Exploring Expressive Photography in Nature
A Few Techniques for interpreting nature
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I used to believe that my true worth as a photographer was photographing subjects in a very realistic way. I studied under National Geographic photographers, and nature photographers, and under them, you showed the truth, and nothing but the truth of the moment or scene. My dream that I would become a National Geographic photographer kept me on the ‘straight’ photography path. Thus my nature photography has always had a documentary, storytelling feel to it, and I’m fine with that for most photographs, because I want to celebrate the simple unaltered beauty of the world around me. Yet there is so much more to explore!
Along the way in my career I began to experiment with creating interpretive photographs of nature; multiple exposures, panning/blur, hi-key and low-key photography. I liked the results enough that I continue to think about the potential for these methods of interpretive photography wherever I am.
In the following paragraphs and photographs, I will share my ideas and broad techniques for how I make nature images that I feel are more interpretive.
