Meeting the “unexpected” in the art of outdoor photography
There’s always going to be circumstances you can’t plan for. There’s always the unexpected relevance and the serendipity. Jason Silva
Deciding to undertake the making of any particular art piece -or a larger art project- is a complex process where uncertain factors always intervene. Although many artists declare to often begin their art pieces without knowing what they will do, a point of commitment will eventually arrive in the process, presumably a point when the artist becomes fascinated by an emerging idea and decides to give it free rein.
As artists, photographers make decisions, and plan on the aspects of reality and the specific objects they want to bring to their camera. Travel/landscape photographers, in particular, must carefully organize their photography excursions to ensure that the gear they carry match the options that the location and scene might bring.
Outdoor photography journeys usually begin very early -often hours before dawn- in order to capture the beautiful lights offered by the dynamically changing conditions as the sun rises. On occasions, such trips may entail waiting vigil through the night for the desired moment to unveil. The project considered may have consisted in photographing the splendor of the Milky Way in the night sky and its overwhelming display of color over the Þingvellir sky, in Iceland, and its reflection on the local lake, like photographer Friðrik Hreinsson once conceived and masterfully executed to produce the beautiful image shown below.
Alternatively, the photographic project could consist in capturing the strength of a powerful sea wave crashing against the sturdiness of a coastal pier, as once conceived in the mind of Rachel Talibart, a British photographer and former lawyer whose spectacular oceanic images have gained wide publicity in recent years.
Completing an artist trio, the photographic task could have consisted of capturing the splendid Yokohama skyline at spring dusk, like Naomi Locardi once assumed and gorgeously produced.
No doubt all of these three splendid images brought feelings of satisfaction at the end of each one of the productive journeys where Friðrik, Rachel, and Naomi shot such masterful pictures. But -even for accomplished outdoor photographers like them, life goes well beyond what may be carefully planned for and intended. Every now and then along the working journey -or perhaps once duties have been covered- the artist’s senses will likely be impinged upon by unexpected scenes: perhaps a bird flying close by, a howling wind whisking the foliage of a tree on an iridescent twilight background, or even the oversized shadows of the production team projected on the road pavement by the evening sunlight. Such is the kind of time when unexpected but impactful pieces can arise in an artist’s portfolio.
Perhaps similarly, another unanticipated photographic theme caught Rachel’s attention when casually viewing the interesting textures of the sand on the shore along her path back from the sea whose tides she masterfully photographed and published as a book titled ‘Tides And Tempests’.
Indeed, this artist from London has produced a whole series of interesting sand textures which are visible on her Facebook and Instagram accounts.
In fact, her alertness toward “unexpected” themes led to a flattering moment when one of her many soil-texture abstract images was featured on The Sunday Times in the context of the Landscape Photographer of the Year competition in 2017.
A further sip of Rachel’s exquisite artistic taste in the capture of artistic motifs may be seen below in yet another “casual” image, taken from an open-door flying helicopter on the coast of Oregon. “I like things that look like other things, visual metaphors in a way, and I enjoy trying to make photographs to illustrate this interest”, says she.
Third in the present trio of photographers selected for their outstanding “unexpected” images is Naomi Locardi. She is an accomplished travel photographer, blogger, and photo tour organizer with a large portfolio of splendid images of tourist attractions worldwide. Her perception, however, goes well beyond duty, as evident in her casual image of the Mediterranean front door shown below, where a striking palette, dazzling luminosity, architecturally revealing shadows, and a sensitive mind, all contribute to creating a true photographic masterpiece.
Naomi’s confessed penchant for aged doors and their textures may be further seen in the following two pieces, where wood, metal, color and detail all combine to make remarkable images.
On another vein of her artistic sharpness, finely carved stone from the outer walls of an aged Asian construction served her to compose an equally remarkable piece, where micronized life harmoniously mingles with ancient spiritual symbols.
A further facet of this photographer’s creativity shows shabby but sturdy bricks as a contrasting background to beautifully represent the sacredness of belief and the facial expression of innocence and hope that the artist’s expertise converted into a truly memorable image, as if to emphasize Naomi’s pledge to “never stop dreaming or following the heart”.
May the above photographic images persuade visitors that authentic art treasures can be serendipitously mined from unexpected moments when perceptive artists — like the trio here covered- remain attentive to clip concealed beauty, and record forever such unique sights and moments.
