87% of Photographers Agree This is MOST Important!

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In this week’s episode, we discuss what most photographers say is the most important aspect of a great landscape photo. Over the past two years, I've had an ongoing survey running where I ask photographers if Light, Composition, Subject, or Conditions is the most important aspect of an incredible landscape photograph - and for the most part I agree with the overall consensus. In this video, I'll share with you the best piece of advice I've ever heard related to how one can assemble a pleasing landscape composition, which we all know is not the easiest thing to do. I hope you enjoy this week's video and as always thanks so much for watching! - Mark D.

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[MarkDenneyPhoto]

✅QUICK QUESTION: What do you think is most important, Light, Composition, Subject, or Conditions?

[mikeray]

When I first started photography, the first and best piece of advice I received was to "Fill the frame with what you love and leave out the rest." It hasn't failed me.

[nevvanclarke]

Here is a tip that I used with my students and give this a try mark. You might really find. It useful when you get to a scene. Standing in the middle of where you may shoot. Put your gear down and then stand there and close your eyes. Yes, close your eyes ..what do you feel? What do you hear? Is it warm? Is it cold? What are your senses telling you ..1 extra minute and all of your other senses take over ....

It also gets you to breathe and relax instead of rushing to see what compositions are about.It gets you the slowdown.It's a mindfulness process that I go through.When I get to a scene.I've been showing it to a few other my students.And they really enjoy it as it makes them feel relaxed.And calm and when you are relaxed and calm you take better photos

[ReidThaler]

Years ago, I had one of those "ah ha" moments. I was asked to pick 6 photos for exhibition. I picked them out and then realized each one was taken with a tripod. It turned the experience of knowing the benefit of using a tripod from intellectual to empirical.

[tomsullivan]

Mark, Another interesting video-Thanks. I noticed no one commented about the missing fence on the mountain. I remove stuff like that too. People think they need to put in place too to protect those not smart enough to watch where they are going. I see fences all around the Grand Canyon now. We had that problem down here as one of the older folks walked into a small hole and herself badly while taking photos. The simple fix was the big orange cone in the hole (little dirt would have been better). That wasn't good enough then they decided to yellow tape off the area so no one could photograph the owls. Guessing people got to close the edge up there and some fell off. I'm always careful on trails, mountain edges etc. Hey, some of the trails with exposed roots were more dangerous than other places I have been. Just a personal thing that I hate to see us trying to protect everyone to the point of ruining the landscape.

[shyamalganguly]

I'm in the 87% and believe the importance of the aspects you discussed! I'll must try them while I'm out on a photo shoot!

[boristahmasian]

HI Mark, fantastic tutorial and video. 

I went to a beach in Malibu California a few days ago to photograph waves crashing against rock formations. I went through the steps you mentioned in your video. What I hated was people walking into my shot precisely at the moment I had the right wave crash agains the rocks. I ended up waiting for two hours to have the right big wave again as they did not happen with every wave arriving ashore. We live and learn. 

TBH, the skies were cloudy and I did not have the lighting I was looking for anyway. So a second trip is in order!!!

[dewindoethdwl]

I’ve come from a landscape painting background. Photography crept in as part of recording a scene alongside sketches…..and then became a dominant part. Yes, I have paint fingerprints on my camera! Everything you said resonates. Investing the time to develop your objective, your intention, is important. Analysing the scene and your reactions to the situation helps embed you in the place and vice-versa. I often find I’m distracted by surroundings so I use is an Artist’s Viewfinder to isolate the possible images. It’s quicker and lighter than looking through or at the camera. I’ve got it marked to give a window with the aspect ratio of the camera, zoom is experimented by reaching out your arm. It’s also cheaper to replace if you stumble badly whilst scrambling around finding the position you want.
Great video, definitely made some key points. Enjoy Bali🎉

[vijaykarve]

Just finished watching your video and went out to buy something.By the time i came back i was trying to recollect the important steps, but i could not remember all of those steps-sorry my age is is not on my side-i am 80.But i remembered all those images very clearly.and everything was clear to me.Thanks Mark for a great video.

