If you have been interested in landscape photography for some years, you may notice that most photographers who do it thoughtfully and regularly do it more or less the same way. To be honest, there’s no significant difference in their works. If we look at the winners of photo contests on such web platforms as Viewbug or 35 Awards, we can hardly tell why this photographer is a winner and that isn’t. The top 100 of them do the same – perfectly balanced, professionally processed images of beautiful places while great light. Simply put, postcards. It became a standard in landscape photography quite a while ago. (And I think that’s the reason why Sony Award trying so hard to distance oneself from that.) I recently listened to a podcast with one of the lead landscape photographers in Russia. Among others, he said a very important and truly thing: everyone now knows how to shoot and process, a good photograph is mainly the question of luck. To my mind, that’s a dead end. Ansel taught us all many years ago what is good in landscape imagery. And we have learned the lesson. It’s time to do something more. Some photographers invented their systems of taking a good photograph. They even converted it to a simple scheme. The set of algorithms: try to combine shapes, lines, the rule of thirds, and light, and you’ll get a good image. But wait! Where’s the creativity, I want to ask? Human life isn’t enough to visit all the places on our planet. Nature offers us an infinite variety of plots. Also, we have such characteristics as area, spot, season, weather, time of the day, foreshortening, focal length, the height of shooting, depth of field, type of processing, coloured or monochrome, contrasty or not, filters, infrared, and so on, and so forth! The one who said that everything in the world is already photographed just has a poorly imagination and a lack of experience. So, why do most of us do postcards, not photography? I bold to suppose because it’s easier. It’s much easier to learn the processing technique and basic “rules” of composition because there are plenty of different tutorials on the Internet, and a massive part of them are free. And then get likes on Instagram, tons of rave comments on Facebook, and winnings in out-of-town photo contests. The other way, the path of many-year practice, eternal search, mistakes and disappointments, and then, finally, the obtaining of your masterpiece that you’ll be satisfied with for a whole week, and most of your followers couldn’t even understand – this way is much more complicated...
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If you have more or less stayed tuned with the news for the last four months, and you can watch what’s happening “from above”, you definitely noticed that there are only two points of view: one side is an aggressor, the empire of evil and all its people are vicious orcs; and the other side is an innocent victim and all its citizens are saints. Don’t you think that it is too simple? You can take any moment in the world’s history and try to learn everything about it thoroughly, and you will find out at some moment that all those events had a lot of prerequisites, many things led to it, and, finally, it was all very complicated. It’s not only about historical events – the same with everything. But people hate complexity and uncertainty. We love everything being simple and clear. We prefer to label every item (event, person, smartphone, movie, song, etc.) with appropriate marks: good, bad, and so-so. To place everything on the relevant shelf. This way of thinking and living is pleasing and calming. But that’s how we look like ostriches hiding their heads into the sand. (Yes, I know that ostriches don’t do that, it’s just a set phrase.) The truth is always somewhere in between. Even if you can easily identify the wrong side, that doesn’t mean that everyone from that side is bad and ugly. Moreover, we, ordinary people, can only see what we are allowed to see – the tip of the iceberg. Everything is much more complicated and tangled than we think. Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. If you want to SUPPORT my YouTube channel or me personally, you can do it here. Or you just...
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I was going to make this post, as I previously promised, about my YouTube channel explaining why I decided to abandon any schedule in uploading new videos. But our crazy life made its corrections… You know, frankly speaking, I’m surprised (and simultaneously not surprised at all) with all that flow of dirt and lies that are flooding us without any interruption. From both (I emphasize it – BOTH) sides. Do you think that Putin is a great liberator? Or you are convinced that Zelensky is a hero? If yes, for any of these two, you are living with pink glasses on your eyes. Too rare to my mind, there are voices of common sense. Too few opinions that these persons simply pursue their goals don’t even think about people. We are sinking in hate… “Imagine there’s no countries. It isn’t hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for And no religion, too. Imagine all the people Livin’ life in peace.” Do you remember these wise words? I very much hope so. My heart is crying… Yes, I know that it’s very easy to call for peace and wisdom sitting on the couch behind a laptop in thousand kilometres far from the war, but still. Are we, people, can unite and forget about our tiny disagreements only in the face of extraterrestrial invasion and the following extermination? Are we so silly and weak? I can’t answer my questions, I’m not even close to wisdom. But at least, I do realize that in any war, there can’t be right or wrong sides. We all lose if we fight, no matter who started...
