The Changing Landscape in Landscape Photography

Landscape photography has long been associated with capturing the beauty of untouched natural environments. However, the world of photography is constantly evolving, pushing artistic boundaries and challenging traditional notions. In this blog post, we embark on a journey to explore the question: Can landscape photography include buildings? We'll delve into how the inclusion of buildings can enhance the visual narrative of our compositions and expand our creative horizons.

Traditionally, landscape photography focuses on showcasing the untouched splendor of nature. But incorporating buildings into the frame adds depth and contrast to the composition. Buildings provide a glimpse into human intervention within the natural environment, creating a fascinating interplay between man-made structures and the surrounding landscape.

A church in a paddock challenges traditional norms of landscape photography and what it originally stood for.

Exploring Architectural Aesthetics:

Buildings, whether ancient castles, rustic farmhouses, or modern skyscrapers, possess their own unique architectural beauty. By including these structures in landscape photography, we can showcase the seamless blend of human ingenuity with the natural world. The lines, textures, and shapes of buildings create captivating visual elements, elevating the overall composition.

Adding Scale and Context:

Including buildings in landscape photography provides a sense of scale and context. Tall structures like lighthouses, churches, or urban skyscrapers act as focal points, grounding the image and accentuating the grandeur of the surroundings. These man-made elements offer viewers a reference point to better appreciate the vastness and magnificence of the landscape. As seen in the example above, the church is dwarfed by the mountains and provides not only scale but tells a story of nature as the supreme and dominating element in that composition.

Conveying Human Connection:

Buildings in landscape photography can tell stories about the human relationship with the environment. Historical buildings or cultural landmarks evoke nostalgia, while urban structures reflect the pulse and energy of a city. Capturing these elements in the context of the surrounding landscape extends the narrative beyond the pure aesthetics of nature.

Experimenting with Contrasts:

The combination of buildings and landscapes creates intriguing contrasts. The organic shapes and textures of nature juxtaposed against the straight lines and rigid forms of buildings produce visually compelling images. This interplay of opposites generates dynamic tension, capturing the viewer's attention and prompting reflection on the relationship between nature and human intervention. This joining of opposing forces permeates my work in particular and helps to evoke stronger emotional responses rather than serving up the same images.

As seen through the looking glass

Creative Compositions:

Including buildings in landscape photography opens up endless possibilities for creative compositions. Framing a scenic mountain range through a window or capturing the reflection of a skyscraper in a tranquil lake can create striking visual juxtapositions. Experimenting with angles, perspectives, and lighting techniques allows photographers to craft unique images that merge the beauty of nature with architectural elements.

While landscape photography traditionally focuses on unspoiled natural scenes, incorporating buildings offers a fresh perspective and expands the genre's boundaries. By including man-made structures in our compositions, we add depth, context, and visual contrast, resulting in captivating images that reflect the intersection of nature and human creativity. So, let's embrace the diversity of our surroundings and explore the vast potential of landscape photography that includes buildings.