An image is not always what it appears to be, but does that matter?
If the creation of the image is not quite what you thought or the location is not what you imagined it to be, does this change the way you feel about an image?
I'm not referring to extensive photo manipulation or purposely adapting an image to create a false representation, but rather using what you have at hand and composition to bring something to the attention of the viewer that may have been overlooked.
It's often said that it is the details in the landscape that make the image, which is something that I whole heartedly agree with. When we look at a wide open landscape we take it all in, as one, but what we're actually seeing are many pieces that make up the whole. Our eyes move between different elements of this whole, moving and refocusing from piece to piece. I prefer to look for these pieces and try to capture them. As can be seen from many of my images, my go to lens is not a wide angle, but actually a 250mm. I've always preferred a long lens and since I've been using the GFX system, I've taken twice as many pictures with this lens than with any other.
The reason for this is that I not only use this lens for the capturing compositions that are far away but also those very close, as I would with a macro lens. There are not only details in a wide open vista, I'd like to show with this post that there are details to be seen in what most do not see.
I have three images in this post and for each of the images I have a shot of the camera in the situation it was when the image was taken.
What at first appears to be a rough patch of undergrowth, can with a second glance reveal a lot more.
A dark foreground with fine silhouettes of small fern leaves framing the buds of wild garlic. All in various shades of green with the exception of the slightly opening bud revealing the white flowers inside.
This next example takes it a step further. The flowers in the image are a few millimetres across and although they cover the floor they are still barely visible in the first image. Within the final composition I was able to use the darkness of the out of sight forest to bring out the white flowers.
On the final example the principle is the same although I used a GF120mm it is still about finding the fine details. The GF250mm is still utilised in this shot, but it's used as an expensive light stand.
With all of these images, even though I have an image showing the creation it is still difficult to see the subject.
What I want to say is that the image is not always where we expect it. We don't have to travel far and wide, your next image may be right at your feet, you just need to take time and learn how to see it.