Workshop April 13, 2013: Landscape Art by Choice, Not by Chance

Circle Rainbow at the
Grand Canyon

Over 40 LPA members attended this dynamic workshop presented by Tom Gamache and Van Webster. Tom and Van took the attendees on a walk through history explaining how the artists of the past affected the evolution of photography. All the elements of composition, subject matter and lighting that we discuss in our photographs are what made the famous paintings of the past so great.

“Landscape art by choice…not by chance”

Tips from the workshop:

• No two days are alike… be willing to come back to the same location again and again if the potential is there
• Does your eye move through the image?
• Develop a “sky” library that you can substitute when the current one is flat
• Dark skies create drama
• Change your perspective or elevation to create interesting composition
• Look for framing elements in your landscapes
• Look for “S” , “W”, “V” lines in your composition
• Photograph with a purpose…What’s your plan? What’s the image you want? What are you selling?
• Look at famous photographs or art work from the past… Why are they great?
• Develop contrasting edges and shapes in your images…light and dark zones
• Give your landscape depth by using subjects in your foreground
• Develop composition subjects of 3 or 5 when possible.

Tom and Van will be conducting many workshops at some terrific locations. See their website… www.tomgamache.com for details. Tom and Van can be reached via email at wanderingaroundoutdoors@earthlink.net.

Tom Gamache

Van Webster