In a day where the majority of photography related articles are technical related, Greg chooses to focus mainly on the why over the how. His words showcase a strong connection with the land and always leave me thinking deeply about my own work and how I interpret the environment around me. His philosophical style of writing touches on not only image making, but also creativity, life and the personal decisions that are so important in creating unique works of art. Greg does a brilliant job delivering his message and his words always leave me with a strong sense of place.  His images are extremely well crafted and display a contemplative thought process that ultimately defines his personal style. I know that whenever I see one of Greg’s new images that it has been created through a love, appreciation and understanding of his subject. His intimate compositions of the world are refreshing on the eyes and provide a truly unique experience for the viewer.

As artists, we all go through high points and low points. I know that the times I’m lacking inspiration I can turn to work such as Greg’s to remind myself about how beautiful the simple things in life are. I certainly recommend visiting Greg’s website and blog to view more of his images and writing. I’ve included links to a few select posts below to get you started. While you’re there, make sure to subscribe to his blog, you will be glad that you did!

Seeing Beauty

Crossroads

Crossroads Of Creativity

Greg’s Website: www.alpenglowimagesphotography.com

http://www.alpenglowimagesphotography.com/

http://www.alpenglowimagesphotography.com/

http://www.alpenglowimagesphotography.com/

http://www.alpenglowimagesphotography.com/

I had visited this area in the past and made a few images that I quite enjoyed although I was never completely satisfied with my compositions. This particular morning brought warmer temperatures which thawed out portions of the river and left some very interesting patterns throughout the snow and ice. I worked on several different frames and in the end chose the composition below. I felt the portion of exposed river, combined with the lines and circles created by the snow made for a very pleasing frame and helped lead the viewer through the image. The early morning light brought with it an intensity and warmth that painted the scene with a stunning glow.

If you enjoy the image all I ask is that you share with others. To download, click on the image below to view it in full size. Then right click and save to your computer.

Fire In The Sky – Muskoka, Ontario

]]> http://www.kylemcdougallphoto.com/monthly-wallpaper/monthly-wallpaper-fire-in-the-sky/feed/ 3 http://www.kylemcdougallphoto.com/thoughts/exploring-the-land-near-and-far/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=exploring-the-land-near-and-far http://www.kylemcdougallphoto.com/thoughts/exploring-the-land-near-and-far/#comments Sun, 24 Mar 2013 11:54:14 +0000 Kyle McDougall http://www.kylemcdougallphoto.com/?p=3266 Read more]]> Images are judged by others on a number of levels. Certain characteristics may work for some and at the same time not work for others. With landscape photography, components of an image, such as proper exposure and focus can be judged on a level playing field because they need to be rendered correctly for an image to be successful. It’s not too often you see a pleasing over-exposed, out of focus landscape photo.

It’s when we get into things such as composition and story that the “rights and wrongs” start to fade away. Sure, for things such as composition there is a rough set of guidelines, but by no means are they a “be all end all”. When it comes to the “story” or “meaning”, in my opinion, this is where things become entirely based off of personal decisions and beliefs. As artists, this is where we have the opportunity to create work that is unique to ourselves.

Now, the initial thought of having a still image tell a story can be a bit tough to both comprehend and execute. As photographers, we have to communicate our message to our viewers using only a single sense, whereas film and television benefit from narrative and sound to help paint a picture and create a sense of place. Over the past few months, I’ve done a lot of thinking regarding both my execution of images in the field and also creating collections of smaller “stories” to form bigger ones.

Lumsden Lake Twilight – Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario

Coming from a film/television background I’m used to structuring ideas and stories based around scenes that are made up of individual shots, each one as important as the last. When filming on location, I’m constantly thinking of what necessary coverage I need to tell a story, express emotion, and document a place. As photographers, even though each still image is its own piece of work, we can use the same approach to express emotion and tell a story about a location. By doing so, this creates an environment where we end up forming a stronger connection and understanding of both our subject and ourselves.

