What is a “good” landscape photograph?

Postcard of Bavaria

Yesterday there was another round of discussion as to what constitued a “good” landscape photograph. This was initiated by a review of some recently published landscape images in Blind Spot magazine. I guess what bothers me is that there are the judgements regarding “good” landscape images, infurring of course that there are “bad” landscape images. I would pefer to have the discussions about the fact that there “different” landscape photographs, some will work for you, some won’t. I have my own preference as to what I like, but I also look at others work, even if I am not sure that I understand the image. Thus on my blog roll, you will find links to some rather different views and outlooks on what constitutes a landscape photograph. I am in favor of a discussion, because I think that we can all learn from the interchange.

Looking at my earlier posts and my website, the above image that I made in Bavaria (Southern Germany at the Neuswanstein Castle) is very, very different. I think its a splendid image ready to be printed as a post card and available for the consession stand. Was that my intent to go there and make this image? Nope. I just happened to be on the bridge overlooking the castle on a very nice day, and my immediate impulse was to “snap” it and I think it turned out very nice. Is this “art”? Hmmmm, that may not be for me to decide, but I do know that it is a landscape photograph. Does it meet some of the other “new” landscape standards, probably not. When I was at this same location earlier, when it was cold and drizzly, crowded and everyone bundled and umbrellas up, I had a completly different image. Would that have perhaps met the “new” landscape standards? Perhaps, as it was not under good conditions and kinda ugly, thus perhaps more “real”. But the image above was very real too. Just doomed to be pretty.

I continue to look at the wide range of available landscape images,  and I do think that I am learning from them all. I believe that is a good thing.

Best regards, Doug