From adventures in a vintage Land Cruiser to an understanding with a camel, explore the stories behind 5 awe-inspiring landscape images from Offset artists.
A picture says a thousand words, but it’s equally fun to hear how an image got made and the stories that made creating that image possible. Especially when that picture happens to be an awe-inspiring image of Earth’s natural landscape.
We owe the invention of the camera to a guy who just wanted to share some vacation pics. The young William Henry Fox Talbot was enjoying his honeymoon by the shore of Lake Como when he became frustrated with trying to sketch the landscape before him — his recreation of the scene simply paled in comparison to the real thing. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Talbot was later credited with inventing the “camera obscura,” some of the earliest camera technology.
From Talbot’s early work to the iconic black-and-white photos of Yosemite National Park created by Ansel Adams, landscapes have captivated, inspired, and challenged photographers since before we had cameras to capture them with. They are also a critical tool for translating a changing planet and advocating for the conservation of wild places.
Whether you’re looking to print beautiful artwork for your home or just get inspired for when you can travel again, these five landscape images from Offset artists will help bring the beauty of the outside in.
Story #1: A Road Trip in an ’86 Land Cruiser
Photographer: Nate Stephenson
The Story Behind the Photo:
“A friend and I restored a rotting 1986 FJ60 series Land Cruiser and drove it to Alaska from Ohio. We spent four months living in “Elmer,” the big blue Australian 4×4, exploring the central and southern regions of Alaska forging our encounter with the red unicorn of the Talkeetna Mountains, otherwise known as the Mint Hut,” says Nate.
“Built in 1972 as an emergency shelter for mountaineers traversing surrounding glaciers, the candy-apple-red hut is nestled just an hour outside of Anchorage and a nine-mile trek from the trailhead. More commonly used today as a base camp for more involved high elevation excursions, the hut offers a kind introduction to the marvelous inner Talkeetna range and a friendly reminder of the risks of early high alpine exploration.”
Pro Tip from Nate:
When in doubt, the “rule of thirds” makes for a timeless composition. Nate’s Mint Hut is positioned here in using this method.
Story #2: Finding Magical Light
Photographer: Eneko Aldaz
The Story Behind the Photo:
This was shot in one of Eneko’s favorite local spots near the border of France in Northern Spain.
“The combination of mountains and the sea makes this place very special in terms of light conditions,” he explains. “That’s why I go there often with camera in hand — I never know what to expect.”
The sunsets tend to be hazy in this area in the fall, accentuating the layers and silhouettes of the hillscape.
For more tips on sunset shooting, check out these articles:
- A Guide to Taking Stunning, Unusual Photos at Sunrise and Sunset
- Golden Hour Photography: How to Work with Light and Shadows
Pro Tip from Eneko:
“Try photographing the same landscape in different light and weather conditions,” Eneko says. “See how the atmosphere affects the feeling of the photo, and try to shoot as much as you can, learning and practicing.”
Story #3: Connection with a Camel
Photographer: Grant Faint
The Story Behind the Photo:
“I was touring Egypt and made the usual visit to Gyza and the Great Pyramids there,” remembers Grant. “This camel and its owner were waiting for tourists fairly early in the morning to take for a ride about the dry desert nearby. It wasn’t very busy, so he was resting his charge and hugging it. I spotted his embracing, gentle arm on his camel.’
“To me, it showed the relationship between the driver and the camel: they depend on each other for daily bread. Placing the pyramids in the background completed the vibe. Paul McCartney once said that you can tell a man’s humanity by how he treats fellow animals.”
Pro Tip from Grant:
Whenever possible, shoot against the major light source (putting the light source in front of the camera, not behind). It brings depth to the image, explains Grant.
Story #4: Unlikely Surprises in Norway
Photographer: Manuel Padilla Salguero of Westend61
The Story Behind the Photo:
“I took that photo last February at Lofoten, Norway,” says Manuel. “We went in the car looking for the lights at two in the morning and we didn’t see them anywhere. Tired of not seeing anything, we went to the hotel and, halfway there, they suddenly appeared right in front of us! We stopped the car in the middle of the road and took out tripods and cameras.”
Pro Tip from Manuel:
“Landscape photographer takes a lot of patience,” explains Manuel. “The good light comes, but you have to know how to wait.”
Story #5: Finding patterns from above
Photographer: Scott Dickerson of Design Pics
The Story Behind the Photo:
“This photo was taken from a helicopter flying over the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. I was on the way back to my hometown after doing an early morning aerial assignment of oil-drilling rigs in Cook Inlet, Alaska. We had flown just after sunrise for the assignment,” says Scott.
“On the way home, we were flying low over the landscape at cruise speed and I was watching for interesting compositions and shooting in drive-by fashion through a small open window. I’ve had the good fortune of spending a lot of time flying over the Alaskan landscape for various work and there is always something interesting to see and photograph. When the sun is low and the shadows and colors dramatic it’s hard to ignore the photo opportunities passing by below.”
For more tips on aerial photographs, check out these articles:
- 7 Photographers on Shooting Inspiring Aerial Photographs of Mexico
- 15 Inspirational and Awe-Inspiring Images of Asia
- 12 Pro Tips on Shooting Sharp Aerial Photographs
Pro Tip from Scott:
“To make a good landscape photo, you need to put yourself in the right place at the right time. Then just about any camera, with any setting, can create a good image. Low-angle light is usually an important ingredient and then do your best to eliminate any and all elements in the image that are not necessary to communicate the message you are wanting to share.”
Looking for more inspiration? Check out these articles:
- Abstract Aerial We Love (And How to Photograph Them)
- 12 Tips to Master Long Exposure Landscape Photography
- 10 Landscape Photographers on Capturing the Beauty of Brazil
- Inspiration from 12 Breathtaking Wildflower Landscapes
- 6 Photographers on Taking Stunning Landscape Photos Around the World
