The Two Sides of Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is a fantastic way to get outdoors and enjoy nature. It provides an excellent opportunity to relax and soak up the beauty of nature. Being immersed in the natural surroundings can be calming and almost, if not entirely, meditative. The calmness and the serenity wash over you and give you time to relax, to escape the pressures of day-to-day life that all too often interrupt any moment of peace you may find. 

There is, of course, a flip side to all of this. There is a frantic nature to landscape photography at times. A mad dash to frame the composition before the wind sweeps away the most crucial element of your image. Racing against the light to get the perfect color in the sky or shadow against the background. Hunting for the safe place to get that wave shot, one that will allow you to capture the image but not wash you out to sea. These moments are exhilarating. They can make you feel alive and frustrated all at the same time.

Then, there is the moment after all the frantic chasing after the image. At that moment, you realize you just witnessed something beautiful, a truly once-in-a-lifetime event. This is when the realization of how beautiful the world is comes rushing back. You are suddenly reminded of the beauty around you. The mad dash and frantic feelings fade away.  That glorious moment when that feeling of calm comes rushing back in, and the serenity again takes hold. It is this moment after the image has been made that is the most rewarding. A moment of gratitude for nature and what it does for me.