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What is an intimate landscape? Hovering somewhere between the wide-angle scale of a grand scene and the minute world of macro, the intimate landscape has been described as a ‘scene within a scene.’ American photographer Eliot Porter is perhaps the best-known practitioner of this genre, as evidenced by his careful studies of nature. A colleague of Ansel Adams and Alfred Stieglitz, Porter’s work has been described as ‘evocative,’ ‘quiet’ and ‘elegantly balanced.’ Porter was a pioneer in the use of colour in photography at a time when it was still mostly a black-and-white medium.

For most of us, the first visit to the mountains is etched indelibly in our minds. Those towering rocky edifices, clean cold lakes, and impossibly blue skies bring us back again and again. For photographers, the majestic wilderness of the mountains is a compelling attraction – drawing us out of our cozy beds at ungodly hours to catch the kiss of first light on the grey faces of the peaks. During autumn, there’s a lot more to the mountains than just these kinds of grand ‘scenics.’ In fact, fall is an exciting time to make the trek out to the mountain parks to photograph the subtle power of the intimate landscape.

Beyond the

Big Picture The Intimate Details of Fall

by Samantha Chrysanthou and Darwin Wiggett of oopoomoo

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While Porter made intimate landscape photography appear effortless, anyone who has attempted this form of photography quickly finds out that it’s harder than it looks! The key to an effective intimate landscape is not what you are photographing, but how the subject matter is portrayed. Intimate landscapes take ostensibly ordinary details, like a leaf or blade of grass, and reveal them in

This spread, clockwise from top left: the repetitive lines of aspen trunks are a fascinating study in pattern; autumn is the perfect time to seek out and photograph the small details of nature; shorelines offer an exciting variety of intimate landscapes, like the Kananaskis River rushing by a grassy bank.

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extraordinary ways. A finely crafted composition is a must when working with seemingly simple subject matter, so by learning to photograph the intimate landscape, you also hone your powers of composing a fine image. Here are a few tips to get you started.

It’s In the DetailsSeeking out and working with details is a good way to get started. Did some burst of colour or quick movement catch your eye? Intimate landscapes often start with a spark of intuition, or a flash of recognition of something that is bigger than first appearances. Look for interesting lines in nature. The single curve of a blade of grass in still water can be a quiet, elegant little poem. Or work with repetition: in late fall, when the leaves are gone, the rhythm of aspen trunks repeating across the image space creates a pleasing visual melody.

Process of EliminationWith intimate landscapes, less is usually more. Avoid the temptation to include parts of the scene that don’t help you tell the story you are hoping to convey. Eliminate some details, and then eliminate some more. Try to focus on just one small part of the world around you. Nothing should appear in the boundaries of your image frame that is not an essential part of your story. Intimate landscapes often, but not always, exclude the sky, focusing attention instead on just parts of the larger scene. If you’re struggling, try switching from a wide-angle lens to a longer telephoto, and use its extractive capability to capture just a small slice of the world. Look at the scene before you look through your camera’s viewfinder, and watch the possibilities jump out at you!

Watch Your FeetIntimate landscapes are often ‘hidden’ in plain view. Make sure you move slowly, looking down at the ground near your feet for the small treasures that are often easily overlooked. A beautiful image is probably just waiting to be discovered!

Opposite page: an early dusting of snow highlights the pattern of fall colours.

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This page, above: look for the elegant lines and layers of trees and grasses. Below: the most interesting details are often right at our feet!

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Thank you donors, volunteers and staff for another amazing summer.

& @EScamphorizon

For more information visit easterseals.ab.ca Find us on

Brightening the lives of youth and adults with disabilities, special needs and serious illnesses since 1965.

Located just west of Bragg Creek.

Thank you donors, volunteers and staff for another amazing summer.

& @EScamphorizon

For more information visit easterseals.ab.ca Find us on

Brightening the lives of youth and adults with disabilities, special needs and serious illnesses since 1965.

Located just west of Bragg Creek.

Make ConnectionsIntimate landscapes are ‘intimate’ because they are personal. A well-executed intimate landscape invites close scrutiny and encourages the viewer to 'stay awhile' with the image. Instead of overwhelming impressions of drama and big light, intimate landscapes leave you with a deeper sense of knowing a place or subject matter intimately. They are also personal on another level: while iconic scenes and ‘obvious shots’ encourage mere repetition (how many of us have seen the classic shot of Mount Rundle reflected in Vermilion Lakes?), an intimate landscape is something rarely seen in any photograph taken before. They are a by-product of the photographer’s unique way of seeing and responding to the world.

Open Your HeartWhile it may seem corny, the best intimate landscapes come to life because the photographer was open-minded and absorbed in the moment of seeing and taking the photograph. If the worries and tasks of your day come with you into the field, it will be hard to execute this form of photography well. So take

some time when you arrive at your destination to slow down and focus your attention on the physical world before you at that moment in time. This will help you start to see the creative possibilities all around you.

Intimate landscapes can’t be created back home at the computer. This form of

photography is challenging precisely because it demands awareness, the skill and the ability to ‘see’ unique things while out in the field. But with practice, intimate landscape photography can be a richly rewarding way to spend some time in the mountains during the autumn!

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Darwin Wiggett and Samantha Chrysanthou are creative and life partners based in Cochrane, Alberta. You can find more information about their fun, educational photography seminars, eBooks and workshops on their website: oopoomoo.com

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