Blue sun - a photo on Flickriver

Blue sun

            Alpspitze, Germany, June 2024

On Control in Landscape Photography

Fortunate are the photographers who find themselves in the right place at the right time, capturing that magical moment when everything seems to fall into place. In landscape photography, we cannot control the weather, the light, or the elements. We can only prepare, hope for the best, and work with what actually happens, accepting the unpredictability of the environment. That's trivial. But can we conclude anything else from this?

There is this idea that almost forces itself upon us: surrender the desire to control things, abandon your ego that stands in your way, allow things to unfold, find comfort in submission to something beyond you and greater than yourself, and consequently allow yourself to be led by it. This idea seems to be quite popular, one that surely accompanied countless artists to peak performance. Among them perhaps even legends we admire, whose authority seems undeniable through their success.

Despite this, it is not a perspective I share. Obviously, I accept my limits as a human being. But that is not my point. It is precisely the focus on the dynamics of control and submissive desire in the creative process that really bothers me. In my opinion, our natural limits do not indicate the need for deception regarding our mind-blowing and incredible capacity to be inherently creative from within — because we are nothing short of miraculous (sorry for sounding cringy). By embracing and celebrating both our abilities to appreciate and create beauty, the question of control becomes generally irrelevant, even though it may still bother us from time to time. Of course, this is just my personal view.

So, how does reflecting on these kinds of things help anyone become a better photographer? Ultimately, it doesn't matter where anyone stands on the question of dealing with our limits. But I’d like to think that by critically examining our motivations and viewpoints, we can deepen our engagement with our art. Understanding the psychological dynamics at play could lead to more intentional and meaningful creative expression.

This is my approach, but who knows, maybe I’m overthinking.

Taken on: June 23, 2024

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Camera: LEICA CAMERA AG LEICA SL3, f/16.0, 1/350 sec, 21mm (=26mm), ISO 1000 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	LEICA CAMERA AG LEICA SL3
Lens:	SUPER-VARIO-ELMAR-SL 1:3.5-4.5/16-35 ASPH.
Aperture:	f/16.0
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/350)
Focal Length:	21mm (35mm equivalent: 26mm)
ISO:	1000
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Lightroom 7.4 (Macintosh)
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