The first step to creating images with meaning is to know your subject. Now I’m not saying that you need to study books for months and learn every fine detail, but the more you learn about a location the more likely you are to understand its unique characteristics. The better we understand the land the more likely we are to explore it with both an observant mind and eye. Every location, no matter how big or small, has countless images waiting to be captured in every small corner of its boundaries and it’s in these corners that we often find images more powerful than the obvious ones. The finer details play a large role in understanding the land.

A Test Of Time – Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario

“Photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place. I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and every thing to do with the way you see them.” – Elliot Erwitt

The images in this post are all from Killarney Provincial Park in Ontario. This is an area I’ve been planning to visit for a while now, and as of last weekend I was able to spend 3 days backpacking in its interior. Prior to my trip, I spent a number of evenings reading about the history of Killarney, learning about both its geological features and also about the first settlers in the region. My background research motivated me not only by learning about the land itself, but also about the direct connection the people had and the initial draw to the area because of its beauty. By learning about the region I was able to form a rough outline in my head regarding the features I wanted to showcase and the style in which I would do so.

It’s after learning about an area and its features, and deciding what we want to showcase that we can dive deeper into crafting each individual image to tell both its own story and a larger one which is the sum of all parts. Light, weather, contrasting colours and shapes, comparisons between objects… these are all elements that we can use to express ourselves and transfer thoughts and beliefs to our audience. Some may interpret them as we intended, others may not, but it’s by creating images built around a detailed thought process that we will create unique pieces of work and grow as artists.

Winter Warmth – Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario

For my collection of images from Killarney, I started off with a wider composition from the top of one of the peaks (I say “peaks” as the La Cloche Range is still referred to as a Mountain Range). I wanted to showcase the vastness and almost “alpine” like terrain that is so unique for this province. From there, I based the rest of my images around more intimate compositions of unique features this landscape possesses. This acts as a way for the viewer to explore the area in depth and grow an appreciation for the finer details that you otherwise would only experience in person. For me, it’s important to bring that sense of curiosity and excitement I feel when exploring every rock outcrop or cliff face, finding patterns and details that leave me in awe and remind me how big this world really is.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when visiting beautiful locations, so concerned about creating the perfect image, that we don’t end up forming a connection with our subject. Without a connection, we lose sight of not only the countless image opportunities, but also the emotions we normally would feel when there is no pressure to create. Simply put, an image needs the artist’s emotion and excitement to tell a story. Next time you are out, take some time to think about what features intrigue you, and build your collection of images around them. Maintain that feeling of excitement and curiosity even if it means packing the camera away for a few hours and absorbing the hidden gems that are waiting to be found!

Rock Art II – Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario

Georgian Bay is a special place, arguably home to the most beautiful and diverse scenery in the province of Ontario. The area is rich in history with a lot of the small northern settlements first being established in service of the fur trade. From the rough and rugged shores of Tobermory with its crystal clear waters to the northern shores of Killarney with its exposed quartzite and granite, the bay truly is a nature lover and photographer’s paradise. My first few trips photographing Georgian Bay were in the Bruce Peninsula area. As you travel north access becomes more limited to canoeing and kayaking save for a few points accessible by car. One of these points is Killbear Provincial Park, located roughly an hour from Parry Sound.

On The Edge – Killbear Provincial Park

Killbear Provincial Park is quite small and is extremely popular among summer campers. For these reasons, it’s certainly not the most remote area, but if you’re looking to experience the beauty of the Georgian Bay coast and are running on a tight schedule, this is basically the most convenient access point. Last summer, during a trip through Northern Ontario I stopped by Killbear for two days to photograph the area.

