"I do not relate to this idea in my own experience . For me, working in the landscape or any other visual context, is about being fully present and mindful: being open to the possibilities that flow through the situation. And to be there when a conjunction of elements present itself, if only for an instant. There's a magic in that, when it happens, that has little to do with tests or expectations. I think the sensibility you bring to your art matters more then the 'subject.'"

-Mark Kane |

"The problem with landscape photographs is that everyone has seen 'pretty pictures' and modern cameras and technology make it quite easy to take a very good photograph of a nice scene-- landscapes are everywhere. That's the point: note the use of 'pretty,' 'good,' and 'nice.' The real test is to take what everyone sees and turn it into something that makes them see and think about the subject in a way they never would have without your photograph. Sometimes this makes the scene more impressive or grand, sometimes moodier and sometime just different. This is what makes a great image of a landscape. The failure to do this can result in two types of disappointment. When someone looks at one of my images and says 'Oh, what a pretty picture,' that probably means I have failed. It's like saying 'What a cute baby!' The second kind of disappointment in some ways worse. Sometimes when I take a picture and then process and print it, it does not look as I envisioned it (what I personally saw and felt when I took the picture). The result is wrong -- and nothing can be done about that. There is no software to fix simply taking the wrong picture.

-Steven A. Jackson