The concept of "intimate landscapes" is attributed to American photographer Elliot Porter (1901 - 1990). Unlike his contemporaries (Ansel Adams, Edward Weston and others) who photographed primarily "grand vistas," Porter's "intimate landscape" images were small slices of the natural environment that excelled at illustrating why the scene in front of his camera was relevant to a larger and more complex world. Although his 1979 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art was titled "intimate landscapes," the genesis of the concept can be seen much earlier, in his 1962 groundbreaking work “In Wildness is the Preservation of the World.” This book combined stunning large format color images with quotations from Henry David Thoreau extolling the virtues of wilderness, and was the first book published by the Sierra Club. The book was an immediate success, raising the Sierra Club to national prominence and launching an environmental movement that can be considered the "grandfather" of many of the environmental and conservation groups of today.
The concept of "intimate landscapes" is one of those hard to define "I'll know it when I see it" concepts, with very few well defined rules. In general, the intimate landscape concentrates on a small portion of the overall scene and does not include a horizon or skyline. Unlike the grand scenic, which includes the "grand" view out to infinity, the intimate landscape typically encompasses a view from 10 to 100 feet (3 to 30 meters) in front of the viewer. The intimate landscape is typically a simple composition which illustrates the relationship between harmonious elements within the scene. John Fielder calls intimate landscapes "portraits of the planet - its geology and life forms - without the distraction of what is happening [in the larger landscape]."
The "intimate landscapes" assignment is a natural follow-on to our "seeing simple beauty" assignment. However, this time instead of composing an image where a single element is dominant, we're composing an image of the natural landscape that illustrates the relationships between harmonious elements within the scene. The most powerful intimate landscapes combine only two or three elements, so "keep it simple" is still a good rule of thumb.
As I mentioned during the "near, middle, far" assignment, Naomi's
Eden image is a great example of an intimate landscape.
Eden
Even though we are composing an image on a much more intimate scale than the "grand scenic," you should still try to compose your intimate landscape with near, middle and far elements to convey depth, and use leading lines to guide the viewer into and through the scene.
Avalanche Creek, Glacier National Park, Montana
The assignment for 8 - 15 September 2008 is "intimate landscapes." You should compose an image of the natural landscape that illustrates the relationships between harmonious elements within the scene. Don't forget to use the composition techniques discussed in previous assignments to lead the viewer into and through the scene, convey a sense of depth, and evoke an emotional response in the viewer. Please upload your images to the "Intimate Landscapes" album in the Weekly Assignments Category of the Gallery no later than midnight Mountain Time (GMT-07:00) on Sunday, 14 September 2008.