One of the most striking qualities of the north/east sections of Georgian Bay  is the exposed Canadian Shield that makes up the bay’s shorelines. The mix of granite bedrock, and in specific regions quartzite, were revealed and shaped by the retreating glaciers during the last ice age. White and jack pine trees dot the coast, braving the elements and the harsh environment, showing signs of this through their crooked stances and windswept branches. When arriving at Killbear the pink granite shores immediately grab you and pull you in, and you know right away why this area has attracted artists for hundreds of years.

When I visited Killbear, I already knew about the “famous” (and often photographed) windswept white pine that sits alone atop a slab of exposed granite. Even though the park can be busy throughout the year, I find no matter where I travel that a large majority of people don’t take advantage of watching the sunrise, so in this case I had the area completely to myself. Even though this particular tree has been photographed a number of times I knew that I wanted to capture it with my own unique style. When composing this image, I knew that the tree would obviously be a strong focal point in the image, but I wanted the surrounding granite to play equal importance. I worked on a few compositions, looking for patterns and lines in the granite that I could use to shape my frame and help balance the image. In the end, I chose a strong leading line to walk the eye through the frame. I also liked how the line in the rock curved and formed a base at the bottom of the composition, almost mimicking the curve of the tree.

The stormy skies overhead provided some nice soft and even light while giving the image a somewhat mysterious mood. A small break in the weather allowed the sun to paint a hint of golden light on the clouds providing just the right amount of colour to contrast with the heavy blues in the scene. During processing, I focused on really bringing out the detail in the bedrock as the RAW file was a bit flat and also used some simple LAB adjustments to bring out the subtle pinks that are present in the granite. I kept the saturation low but made sure I left some of the blue cast in the image to help transfer the feeling of early morning light to the audience.

I created a few other images during my two days in the area, but this is my favourite as I feel it really tells the story of what Northern Georgian Bay is. I’m looking forward to spending more time exploring other areas throughout this amazing region starting with a backcountry snowshoeing adventure this weekend in Killarney. Make sure to check back next week for a full report on that trip!

I created the following image titled “The Awakening” about two years ago now. This location is a spot close to my home that I visit quite frequently. This was a classic fall morning with cool temperatures, thick fog and a lot of mood present. I arrived at this spot and scouted for compositions and ended up with the frame below. Whenever I shoot forest scenes I naturally look for interesting elements to center my composition around. This small group of deciduous trees had already lost their leaves for winter leaving only their scraggily trunks revealed. I liked how they contrasted with the large full pines in the background.

I was also attracted to this scene by its southerly direction. I knew the rising sun out of the east would rim the trees and foreground with its golden light creating dramatic shadows to give the image some depth. I waited for the right moment as the sun burned off some of the morning fog revealing just the right amount of the opposing shoreline. Fog in an image works wonders for creating depth.

To download the wallpaper click on the image below to view it full size and then save it to your desktop. Please share with others if you enjoy it. Have a great week!

The Awakening – Muskoka, Ontario

The following image is from an early morning shoot at one of my favorite locations. I always talk about how I love the autumn season because of the mix of temperatures between the water and air which create a beautiful mist/fog. This particular morning was just that, a frigid autumn morning almost dipping below freezing with the lakes still warm enough to be open. I arrived at this spot well before the sun was up with plans to find my composition and wait for the light.

Kings Of The Forest – Algonquin Park

Lately, I seem to be drawn towards trees in the landscape. They hold so many unique qualities and play such an important role in our daily lives. In a large portion of my images, trees are a main subject. For this image, I really wanted to capture a more intimate composition of the black spruce that line Algonquin’s forests. I always talk about how important pre-visualization can be and this is a perfect example. By scouting the area before hand I had a chance to visualize where the sun would rise and what effect it would have on the overall scene.

I set up my image about an hour before sunrise with the scene covered in a thick fog. As the sun rose over the hills it gently backlit the tree tops and burned off a large portion of the mist. The play between light and shadow really helps to give this image some depth. Compositionally, I included a small slice of the river to act as a base for the image and give it some stability. I chose to arrange the trees in the frame so that they would create a strong diagonal line across the composition. I really enjoy the way the combination of vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines play off each other.  As for processing, this image was actually quite basic with only some subtle global contrast and saturation changes along with a small amount of dodging and burning to darken the foreground and give the rim light a bit of extra kick.

