Landscape vs Street Photography

Street photography is my main passion. This is because I find most landscape photographs incredibly boring. This is more of a consequence of mediocre photography rather than the genre itself being uninteresting. It is very much possible to create great landscape images if you know the tricks.

Yes I do landscapes too

This is partly driven by consumer photography magazines that show the same mediocre images time and time again, using the same old techniques. There is little content about how to make the photograph interesting, with minimal reference to layers, depth of field, weather, light - its all about slow shutter speeds, tripods and filters. This is made worse by each photograph stating beneath it the ISO, shutter speed and aperture, as if to suggest that replicating these settings will create the same image.

As a street photographer, I do shoot landscapes too, especially because of the amazing landscapes around me. Indeed I have sold a number of landscape prints. However, I use my knowledge of street photography composition to try to create images that are more interesting and dynamic. This does need combining with the right weather and light.

Revisited scene for the right weather and light - it was all in the timing

My nature is to be a fair weather photographer but I force myself to be up early when the light is best, or out in bad weather to get moody shots. I don't carry a tripod and I don't carry filters. I like to move fast and shoot, not fiddle with gear. When reviewing what I have got, I will spot the potential in an image, work out how to improve it, and then go back under specific conditions. If I don't nail it then I will go back again and again, having thought about what I am trying to achieve and how to do it.

Landscape with life (lens flare is deliberate).

I actually like to include animals or people in many of my landscape images - Personally I think it adds interest to an otherwise boring scene. Ultimately though, you need to be highly critical of your own images, and strive to better them.

Street photographers, do take your technique out into the wilderness and shoot... you will find your composition techniques translate directly and you will increasingly learn to use light and weather. Landscape photographers, stop taking boring photographs.