Why the human element in landscape photographs? 👤
Plus: The polar bear collection from Churchill, MB 🐻❄️
Since I last wrote to you, I had a spectacular time on the salt flats and altiplano of Bolivia, and now I’m off to Iceland for a few weeks! Coming up, I’m excited to be speaking at the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival in February alongside my wife,
. Then it’s some much-needed downtime before a family road trip in Europe this spring.Through all this travel, our team has been busy putting together the finishing touches on a very exciting series of photography workshops. They are all live and accessible here!
Here’s what else is in this month’s Fuelled by Creativity:
Reader Question: Adding the human element to landscape photographs
Photo round-up: Polar Bears in Churchill, Manitoba
See you next month!
Reader Question of the Month
Want to ask something? Submit your question here!
Q: Do you have any tips for adding the human element in landscape photography? I see it’s something you do quite often!
A: I’ve spent many years experimenting with this approach to landscape photography. Let’s first explore the why and then I’ll get into some tips.
Originally, I liked the idea of including a human in the frame to give a sense of perspective or scale and reinforce humankind’s connection with the landscape. At times this has meant using a model and at other times I take these as self-portraits because there simply isn’t anyone around to enter the frame.
The impetus behind my choice to include a human is something I wrote about in my book, Summits & Starlight:
"Growing up in suburbia, but having lived in close proximity to mountain wilderness for years now, it has become increasingly apparent to me that humans have become disconnected from the natural environment, from where we originated eons ago. We have, essentially, walked away from nature. From this emerges a new sense of purpose for me: the possibility to invite people to go back to the wilderness through my images, and to be reminded of what the natural world adds to one’s life.”
Now for some tips (you can see some sample images below!)
5 Tips for Including the Human Element in Landscape Photography
Tip #1: Be intentional about your background.
Your background needs to be clean, textureless, and have enough contrast. You want to be intentional about how you frame your person so that they are noticed quickly.
Tip #2: Create the contrast if you need it.
Add light to emphasize the human element. This is where I often play with headlamps and Lume Cubes.
Tip #3: Try different body positions.
I’ll often try 5-7 different positions while the camera shoots continuously so that I can select the best one later.
Tip #4: Don’t forget dynamic poses.
Have fun out there! l often jump, balance, or even strike a quirky pose, which adds to the story.
Tip #5: Posture can help the composition flow.
You can use the human in the frame to balance elements, lead the viewer, or add a focal point.
Want to ask something? Submit your question here!
Photo Round-Up: The Polar Bear Collection
Back in November 2023, I had the opportunity to go to Churchill, Manitoba, to photograph polar bears, and what I’d hoped would simultaneously appear at some point: the northern lights. 😊 I was hosted by the amazing folks at Frontiers North on a Tundra Buggy®, from which I could photograph the bears safely. As many of you saw on social media, the most remarkable things happened while I was there and I was able to capture it all. From a mother with three cubs to lights dancing over polar bears, I am excited to publish this blog and collection!
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