often than we get out to photograph, probably after work and around sunset time. Thus, more chances for incredible conditions to happen.
Want amazing skies at scenic locations? Then, go there more often, get out.
And if you can't do that, walk to the grocery store and bring your camera with you. You never know what you are going to find.
Galicia, November 2021.
A panorama I made at the beautiful Cañones del Sil. Just another day at the office.
Galicia, November 2021.
Sometimes, the best images are the unexpected ones. I wasn't planning on visiting this 1,000-year-old monastery on that morning and yet, I ended up going there. I'm glad I did, because this is my favorite image of that day.