Sometimes, it’s the intimate scenes that can showcase an area’s true beauty. For me, this image displays all the qualities of Algonquin Park in the fall and immediately brings me back to every cool autumn morning I’ve ever spent in the area. There’s no feeling more memorable than the warm morning light hitting you for the first time, immediately erasing any bit of chill picked up from the cooler temperatures. I hope that anyone who has ever spent a fall morning in the park can look at this image and re-live a moment of it. 

While working with this image a thought popped into my head — with the major advancements in technology, it’s only inevitable that eventually (most likely sooner than later) a sensor will be produced that can capture a wide enough dynamic range that we will no longer have to worry about blending or filters. Imagine that, a single exposure that can properly capture any type of lighting condition… the time that it would save, the possibilities!!

Stormy Shores Of Awenda – Awenda Provincial Park, Ontario

Now, I pondered this thought for a while, thinking about how it will affect my own work, as well as the photography industry as a whole. My conclusion — it will save time, but by no means will it make for better images. I know that I can’t manually blend exposures and have a final image as clean as one captured in a single frame… but really, the importance of this only matters to a certain degree in the creation of a successful image. Now, I’m by no means discounting the importance of quality processing and fine detail, but in all reality, a perfectly processed image with the finest sharpness and detail is only just that if it doesn’t display a deeper message ingrained by the artist. It’s when we merge both these sides together that an image becomes complete.

Where I’m going with this, is that there is always going to be new technology released; things that will make your job easier and faster. The problem is that some people tend to get so caught up in it that they lose sight of the importance of learning your craft from a creative standpoint. There are no shortcuts or preset packages available for “creative vision”, it’s a matter of study and practice.

The following points are what I feel are some of the most important aspects of image making:

• Knowing your subject and being passionate about it.

• Learning to hone your compositional skills by discovering shapes, patterns and tonal differences in the land, and figuring out how you can best arrange them to complement your intended message.

• Spending time outside, behind the camera, studying the light and the different qualities it can produce in specific situations.

• Understanding colour theory and the way certain colours can evoke different moods.

• Learning to tell stories that express both your experience and your beliefs.

All these things play such a major role in the creation of a successful image that without them, you’ll most certainly end up with an image that lacks life. The base of any image should be built around these aspects. It’s after these thoughts have been addressed that we can work on producing the finest quality possible to complement the image. So, in closing, I’ll say this — don’t worry too much if your processing skills aren’t up to par with others around you. Keep practicing, they will get there soon enough. Just remember, that although creating a finely crafted image from a technical standpoint is important, don’t let it overshadow other areas of your work. It’s producing images that are a representation of your creative self that really matters most.

Backwoods – Awenda Provincial Park

This waterfall, named “Hoggs Falls” is located just outside of the village of Flesherton in Grey County. A short climb down a steep embankment brings you to the base of the falls. This particular morning brought some cool temperatures, with the thermometer showing a brisk -20 degrees celsius. This “plunge” style of falls is my favorite to photograph. I love how the water renders when captured with the right shutter speed; it’s a nice contrast to the surrounding detail in the image. I spent about an hour at this location, 20 minutes of that actually shooting. After capturing this image and a few others I had to pack the camera away as the mist from the falls was turning my camera/lens into a brick of ice, it was nearly impossible to avoid. On that note, I took some time to explore the surrounding area and enjoy the landscape. There is something about the sound of rushing water that completely relaxes me; it’s almost hypnotizing.

To download the wallpaper, click on the image below and then right click and save the full size image to your computer. If you enjoy this wallpaper make sure to share it with others!

