Fine Art Landscape And Nature Photography Blog

Including the Hand of Man in Our Landscape Photographs

June 19, 2023 | New England

Including man-made objects in our landscape photographs is sometimes quite challenging! I personally find it to be one of the hardest things to do well in this genre of photography; however, today's guest on my podcast, Michael Blanchette, has mastered it.

Beaver Moon over Whaleback — Whaleback Light is a historic lighthouse marking the mouth of the Piscataqua River in Kittery, Maine. It is located on a rocky outcrop offshore. The present tower was built in 1872. I took the photo from a distance using a long lens as the Beaver Moon was rising in November. Every first full moon of November is called the beaver moon in honor of the semiaquatic rodents. This is the time of year when beavers begin to take shelter after storing their food for the winter, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.

On this week's episode, we discuss:

How Michael transitioned from his career in software engineering to landscape photography.
Michael's proclivity for including "the hand of man" in his landscape photographs.
Michael's approach for including man-made objects in his photographs.
What Michael loves most about landscape photography.
Michael's approaches to planning his photography shoots.
The tools that Michael uses to maximize his success as a photographer.
The pros and cons of social media and how it has changed over the years for Michael.
Michael's thoughts on compositing.
And a lot more!

Little Church of the Fog — Crystal Lake is located in Eaton, New Hampshire -- in the heart of the White Mountains. On autumn morns, the lake is often covered in fog, adding to the photogenic appeal of the location. This image was made at sunrise as the fog began to lift above the calm lake, revealing a colorful reflection on the serene surface.

Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week:

Support the podcast on Patreon.
The Natural Landscape Photography Awards.
Nature Photographer's Network - get 10% off using the code "FSTOP10".
Watch podcast episodes on YouTube, where we overlay photos with our conversation via video.

Here is who Mike recommended on the podcast this week:

Betty Wiley.
Tom Mackie.
Jeremy Noyes.

Hohenzollern Castle is the ancestral seat of the imperial House of Hohenzollern. The castle sits on Mount Hohenzollern in central Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. On this morning, we spent hours waiting for the thick fog to rise and reveal the castle on the hill. The fog eventual lifted, allowing the sun to light the foliage and castle amidst a moody backdrop. I stood on a distant hill opposite the castle and used a long lens to take this photo.

I love hearing from the podcast listeners! Reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter if you'd like to be on the podcast or if you have an idea of a topic we can talk about. We also have an Instagram page, a Facebook Page, and a Facebook Group - so don't be shy!

We also have a searchable transcript of every episode!

Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week.

P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.

Scroll down to see more of Mike's fantastic photography.

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