Landscape Photographer - Adrian Hollister

Biography:

The reflection, tones and lighting in this image are stunning capturing that early morning crispness and almost a symmetry to the image through a one point perspective to the warmth of the morning sun.

The title of his web site 'Mostly Landscapes' gives a clear indication of what Adrian's main interest is. He works to promote this area of photography by self publishing desk diaries and books o some of his stunning images. 

He believes that “There are few things on earth more exhilarating than watching the light transform the landscape in the hours before and after sunrise and sunset.” 

Adrian has been a finalist in the “Landscape Photographer of the Year” competition and has had many of his images published through a range of media.

He uses mainly digital photography but has also bee known to use older cameras to take his images.

Landscape Photographer - Joe Cornish

Biography

Born in Exeter in 1958 Joe studied art at Reading University, after University he completed 2yrs assisting studio and car photographers which put him in good stead to continue into mainstream commercial photography.

Ansel Adams is Joe's hero, having built his reputation as a landscape photographer by working in Yosemite Valley as a warden for eight years.


His time in London during his 2yrs as an assistant were a necessary phase in his photographic apprenticeship, but would not provide the knowledge and skill required to take on landscapes.
Taking on a number of different assignments in a number of different countries the opportunity to shoot a range of landscapes became easily accessible.


Having settled in Yorkshire this region amongst other in the UK have been a great source of inspiration for what s today one of the greatest landscape photographers of our time, focusing particularly on coastal landscapes.


Joe has been involved in a number of well known books such as Land & Light along with other photographers such as Charlie Waite and regularly writes for magazines such as Outdoor Photography and Amateur Photographer.


Joe now sells his images as cards and calendars through Joe Cornish Galleries, as well as a range of limited edition prints and two galleries exhibiting and featuring the works of other photographers.

Images that inspire me....

It is difficult to obtain whether this image is made up of stones or wood with the lines giving pattern to the composition, as well as adding tones of colour and bringing out the detail in the focal point of the image.

This shot is great the way the sand and the water adds pattern to the composition while the shells are the focal point of the shot adding colour to the image.

This image is not the most interesting in my opinion however it is the techniques used that are interesting where a slow shutter speed has been used to gain the effect of the water almost jumping over the rocks in the water, also the perspective at which the shot has been taken giving a sense of height through the branches of the trees.

Again in my opinion not the greatest shot but a reasonable composition here, the detail of the fern being the focal point while the other foliage adds texture to the shot.

This image really draws your eye to the horizon while the tones of colour are subtle, so as not to distract the eye.  The smaller chips of stone add texture to the foreground while the larger stones add interest.

Landscape Photographer - Jonathan Horrocks

Biography

Born in Northumberland with little to no interest in photography, Jonathan's main love was cricket.  Finally the time came when all the magnificent views of his childhood in Northumberland and family holidays in The Lakes and Scotland caught up with him and so Jonathan decided to quit cricket and have a go at photography, focusing on landscapes.

Why Jonathan Horrocks?

There are so many of Jonathan Horrocks images that inspire me, far too many to include so I have chosen a selection of those that inspire me most, but also those that fit with my theme of nature and in particular Autumn....

The above three photos I have chosen for the depth of colour, as well as the use of slow shutter speed to gain the effect on the flow of water adding interest and creating strong foregrounds to these shots.  It is also clear from these images how the rule of thirds has been used with the first and last being of equal amounts and the centre image due to not only the rule of thirds but the perspective this shot has been taken that draws the viewer into the foreground and up through the water to the centre of the shot, creating a single point of focus.

I like the angle at which this image has been taken, close to the wall so that the foreground of the image is out of focus and the main focal point is in the right hand third of the image before going back out of focus, creating the effect that the rule of thirds has not only been used for the composition of this image but also how the focal point has been split in three so the image is out of focus in the foreground, in focus in the centre and out of focus again on the horizon.

I love the depth of field in this shot using which aids in drawing your eye to the point of focus the top of the plant, the lighting is also great, acting almost like a spotlight on this new life. The line of the stem also draws the eye to the highest point of the plant and the main focal point of this image.

This image is great for showing height perspective, the light in this image also helps to draw the eye through the trees into the distance using the two nearest trees as almost  a gateway/frame through the trees.

This is a great shot to show one point perspective drawing the eye into the main point of focus and up the trunk of the tree, the shadow also helps creates lines in the composition to achieve this also, while giving the perception that the tree is very tall, despite not being able to see the top of the tree.

I would say that this image is an example of two point perspective where the eye is drawn either sides of the focal point of the centre tree, while the key point of focus of the centre tree also adds texture to the composition by focusing on the bark of the tree.

I like how in this image not only have the colours changed from Autumn into Winter but also how the texture of the tree can be seen enhancing the first tree as the main focal point.  Seeing the trees in the distance also creates a feeling of height perspective, while the main part of the image I feel shows a two point perspective either side of the main tree.

The most obvious thing when looking at this image is how the rule of thirds has been used setting the main tree and key focal point to the left of the composition. The snowy lane also draws the eye through the image down the lane so that other features are not simply dismissed.

I like the colours in this image and the perspective at which the shot is taken giving the viewer the sense of looking up hill.  It also interesting how the clouds in the sky almost take on the whispy feel of the tree giving a contrasting symmetry to a certain extent.

Ref: http://www.jhorrocks.com/

Nature & Landscape Photographers

Understanding how to express the type of landscape/nature photography I like to take seemed difficult at first until I found this from David Ward in the Light & Land Book - Working the Light.

"It's difficult for a lot of people when faced by such a majestic view, to pick just a small part of the whole scene, rather than photograph the bigger view. One feels one is missing out on something" Ref: Light and Land Publication

After reading this I realised, my feeling was the complete opposite with the thought that it would be criminal to ignore the finer detail that makes up such a majestic view. This has led me to a number of photographers that clearly work on that very theory of capturing the finer detail, including:

Jonathan Horrocks 

Iksung Nah 

David Ward

Adrian Hollister

Joe Cornish

Charlie Waite 

Jason Christopher 

Alan Simpson