Landscape Photographers

Part of my passion for travel pertains also to a love of photography. I am a sucker for exceptional landscape photography, and although I’m not a professional photographer yet, I do aim to be one day. In the meantime I am working at a portrait studio trying to learn the ins and outs of basic camera techniques. It is not outdoor photography, but it is a start. When the time for that comes, classes will be in order.

I’ve been surfing the internet trying to get posing ideas from different portrait photography websites. Unfortunately, I usually get sidetracked by landscape and nature photos and after several hours looking at photos, I realize I’m no closer to finishing my “homework”. While getting caught in my usual unproductive cycle the other day, I stumbled across the works of two freelance photographers with some pretty eye-catching photographs: Jeremy Turner and Tony Howell.

Jeremy Turner has an interesting background. Only after completing a BS (with honors) in biochemistry and a PhD in molecular biology, did he become completely interested in photography. It’s pretty amazing that he found the time between his studies, odd jobs as a painter and decorator, in the retail industry, and in a commercial photo-processing lab, and playing classical piano and long-distance cycle touring. Impressive. He has since won various awards for his photography, held exhibitions, and contributed to magazines such as Smart Photography. Way to start out on one path and end up so successful in another. For me, that’s very encouraging.

Jeremy mainly uses a Pentax 645 medium format (MF) camera, combined with the following Pentax SMC-A lenses: 35mm f/3.5, 45mm f/2.8, 75mm f/2.8, 120mm f/4 macro and 200mm, f/4.

Tony Howell is one of England’s best-known landscape photographers. His images have been used everywhere from books and greeting cards to billboards and even movies (The Number 23). The amazing thing about this photographer is that he is completely self-taught. He acknowledges that he has no qualifications, but credits practice, dedication, and a love for the craft. He also notes the difficulties of freelance photography and that it is less photographic skills than marketing skills and patience that have helped him become successful.

Tony uses a Phase One P45 Digital Back with Mamiya 645AFD and a Canon 1DS MkII Professional Full-frame Digital Camera.