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We, people, are so ridiculous. We are firmly convinced that we matter. I mean not humanity at all but every person in particular. Everyone thinks for some reason that his (her) thoughts are unique and vital. These thoughts could be expressed in photos of a cocktail in a café or an occasional flower on the flowerbed. Also, it could be a text on the social media account full of deep insights and wise conclusions. But you know what? 99% of it is complete trash, trivial and uninteresting, filled with snobbery and narcissism. We don’t listen; we prefer to talk. Well, actually, no. We listen. To people so-called opinion leaders. If someone is famous, he is worth being heard. If not… well, bad luck. Have you ever heard the sad story of the life of a great English poet and engraver, William Blake? He wrote poems and illustrated them with his engravings. He died unrecognized and poor. Two hundred years after his death, he became famous. He was proclaimed one of the greatest English poets in history, his poems and engravings the world’s cultural heritage. It seems to me that we should start to use our brains and stop being afraid. Use our brains to critically estimate anyone’s viewpoint presented to us by some “opinion leader”. And stop frightened of having our thoughts and feelings about anything, stop being afraid that our view could differ from the majority’s one. And if we do so, perhaps, our world would be a bit happier place to live. Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. If you want to SUPPORT my YouTube channel or me personally, you can do it here. Or you just...
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Well, it’s time to take stock of the year. For me, this year became unbelievably intense and changing. Precisely 365 days ago, I was only hoping to get the approval of my startup project to develop it in Portugal. Today, I live in this beautiful country. For me, this year consisted of: getting a startup visa, moving to Portugal, starting to learn the second foreign language (Portuguese), 5-months apart from my best friend, reunification with her, meeting the ocean for the first time in my life, my first photography masterclass, deletion by the Instagram Company and recovery by myself of my account, restarting my Facebook account from scratch, opening my online store on Etsy, and many less important and noticeable events. Unfortunately, I can’t tell that this year was full of photography accomplishments. (In fact, I only got to the final of one little known and insignificant photo contest.) On the one hand, it was expected and natural because I had to focus on many different things. On the other hand, that doesn’t mean that I didn’t take landscape photographs (and if you follow my Instagram, you perfectly know it). Moreover, I can see a clear improvement in the level of my works. Furthermore, I have two ongoing projects now: an unusual eco-photobook (consisting of my photographs and little stories and wonderful illustrations by Polina Kudelkina) and a top-secret-yet project. At the same time, I almost gave up my YouTube channel. I will explain all the reasons later, in a separate post. In a couple of words, I can tell that it takes too much effort and time and gives back a tiny feedback. Now, it has no sense to run it at the same pace. I have many plans for the following year. And high hopes, of course! To conclude, let me show two nines of the best photographs on my Instagram account during the year. As usual, the first nine is according to my followers’ opinion: The second one is my favourites among not as popular as previous: Well! Thank you very much to everyone who follows me anywhere. The special and warmest gratitude goes to those who liked and commented on my posts. I very much appreciate it! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Stay safe and healthy! See you next year! Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. If you want to SUPPORT my YouTube channel or me personally, you can do it here. Or you just...
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If you follow my blog here or are subscribed to my YouTube channel, you may know that I made a tutorial video some time ago. (If not and you are interested, you can watch it by clicking this link.) I thought that if I ever started to teach photography to someone, it would be a landscape one for people who love nature and are eager to take good photographs. I should admit that my first attempt in this field has failed. That photography talk hasn’t interested anyone. But I am going by bus from Lisbon at the moment. Today, I gave a photography and video masterclass to real estate agents. And unlike the video on my channel, today, it was paid work. Whether I become a real estate agent tutor or do something else in photography, I have no idea. I only know that the best way to fill your life with impressions is not refusing the opportunities, it doesn’t matter how fearful they can look at first glance. As it said in one of my favourite movies, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”: “You don’t have to be afraid!” Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. If you want to SUPPORT my YouTube channel or me personally, you can do it here. Or you just...
