PHOTOS THAT INSPIRE PHOTO WORKSHOP

Chapter 1. Landscape, Scenic, and Travel Photography

Next to people, landscape and travel rank among the most popular photographic subjects. But as evidenced by many people's vacation pictures, it isn't easy to shoot a great travel image. The human eye tends to view scenes selectively, but the camera simply records the entire picture, often with disappointing results. Being in a great locale also contributes to the experience — you may be enthralled with the sound of a trickling stream or the fragrant aroma of spring flowers in the mountains. The challenge is how to capture the essence of a travel destination and the feeling that goes with it. Scenic photography takes a lot of devotion, patience, and practice (and as some of the following photographers attest, a certain amount of serendipity). The essence of a great scenic image is to zero in on — and convey — what grabbed you about the scene in the first place.

"Foggy, Frosty Morning"

© Wendy Stevenson

Oxford Station, Ontario, Canada www.intoitphotography.com

Bright, sunny days are great for capturing postcard-type landscape shots, but sometimes less than perfect weather can really help you interpret the essence of a place. Fog offers a lot of atmosphere and has a way of obscuring distracting elements in a scene. In this image, the focus is on the frost covering the foliage in the foreground. On a sunnier day, the background may have ...