A Winter Plunge – Flesherton, Ontario

Your “path” or “direction” can be a difficult one to figure out; I can say quite confidently that no one probably ever has a clear vision of the road ahead, this is only natural. Our paths change as we mature, but this doesn’t mean that having a clear sense of direction isn’t achievable. While looking back at my older images from the previous year, I started to dig deeper into the archives, which revealed a history of my journey that I seemed to sweep under the rug. Even though this wasn’t done intentionally, I seemed to forget the path I took, to get to the point I’m at today. Looking at my older work with a more, dare I say “mature” mind, really got me thinking about how important it is to dedicate yourself to what you truly are most passionate about. At least for me, this is when things started to feel “right”. So, with all this talk about finding the right path, I figured I would share my own journey.

This is one of my first “landscape” images. I used to visit this spot quite frequently in the early mornings while living in the city.

I started photography, just like many others, as a “generalist”; meaning that I liked to shoot almost everything. I shot images of the city I lived in, photographed cars, experimented with landscape photography and so on. I just knew that I liked photography, and really at the time that was all that mattered. When I realized that photography was something I wanted to take more serious, even potentially make a part of my living from, this is where things got a bit confusing. I started my career with no clear direction. I was starting to grow a deeper passion for landscape photography, but also was starting out in the field of action photography. On top of this, I thought it would be a good idea to offer my services as a wedding photographer. Without going into much detail, let’s just say that I didn’t take the time to understand who I really was, which ended up leading me down a somewhat bumpy road.

When I launched my first website, I simply labelled myself as a photographer. I had a landscape portfolio, action portfolio, and a wedding portfolio. Clearly, anyone visiting my website would have a hard time figuring out what it was I actually did. Unfortunately, I was stuck in the “do it all” mentality. What I didn’t realize is how difficult it would be to grow as a photographer while trying to divide my time between these different areas. 

One of my early action photography images while working for Supertrax Magazine.

One of my early cover images for Supertrax Magazine.

Shortly into my career I had the opportunity to do some freelance work with Supertrax Magazine and All Terrain Vehicle Magazine which eventually led to a position as the staff photographer. The action photography side of my career was now starting to blossom. I would shoot action images strictly for the magazine and do the odd photo shoot for powersports related companies, but in my spare time I found myself un-intentionally sticking strictly to landscape photography. At the time,  it was an odd balance which I now realize I never stopped to analyze. I truly thought that I enjoyed both types of photography equally.  I would spend a few weeks working on action photography for assignments followed by a few weeks completely investing my time in researching, shooting and processing landscape images for myself. Instead of a straight line, my path looked more like a switchback traversing the side of a mountain!  This way of working affected not only my images but also my creative vision. Now, this isn’t to say that I wasn’t happy with the work I was producing at the time; it was just extremely tough to truly immerse myself in my subject matter when it was changing drastically so often.

The more I think about it, the more I realize my initial draw to action photography had more to do with being outdoors then it did with the actual subject.

One of my cover images for All Terrain Vehicle Magazine

An image from a product shoot that I did for a powersports related company.

There came a point where my action photography work started to slow down. Naturally, I dedicated this free time I had to shooting landscape images, much as I had before. Soon, I found the balance of my time invested leaning heavily towards landscape photography. My gear for action work started to collect dust in the corner, and my time spent researching and reading about this style of photography slowly came to a halt. It was starting to become very clear to me that landscape photography was what I was truly passionate about and that the choice to pursue it was up to me, and only me to execute.

Like with many things in life, one of the most important rules in photography is to “simplify”. While this is usually talked about in regards to composition, it stands just as true for photography as a whole. I now was beginning to realize the importance of dedicating myself to one “genre” thereby simplifying my approach. I dove head first into creating landscape images with an increasing passion. It was almost as if there was a fire waiting to be lit all along, that was masked by me trying to be the “guy who does it all”. With my direction now set, I was off to the races with a drive that I had never experienced before.

An image from my early days as a landscape photographer.

