Tharp - Creative Natureand Outdoor Photography

TO JEDFOR ALWAYS BEING THERE, AND FOR SHARING IN THE JOY OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Copyright 2003, 2010 by Brenda Tharp

All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Amphoto Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
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AMPHOTO BOOKS and the Amphoto Books logo are trademarks of Random House, Inc.

A previous edition of this work was published in the United States by Amphoto Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, in 2003.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the Library of Congress.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2009931352

eISBN: 978-0-307-78660-9

Cover and interior design by Lauren Monchik|

Front cover photograph by Brenda Tharp

v3.1

BRENDA THARP is an award-winning photographer, writer, and teacher specializing in travel, nature, and outdoor photography. Her images have been featured in numerous magazines and books, and she teaches throughout the United States, including Maine Media Workshops, Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, the Rocky Mountain School of Photography, Point Reyes Field Seminars, and BetterPhoto.com.

She can be found at www.brendatharp.com.

This book would not be possible without the success of the first edition, so Id like first to thank the thousands who purchased it, especially those who are using it as a teaching guide for their own classes. Thanks, too, to the students who attend my workshops and allow me to share my passion for photography. Thanks to Lewis Kemper, Ben Willmore, and Jack Davis, just to name a few, for being key players in helping me get on the digital track and to grow as a digital photographer and artist.

I am so grateful to Victoria Craven for seeing the potential of my idea and commissioning the original book, and to Julie Mazur for inviting me to revise it to reflect the industry shift into digital photography. Many thanks also to Carrie Cantor, my project editor, and to the books designer, Lauren Monchik, for their creative efforts in producing a great revision to this book.

My deepest gratitude goes to my family and friends for their encouragement and ongoing support. Thank you for continuing to cheer me onward as I pursue my dreams.

A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety.

ANSEL ADAMS

W HAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY WITH THIS PHOTOGRAPH ? Someone asked me this question many years ago at a photography workshop, and it is still the driving force behind my photography. The question hovers in my subconscious with every image I pursue, and it influences every action I take to create a photograph. To me, What are you trying to say with this photograph? is the most fundamental of all questions regarding creative photography.

Nature and outdoor photographers want to share the beauty of a landscape, the drama of light, and the action of wildlife. Travel photographers want to share the faces of a culture, a slice of daily life, and a sense of place. Photojournalists want to share the moment or emotional situation before them. Were all really after the same thing: to create images that express what we see, feel, and experience in the world around us. Whether we are aiming for artistic interpretation or realism, the common goal is to make our photographs as creative and expressive as possible.

Why then, do so many images fail to convey what the photographer really saw or experienced? They are side-of-the-road or edge-of-the-crowd snapshots, static records of what was seen.

L EAF , Z ION N ATIONAL P ARK , U TAH . When I saw this leaf, the pattern reminded me of an aerial view of canyons and tree-topped mesas. To keep some sense of place, I included the red sand that is typical of the area. 90mm tilt shift lens, f/16 at 8 seconds with polarizing filter.

Those photographs dont move usthey dont invite us in to explore the visual scene or to experience the moment. Usually, the photographer approached the scene as a removed observer, and the results showed that. No matter what youre photographing, if youre not feeling connected with what youre seeing, viewers wont engage with the final picture. Ansel Adams once said, There is nothing more useless than a sharp photograph of a fuzzy concept. When you arent clear about what you want to say with the photograph, the resulting visual message may say nothing. At best, it may only communicate the facts in a less-than-exciting way.

If you want to photograph more creatively, youll need to begin looking at the world differently. Engage the great outdoors with a sense of awe and wonder. Crawl on your belly in meadows and climb mountains to new heights; touch the trees; smell the flowers; feel the wind. When you make photographs from the perspective of your experiences, your photographs will be much more compelling.

S NOW -C OVERED B ERRIES , U TAH . A fresh snow in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah provided a great opportunity for pictures. 70200mm lens at 200mm, f/6.3 at 1/30 sec.

If you view life through the filter of your experiences, youll see the world uniquely. If you want to make awe-inspiring images, decide now that youll have as many awe-inspiring experiences as possible. Look at the world with curiosity and wonder, and youll see many great things. Then draw from your own creative well of experiences when you make your photographs.

As a child, I spent a lot of time outdoors with my family. We hunted for fossils in Pennsylvania and canoed on the Delaware River. We hiked Mount Washington in New Hampshire, picked wild blueberries in New York, and played at the Jersey shore. I developed a love for the outdoors and a respect for the fragile beauty of my world. Those experiences created the filters through which I view the world, and they built the foundation of my passion: to share that view through my photographs.