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Finally, something I have been waiting for already five months will happen. Tomorrow. I think that introverted people (and I am one of them) need some time to be alone. We can love someone more than ourselves, more than our own life (and it really is, that’s not pathetic words), but we still need some time to be alone. I haven’t had a friend who could understand me as good as I am, and even better at some moments. Until I met my wife. She’s my best and closest friend. And still, I need some time to be alone. (Perhaps, that’s one of the reasons why I love to do landscape photography.) But everything’s good without excessive. Even loneliness. For five months, I’ve discussed things important to me (not vital but important), imagining my wife beside me. Since tomorrow, I won’t be looking crazy. Finally. Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. If you want to SUPPORT my YouTube channel or me personally, you can do it here. Or you just...
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Some people are convinced that life is beautiful, that this is a gift full of wonders. I envy you! You either cheat on yourself, trying not to notice what’s happening around you, hiding in your rainbow soap bubble, or you are pretty lucky! Both cases are lovely! And I do envy you! I don’t know; maybe at some moment, I have chosen a red pill. Perhaps, it was just like that. About 15 years ago, I was convinced that truth is better than self-cheating because you can do something with facts. And now it’s impossible to get it all back. Because “it never happens that anything goes back to what it used to be”. And I don’t need that, to be honest. As for me, my life has been getting better over the years. Probably, by the time when I will finally grow my beard (it will be already grey, but that’s just nothing), by that time, it (life, of course, not beard) will become good. But you know what I have realized during the last several months? (Frankly, I noticed it a long time ago but realized it with all its staggering clarity just now.) The sky is the best creation. It’s perfect. It is infinitely and inexpressibly beautiful, just like the ocean. Time shall pass, and not even a trace of us will be left behind, not even dust. But the sky and the ocean will. And they will be still perfect. Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. If you want to SUPPORT my YouTube channel or me personally, you can do it here. Or you just...
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I think everybody asks this question to himself sometimes. Those of us who tend to any form of creativity repeat the question multiple times during life. And if most adult persons find some answer convenient to them and keep living and creating without doubts, the rest of creatives are suffering from that annoying uncertainty. If you are interested, I have some thoughts about that. First of all, there’s no talent… Well, actually, it exists, but that does no fundamental matter. What do I mean? If you ask most people to describe the talent, to define what it is, more likely, they will tell you about some universally recognized persons who made (or still making) masterpieces no matter in which sphere. But in fact, they describe the top of the mountain, the visible results of the skill. And don’t consider what is below: years of study, even more years of practice, a rich experience, a sea of mistakes, plenty of fallings and even more risings, lakes of tears, hills of insecurity and rocks of selfless dedication to the deed, and so on, etc. It’s very simple. Talent isn’t some kind of superpower that gives you the possibility to make something outstanding without hard work. It’s just a base. A starting point, if you will. Let’s take an example. There’s some kid; name him kid #1. At some moment, for some reason, he decided to be a photographer. His parents buy him the first camera. He starts to photograph everything he sees around. When someone asks him what genre of photography he prefers, he replies that he doesn’t limit himself to one genre. He likes to photograph everything, from landscapes and street scenes to portraits and architecture. After some time, he suddenly faces some photography masterpiece that strikes him to the core. And he finally realizes that he does poor photography, knows nothing but simultaneously understands which genre in photography he will choose. And he goes to photography courses where he studies the basics. After few months, his photographs look much more harmonic. They become meaningful images, not sudden pictures anymore. They are still far from what could be called masterpieces, but at least they are no more trash. There’s some other kid. Name him kid #2. Once he finds a camera of his mother or father, he goes for a walk and starts taking pictures. Later, his parents see those images and are surprisingly ask: “Did you take these photographs?” Because these images look harmonic and meaningful. They are far from what could be called masterpieces, but this is just his first attempt! So, both kids made their first steps...
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