Every so often, I get a comment from someone telling me about this absolutely beautiful landscape which they feel I simply must photograph.  I’ve started being very careful what I say about such things.  I don’t want to insult people who are simply expressing some interest in what I do but they don’t understand much about it.  However, I’ve learned from experience that not every pretty piece of scenery in front of me translates into a photogenic landscape scene.  Pretty country does not equal a photogenic landscape.

First, I want to offer a big thank you to everyone who offers me advice on a place I should check out as a landscape photographer.  I really appreciate the fact that you’ve taken an interest in helping me succeed.  Your interest in my photography means the world to me.

The Problem with Pretty Country and a Photogenic Landscape

I have often observed that the camera and the human eye see things very differently.  Matters of color, sharpness, saturation, light and shadow, and composition often require reconciliation on the computer (or the dark room for film).

People don’t often know about this gap and often assume that the camera works just like the human eye.  It does not.  Because of the gaping discrepancy, I’ve often come home with what I thought would be amazing and beautiful gallery-worthy photos.  However, I’m disappointed by what I see on the screen.  Until they experience it for themselves, people rarely understand what I’m talking about when I say that I could take a hundred or more photos and only expect maybe one or two good ones.

A Demonstration

I decided to comb back trough some of my more recent rejected photos.  While doing so, I scanned for examples of what I’m talking about.  What I was looking for was something I remembered as being quite the amazing view in person.  However, the corresponding landscape photo(s) attempted were less than stellar and certainly not gallery-hangers.

I remember looking at both of these scenes and being amazed at what I saw.  I wanted to capture what my eyes saw and share it.  This is why I took these (and many many other pictures).  However, when I got back and saw the photos for what they were on my computer screen, I passed over them in favor of others.  You won’t see any equivalents displayed in my portfolio either.

It’s not that the scenes I shot weren’t beautiful.  It’s simply that those beautiful scenes weren’t photogenic.  They didn’t translate that beauty onto film the way I hoped they would.  This is the problem I try to explain to people.

Conclusion

Since this problem keeps arising (although it’s not necessarily a bad problem to have), I thought I would explain my point of view.  I appreciate the tips I receive.  However, many of these tips will inevitably fall under the pretty-but-not-photogenic landscape heading.  It’s sad but true.  Pretty country does not equal a photogenic landscape.