One of my early images from a favorite spot of mine that I would visit. It was these types of images that first sparked my interest in landscape photography.

With every year that passes we continue to understand ourselves and our surroundings a little bit better. Regardless if you stop and take the time to analyze yourself or not, there are things that you will come to realize, mainly through experimentation and making mistakes. Even though I now was following a straighter path, I still wouldn’t say that I had my direction. While landscape photography was a direction, it was still a somewhat vague one in a sense that I had yet to figure out what it was I wanted to communicate to my audience.

The turning point for me was when I stopped to look at, in depth, who I was as a person and what it was that I valued, something that I really had never done before. Now, I’m not talking about sitting down one night for an hour and thinking about what it is that I like or enjoy; but truly taking the time to analyze myself as a person, going as far as writing down beliefs, traits, talents and flaws and being as honest as possible while doing so. This all might sound a bit crazy, but for the first time in my life I had a clear snapshot of myself. Photography immediately helped me exploit these traits, and for the first time, I could say that I was truly passionate about what I was doing, and knew that this was my direction.

Another early image from the beginning of my career.

Now, I’m not trying to bore everyone here with my life story, but I know at least for me, that reading about others personal experiences always provides me with a more interesting view then simply opinions alone. This post is not only a way for me to reflect, but I hope something that others can read and relate to. Images from my action photography days stay tucked away on my hard drive, not because I didn’t enjoy that point in my career, but simply because I am a landscape photographer, and I don’t want to mix in anything to confuse people when they view my work.

Knowing what I do now, I look back on my early days and understand the importance of being passionate about your subject. Was I passionate about wedding photography? Absolutely not. It takes a certain individual to transfer the emotions surrounding these special moments into a photograph — that isn’t me. Was I passionate about action photography? I can honestly say at this point in my life no. Now this doesn’t mean that I never enjoyed or got satisfaction from it, but passion is a powerful word that should only be applied to things that are naturally ingrained in you. This is where landscape photography comes into play, in which I can yes, this is my true passion. We create our most meaningful work when it is based around something we are passionate about. Through my images I hope to transfer the emotions I experience in nature, the same as a talented wedding photographer captures his or her subjects emotions.

Regardless, everyone will take their own path through life, and there’s nothing wrong with experimenting with different types of photography to find what you like best; that’s what I did. I just want to provide insight into the importance of understanding yourself and the impact that it will have on your photography. I often see other photographers online with bodies of work similar to myself when starting out… people trying to do it all, when really their true passion is lost somewhere in the mix of images they have created. If you are one of these people, my advice is to take the time to do some soul searching and figure out what it is that you truly enjoy.

I’m constantly amazed by the amount of optimistic attitudes that are present in the photography community and the willingness to help others advance their craft. On a daily basis, I come across things that inspire and drive my photography career. This could be a certain photographer’s images, a specific article, podcasts etc. Through these blog posts, I hope to provide you all with a source of inspiration.

For today’s post, I want to share a set of podcasts by a photographer named Alister Benn; they are sure to help educate, inform and inspire you. Alister is a talented photographer of Scottish descent, who specializes in images of the Tibetan region. He is also known for his impressive night photography work, his excellent e-books and is also one of the co-founders of whytake.net. Alister runs harvestinglight.net, which is a website focused on educating other photographers through articles, e-books and podcasts. I came across Alister’s podcasts a few months back and spent a good part of the day listening to all three. Alister couldn’t have chosen three better subjects to start with. Each interview touches on its own individual points unique to the photographer; everything from creative vision to processing. 

In my opinion, there isn’t anything much more interesting than listening to experienced photographers speak about their craft, including their approach, style, and technique. So hop on over to Alister’s website and have a listen, you won’t be disappointed: http://harvestinglight.net/podcasts/

Also, while you are there, make sure you take the time to have a look at Alister’s other work. There is plenty of inspiring material to keep you busy for days. 

Alister Benn – Available Light Images