THE INTIMATE LANDSCAPE 5 : CHAOTIC BEAUTY.

It is important to appreciate that nature doesn’t conform to simplistic rules and the patterns we encounter can appear quite random at times, which can prove discouraging for some photographers. Unless they are able to place a given tree on the notional thirds, they lose interest.

But that deprives those photographers of some unique opportunities, as nature offers so many truly interesting compositional options. It is important to appreciate that nature hasn’t been “cultivated”. It offers instead a charming informality and a chaotic beauty in so many natural locations. The secret to photographing these places is to rid your mind of simple compositional “rules” and instead view the location with the visual elements in mind. Think in terms of line, colour, tone, texture and most importantly “rhythm”.

ILLUSTRATION 1 "Frosted Ground"

Looking to the ground, especially when it is frosty, can reveal some wonderful hidden gems. In this example there is a scattering of dwarf gorse interspersed with some fallen grasses, which creates an interesting loose pattern. As I explained in the first blog it is so important not always to be looking towards the horizon, and occasionally it helps to look down at your feet.

It also helps to ensure that every part of the image is in sharp focus. When taking this shot I manoeuvred the camera so that it was directly above the subject, so that the back of the camera was parallel to the ground. From a compositional standpoint the interplay between the white lines and the rhythms created by the gorse adds to its success.

ILLUSTRATION 2 "Tangled Undergrowth"

It’s very easy to encounter a location such as this, but to dismiss it because it doesn’t conform to a standard compositional format. The secret is to present such images within a square format. Traditionally the square was seen as a difficult format to use, as it so clearly resists “rule of thirds”. Yet when looking for parallels in other areas of the visual arts, we find that the square is used to evoke steadiness, stillness, and wholeness.

From a landscape photography standpoint it introduces order to an otherwise chaotic scenario. In this tangled area of undergrowth, using the square format helps to introduce structure. By freeing the need to tightly compose in these circumstances, the viewer can indulge in the beauty of the pampas grasses in the foreground set against the rhythmic detail in the background.  A cautionary note; if your image is too rigidly composed, it rarely works well when presented as a square, as the design will appear overly contained.

ILLUSTRATION 3 "Autumnal Tree"

Often when photographing woodland is when some photographers encounter difficulties. A single tree set on the horizon certainly makes the issue of composition considerably easier, however when it appears within a medley of other trees, especially if they are a different species, some can find this scenario quite challenging.

In these situations, I generally recommend using a longer lens. In this example I felt there was no requirement to photograph the entire tree; I aimed just to feature the dominant structure, and the visually exciting interplay between the lines and the colours. It’s a bit of a truism, but trees often appear at their most splendid during the months of autumn.

ILLUSTRATION 4 "Impressionistic Trees"

One of the defining characteristics of the Impressionists was their capacity to render a landscape using small daubs of colour. Often from a compositional standpoint their designs were quite informal, as colour became the over-riding concern. When viewing this beautiful area of woodland my mind immediately recalled the talented French artist Camille Pissarro. The secret when indulging this genre of landscape photography is to ensure that no area of sky is included; as it is generally much lighter in colour it will draw the eye. In this example it is the delicate white trunks that dominate, which helps to introduce a loose but necessary structure.

ILLUSTRATION 5 “Defoliated Tree and Pampas Grasses”.

This is another one of those landscape locations that could so easily have been overlooked. It certainly was a busy scenario featuring various dead and living plants clustered together, but what caught my eye was the manner in which the tree was bending to my left, whilst the grasses were bending to the right. It offered an interesting counter change. This is one of the lessons that indulging the “intimate landscape” teaches us; there is often beauty in seemingly unlikely locations, however it does require that we consider all the visual elements. Once again, rhythm plays an important role; it helped me to see beauty in an otherwise chaotic situation.

ILLUSTRATION 6 “Backlit Saplings”

By way of contrast this image reveals a very conventional approach to composition featuring three regular saplings set against a very busy display of poplars. The “order” has been created by isolating these elements from an otherwise much busier background. The beauty however is as a result of the backlighting, something I wish to discuss in my next blog in this series.