Compression in the landscape, Aren’t these two opposite terms to each other? Compression usually witnessed in Portrait Photography, where everything in the frame is compressed and getting tight in the form of a layer’s front to back. Whereas in Landscape Photography typically everything is spread across the frame giving the impression of how wide the world is.
I was watching a workshop by John Greengo at Creative Live last week, and that’s where I came across his work and found some incredible images of him showing compression effect in the landscape images. I realized this is where I had done something similar. So later, I thought it’s an excellent subject to write a blog upon with some examples of my own.
When I started doing photography, like any other photographer (mostly), I was in a portrait. But then I diversify myself trying a different genre of photography and start using long lenses in landscape photography, and I noticed something different which I like to share. I noticed that using longer focal lengths (e.g. 400mm and above), the small things in relative sizes are becoming bigger (like humans), and the bigger object becomes small (e.g. Sun).
Shooting landscape with telephoto lenses, the small things become big and big things becoming small
When you compressed landscape images, you have no control at all at the shooting subject and their framing.
Now, this is quite funny to learn how our mind interprets such images where SMALL THINGS BECOME BIG, AND BIG THINGS BECOME SMALL using a telephoto lens in landscape photography. Compressed Landscape images sometimes are opposite to traditional Landscape images. In typical landscape images, you focus more on composition, the angle of view, choice of filters, choice of lenses, the timing of the sun/moon, etc. But for making “compressed landscape” images, you only need to take care of choosing the longer focal length lens how long and deep you want compression to go and timing. Now some may say in return well you also need to take care of the angle of view and right subject to shoot. I think, when you go for compressed landscape images, timing is all that matters. Let me explain now.
When you go compressed landscape images, the control over the subject/objects in the far distance almost equals Zero. You totally depend on their position and movement of any moving subject you expect to be part of the frame like a bird or an airplane. For typical landscape images using wide-angle lenses, you still can walk around a bit and may get your desired composition.
Composition in Compressed Landscape photography is secondary in my view after “Timing”.
Sometimes you even place the subject in the foreground to get a sense of depth into the field like human element or wooden log, etc. But when you compressed landscape image, you have no control at all at the shooting subject and their framing. I have witnessed many moments in my brief photography career where I mostly due to TIMING either able to capture the shot or I missed it. Composition in Compressed Landscape photography is secondary in my view after “Timing.” Sometimes I had to put a dedicated long lens on one of my cameras to get random compressed landscape images on the go because you never know when you will come across something stunning, and later you won’t be able to recreate it because of the distance and timing that you had.
When you go compressed landscape images, the control over the subject/objects at the far distance almost equals to Zero.
I hope I am able to deliver the concept of “Compressed Landscape” in the simplest way possible. Rest assured that one you will start doing it, you will find it more challenging and interesting to do, unlike any other photography.