[billw]

I am so glad I happened upon you today, Mark, and have now spent, God knows how many hours, enjoying your enormously engaging, perfectly paced and hugely informative instructional videos. Thank you very, very much, indeed!

And all praise and gratitude to ‘Princess Serendipita’!

There is much I could say…and surely will once I have had time to absorb and process it all, but first and foremost what captured my attention most…is that which is so rare in the world, let alone the Internet, was both your utter honesty and how much you so genuinely care about those to whom you are talking. Bravo!

As a new photographer, a so-called amateur amateur, I would like to know two things (really ten times that, but let’s begin here), i.e., what computer do you recommend I purchase ($ notwithstanding) as I begin to learn editing and what kind of monitor do you feature in your videos.

It looks perfect for working at home, which is what I will be doing.

I had been considering an Apple Tablet or a laptop, however, I don’t really need portability as much as an aid to my aging eyes.

What say ye, Mark?

Btw, in viewing your YT videos I went back 3+ years, picking, choosing, enjoying and…smiling, but unless I missed it, didn’t come across any videos where you explained your at-home editing choices and why you had made them.

Many thanks and P L E A S E…don’t change a pixel!

Continued success and my very best wishes,
Will

[patriziabertorello]

The equation "light + subject + conditions = composition" is a brilliant idea to always keep in our mind .... You explained the different steps in a simple way and this will help us to make all this easier combined with a little patience ... I guess I have to improve the technique of framing too ... Thank you, your videos are useful ...👍🔝

[jasoneldridgephotography]

Step one is exactly why AI will not “destroy” photography.

Step two is great advice. Pay attention and ask “what do you love most?”

Step three, put it all together.

I agree about the tripod too!

Thanks for sharing Mark!

[ilesmic]

I think light is usually the thing that gets my attention most-- If the light is flat or dark I then think either B&W or a more intimate detail shot-- If there is great light either sunrise, sunset, light rays then that drives what I shoot. Then I I start thinking or looking for the composition.

[parrotheadstx]

Is there a better channel out there? Thank you for what you bring to each of us striving to achieve what moves us most through our captures.

[uncleeric]

I'm going to make a deliberate effort to explicitly apply these and see if they help. (I already have trouble with step 2, however, because I've often discovered that there is almost always something worth photographing if you can just learn to see it).

[luzr]

I think what surprised me most was the '87% / composition' stat. Perhaps i don't understand what is going on here, or perhaps i'm an outlier, but Light is, far and away, the most important element for me. Given any particular quality of light, i'll go off and find a subject to put in it. The light will determine the composition - or, to put it another way - the composition will follow from the light. What i'm looking for in a frame is simply the best possible representation that i can manage of that light's potential... the subject is not as critical because pretty much anything, whether epic or banal, can look special given the right light. Maybe i'm taking 'Photography' - drawing with light - too literally, but it really does seem to me that that is the Alpha and Omega of the whole game - and that the 'compositions' are already there in the actual-factual world (they can't not be) just waiting for the illumination to settle on them and, by accident or virtue of intent, be noticed by a passing photographer (which is probably just another way of describing that process of waving the camera at different framings until the obvious choice appears - and / but, it was there all along). Anyway, good vid and an interesting topic to meditate on, so many thanks. All the best for your travels. Cheers.

[ReidThaler]

My similar steps:
Feel-What is moving you inside? What is the emotion?
Appeal-What is interesting? Light? Color? Form? Texture
Reveal-What choices will you make to convey the magic you feel considering point of view, lens, depth of field, motion
Conceal-Get the shot in your camera.

[carriecarlisle]

Great video as always! And really helpful to reinforce the importance of slowing down when initially out on location...still struggle at times with that.

[dalezimmerman]

Very helpful insight. You might want to finish with a revised equation: Light + Subject + Conditions + Perspective = Composition. In other words, the arrangement of your favorite parts of the scene can often be altered substantially by changing the position of your camera.

[brycepinson]

Love this. One thing that I learned from shooting large format film a few years ago is to stop and put the camera down when I get to the location. Just look and observe and as you said, "interview" myself first about what I like or don't like.