Photography….More than a photograph?

It is the last day of 2025 and a time of reflection on the year almost over. I always take some time to look back on my photography over the year, to evaluate my successes and failures, to consider what I might do different in the coming year, and to identify some outline objectives for the year ahead. This time my reflections were a little more introspective than normal and influenced by the subject matter raised on a YouTube video recently published. Ewan Dunsmuir, originally from Orkney and now based in New Zealand, is a fine art landscape photographer and videographer. In his latest film he asked the question “Why do we do landscape photography?”. He answered the question from his own perspective but essentially was inviting his viewers to ask the question of themselves.

I pondered over this question whilst spending a couple of hours out with the camera in a local woodland, my last trip out in 2025. I quickly identified the usual answers……..time out in nature, benefits to my wellbeing and mental health, opportunities to visit areas of outstanding beauty, and ultimately the opportunity to try and be creative and produce work of a high artistic value. All very valid reasons why I undertake landscape and nature photography, however they are the obvious response and I wanted to delve a little deeper to see if there was any other factors at play. I identified two additional important elements that contribute to my love for photography.

The first element is right at the beginning of the whole photography process and is the act of finding interesting subject matter. Every time I go out with my camera I experience a sort of child like excitement at what I might find. I liken it to a treasure hunt where you never quite know what you might find or what is round the next corner. I am experienced enough to know that finding something amazing is a rare occurrence and that most of the time we have to satisfy ourselves with something average or ordinary. However, it is that possibility of a moment of pure joy that makes the treasure hunt so exciting time after time. Today might just be the day when you find something that makes your heart sing with joy. The other benefit of looking for an interesting subject matter is the opportunity to look much more closely at the world around us. Taking up photography seriously seems to have significantly increased my ability to see things that I previously would have walked past without a momentary glance. I take time to look more closely, to consider what it is I am seeing, and therefore to better appreciate what nature offers. It is easy to take for granted what we consider everyday scenes, it is only when you take a closer look can you truly appreciate our surroundings.

The second element relates to equipment, not a subject that I generally share my thoughts on. However, having asked myself the question as to why I do landscape photography, I have to be honest and acknowledge that owning and using my equipment is a contributory factor. I am not motivated by owning the latest camera body or lens, nor do I choose to change my kit on a regular basis. Neither am I really interested in the functionality or technical specification of any specific piece of equipment. So, why is my equipment a contributory factor in my choice of landscape or nature photography? Quite simply it is the satisfaction I get from simply operating a well engineered piece of kit. I have recently extended my collection of Zeiss prime lenses, using an adaptor to pair them with my mirrorless camera. The design of these lenses probably goes back a few decades so the experience of using them is very different to that of a modern day zoom lens. Each lens is a joy to use, in fact it gives me a great deal of pleasure just to hold them and study them. The metal body provides a reassuring feel, however the real joy comes with each turn of the focussing ring. It is just so smooth, you can feel the precise engineering with every minute turn. I have always had an appreciation for design, whether that be a piece of mid century danish furniture, a classic car, or some of the racing bikes I have owned. These lenses, and other pieces of my photography kit are just the same. Could I produce good photographs with less engineered equipment or kit that doesn’t have the same visual appeal but is more expensive and technically advanced, of course I could. Would I get the same pleasure from my photography from working with that equipment, not at all. I want to have a personal connection with each piece of kit, to appreciate it and value it, and most of all to simply enjoy using it. I choose to do landscape photography because it gives me the opportunity to do so.

In conclusion the answer to the initial question is that there are numerous reasons why I do landscape and nature photography. Asking myself the question has reinforced some obvious answers but importantly given me the opportunity to explore some deeper thoughts. Why don’t you ask yourself why you do photography, or any other activity in fact, you might surprise yourself with your answers. The very least you will do will be to raise your own awareness of your particular motivations, that heightened awareness might possibly increase your love for your own subject!