3 predictions for 2016

A gaze into the crystal ball for 2016

A Hollywood influence on Landscape photography aesthetics?

In January a film will be released in the UK that might influence how some photographers photograph the landscape. The film is Alejandro Iñárritu's, The Revenant. I was first aware of The Revenant from reports of delays and cost overruns of filming, due to it being filmed entirely in natural light, which is capricious by nature at best. I saw a trailer for the film at the cinema in November and it was refreshingly visually distinct from the CGI/artificial lighting evident in the other film trailers, or at least I thought so, but that may be just my confirmation bias.



Hopefully the cinematic 'look' of natural lighting with the grand landscapes, will be picked up on by other cinematographers and in due course filter down to the more creative members of the landscape photography community, where some digital artists may have an epiphany and be inspired to investigate the virtues of natural light and colour. Digital artist that frequent 500px, may believe composited and manipulated lighting in post processing may qualify as 'fine art', but it falls short by some margin as a landscape photograph.

A controversy free WPP awards?

The photography competition I hold in highest regard for its commitment to image integrity and photographic values, is the World Press Photo awards and the November announcement of new rules and guidance to entrants, should eliminate any doubt as to the veracity of the award images.

Handheld landscape photography

Small apertures, low ISO speeds and resulting long exposure times, necessitated a tripod in times past. Digital technology has moved the goalposts and digital camera sensors with high dynamic range performance, high iso capability, camera/lens stabilisation tech and improved optical lens designs, makes hand holding in low light levels eminently achievable. So, in theory, the ballast, bulk and awkwardness of the tripod can finally be dispensed with. It will come as no surprise to witness a bandwagon effect of manufacturers ambassadors, artisans and celebrity landscape photographers affiliated with certain manufacturers/retailers/workshops/commercial websites, start extolling the paradigm shift/awesomeness/amazingness/wowza/life changing virtues of handheld landscape photography and the monkey see, monkey do not-so-confident photographers start banging the drum for handholding too. It would be refreshing though, to also read of the potential pitfalls of hand holding and consequences of leaving the tripod out of the kit, as that would demonstrate some integrity.