I’ve been reflecting a lot lately about how much personal style and taste has changed over the years.  I’ve found myself really refining and in some cases dialing back the way I process images.  When I first entered the field in 2012 I was absolutely blown away by the stuff I would see on 500px, Flickr and Facebook.  So much so that I would often try to imitate not only the types of shots but the editing style as well.  The problem is no one can REALLY shoot that type of scene like the person who innovated the process or refined their own personal style.

You can nearly always tell when someone has taken a skype lesson or a tutorial from an artist with their own personal flare; as it resonates with the image.  The problem is what people fail to realize is that these lessons and learned skills are just tools to your own creative process.  Too often I see folks limiting themselves to what they see on 500px or what they’ve been taught.

Something that I wish someone would have told me when I first got my start is to be inspired by others but to also develop your own unique style. Learn from the images you see, but don’t limit yourself to their constraints.  Find your own voice and let your photos speak for you.  It really comes down to is a simple question; who are you shooting for?  Are you shooting for yourself or are you shooting for likes and publicity?  What motivates you?  To find your own voice through your images you have to dig deep into your creative process.

Don’t strive to be different, but strive to be you.  I think too often we push ourselves so hard to nail the shot or to think outside the box that we miss the mark all together.  I’ve said it before, but I think it bears repeating; imitation is a form of flattery, but at what cost to your own creative process?

Personal growth is something that I think never really stops in photography.  I look back at my images from even two years ago and cringe.  I think we’ve all been there.  As much as it hurts my eyes to look back through my work it is rewarding in a lot of ways.  It’s fun to see how far you’ve come not only compositionally but also in processing as well.  We are constantly learning.  As the tools improve our skill sets will shift in an inevitable ebb and flow, but your creativity and innovation will always be your foundation.

The creative process is how we all grow individually as photographers. It’s how we develop the style that sets us apart from the masses and it’s how we breathe life into our images.  Know your shortcomings and work to improve in those areas.  Is there a particular type of scene in landscape photography that poses a weakness to you?  Shoot the hell out of it.  Learn the ins and outs of it and improve where improvement is needed, refine where refinement is needed and don’t give in to your self doubts.  No one can dictate your success.

Egos

One of the things that perplexes me the most about landscape photographers is the sheer volume of arrogance and ego that seemingly go hand in hand with success.  Folks seem to forget that at one point in time no one knew their name, their post processing probably needed work and their images lacked interest, yet those same folks stand a top their soap boxes and intimidate the hell out of anyone whom they feel is wrong or may have crossed the line.  Let’s face it.  In the digital age the lines that define fine art and true photography are blurred.  It’s a very, very messy subject and one that I don’t want to get involved with quite frankly.  Everyone has an opinion on the matter and every social media thread seems to end up in the exact same place; you do you and I’ll do me.  In some cases, yes, things need to be addressed; like when Marc drops a sky and the internet loses their collective minds for instance.

Overall though, I think we owe it to ourselves as photographers to support one another, drop the cliques and help the field progress in a positive manner.  So much of what I read on social media is so toxic; people are bashing and belittling each other left and right.  Is that really what the field has come to?  Instead of spending so much time focusing on negativity how about we work to progress our art and push the field in a positive direction.  Forget your egos and pick up a camera, the field will be better for it.

The post Limitations of Imitation in Landscape Photography appeared first on Chris Williams Exploration Photography.

A few months back Max Foster (from TheWorldExplored Photography) reached out to me through 500px after we had been following each others work for a few months.  He asked if I would be up for a waterfall hunting trip down in the Columbia River Gorge in a few months time and you know I couldn’t turn that down.  We started making a list of possible waterfalls to visit and began planning for the trip almost immediately hoping that the conditions would be prime to shoot the many gorgeous waterfalls that grace the small strip of land between Oregon and Washington.

The first waterfall that we both had on our bucket list was the Mossy Grotto.  I first saw an image of this area taken by my buddy Ryan Dyar and I knew that I had to eventually see the area for myself.  Max and I got up at 5am and hit the trail by 6am after a couple of rounds of coffee (neither of us can function without it haha).  We had slept in our respective vehicles the night before which made getting up that much more fun but you gotta do what ya gotta do to get the goods! We left the Eagle Creek parking lot and headed up toward Ruckel Creek to hit the trail.  The trail was moderately steep almost right away and my body was not happy about it at 6am.  That thing was a thigh burner!  Once we hit Indian Pits we dropped down the rocky slope and descended into the lush greenery of the valley below.  When I say lush greenery what I really mean is Poison Oak and ticks because yeah there were enough to go around for everyone in the area.  Key tip: wear long sleeves and layers!! Okay back to the hike.  We descended into the valley and followed the creek below for a fair distance before rounding the corner and stumbling upon one of the most unique and gorgeous waterfalls I had ever seen.  The Mossy Grotto had definitely lived up its name.  We both began scouting for comps almost immediately.  Here’s a behind the scenes shot from the Grotto:

This is Max in what we have since dubbed the #powerstance for photographers haha.  He’s nailing some long exposure reflection shots of the Grotto.  One thing I will say is that I honestly couldn’t believe the amount of visibly new trails, stripped moss and disrepair in the area. We take photos of these areas because we think they are absolutely beautiful and convey an emotion and a very strong connection with the land and to show others the beauty that may not be able to see in person. The other side to that message is that our photos often draw hundreds of people to these areas who may not fully understand just how fragile the land is. I think it’s very important for anyone that visits to realize that these places have a finite lifespan given the amount of traffic they receive and if we want future generations to enjoy these areas we need to do our part to tread lightly, educate the public as much as possible and respect the lands.  The more we respect the land, the more it will give back to us!  Tread lightly and happy shooting everyone!

The post Behind the Waterfalls: The Mossy Grotto appeared first on Chris Williams Exploration Photography.

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