I am a landscape photographer.  By definition, I’m an artist and I focus my art on what the natural world around me provides.  So, I pay a great deal of attention to the world around me.  I find many places where the earth creates the art I seek and photograph.

I feel that this quote does a great job of summing up my feelings on the matter quite concisely.

“The earth is art, the photographer is only a witness.”
― Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Earth from Above

I almost feel that I can’t add anything else to that quote.  What more could I say?  However, I will elaborate so that all of you readers can understand how I feel.

In the world of photography, especially landscape and nature photography, the photographer relies upon what the earth creates.  The earth provides the rocks, soil, sand, and other geologic formations.  Trees, bushes, shrubs, grass, flowers, and other plants grow on their own and add color and beauty to the scene.  The sun provides the light overhead.  The earth itself indeed becomes the art.

As a landscape photographer, all I need do is choose where I want to stand and how I want to orientate my camera.  I choose what to include and what to remove.  I bear witness to what is in front of my eyes with my camera.  Then I bring that witness home for you to see in the form of my photographs.

When you look at some of my landscape photos, how could you disagree?  The earth is the art and I, as the landscape photographer, bring witness of that art back to you.

In conclusion, I hope you now agree with me about the earth being art.  I sure thinks so.  Do you agree or disagree?  Share your thoughts down in the comments section below.