Is it just me, or there is a seismic change that how people consume landscape photography – and even how they deliver it?
Over the years, the basic principles of photography have been unchanged. It is only that settings and camera gear can be said. The actual value lies in the way of creating an image, and this applies to all photography styles.
Nevertheless, as a landscape photographer, I have seen a change. Field-based YouTube videos have less interest and more focus on bright new gear. I see it everywhere – thumbnail after thumbnail displays the latest cameras, lenses and accessories. There is nothing wrong in this, of course. It is necessary to understand your gear. But I can’t help, but feel that something is losing something on the way.
Think about it. We start photography with the desire to catch all moments, a story through images. But more and more, photography is reduced to glasses, settings and latest firmware updates. Yes, these things matter, but they are not the soul of photography. The real magic comes from seeing, understanding the light, waiting for the right moment – and this is where the composition and creativity takes the center step.
Why shift?
The process of taking a picture has not changed. The goal remains the same: control light. Whether he was a modern photographer who was a modern photographer dialing in ANSEL Adams carefully measurement exposure, Galen Rowow, High Up a Mountain, or settings, fundamentals are unchanged. Difference of? Today’s technology raises very heavy for us.
We no longer take the outer light meter or wait for weeks to develop the film. Instead, we get quick response behind our cameras or in electronic viewfinder. Exposure bracketing, autofocus tracking, and real -time histogram means that we have more equipment in our disposal more than ever. But has it made us better photographers, or has it made things more convenient?
It may be part of the shift – the consumption of photography is cured as the process itself has become more immediate.
We live in a world that moves fast. Our brain is bombed with images, sounds, videos and options at the growing speed. We scroll endlessly, barely stopping to appreciate the work in front of us. So why is there photography, an art that should encourage patience and immersion, fall into this trap?
Instead of having an opportunity to slow down and absorb a moment, photography is becoming another part of the rapid consumption cycle. We see it in the way the material is presented- Quick Edits, Rapid Transition, and cutting-shaped tutorials that prefer profaneity at depth.
It is easy to blame social media. Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and X were threw on a span that paid less attention, designed to hook us and scroll us. Tiktok has completed algorithm, they cannot resist by feeding users’ content, keeping them in an endless loop. But it does not encourage focus or creativity. Instead, it is overwhelmed.
And yet, photography should be dead for this, not another casualties.
Are we shooting for ourselves?
Getting out with a camera should be a chance, to immerse itself in nature, and to create. But more and more, photographers are shooting keeping in mind a target: feeding the social media machine.
- Are we capturing images that we really love, or are we producing just the material fit for algorithm?
- Are we choosing places that inspire us, or because they are trending online?
- Are we extracting time to refine our craft, or run through it for engagement?
As a person who regularly makes images and videos, I make this change completely understand. Personally, I still enjoy taking photographers to the field, showing their process and sharing their ideas pattern because they create a shot. Seeing the final editing at the end of a video, it feels like a whole journey. But that style of material seems to be quick, high-proclaimed gear reviews and rapid book editing favor.
Print and slowing
This brings me something about which I am thinking more: Print and the value of books. Unlike endless scrolling, books of physical print and photography forces us to slow down and appreciate images in detail. There is something special about sitting on a chair, flipping through pages and studying others’ work – there is nothing when we consume materials in the way we do now.
Think about how different it sounds:
- Keep a fine art print in your hands and see it on a small screen.
- Study a photography book for inspiration vs. flipping for dozens of images on Instagram.
- Take time to digest and appreciate scrolling a composition vs. scrolling in a second.
Instead of allowing photography to be another high speed, disposable piece of media, should we not encourage slow, more deliberate return?
Why field photography still matters
Gear will always be part of photography. This has not been denied. But there is something about being in the region, dealing with unexpected situations, and taking creative decisions on the occasion that cannot be repeated in a studio.
When you are out in nature:
- The light is always changing. You have to adapt.
- Conditions are never the same. Weather, jowar and weather all play a role.
- The creative process is liquid. You can’t rely only on preset and formulas.
And yet, field photography is taking a backseat for controlled, scripted materials that are designed to sell a product rather than teaching a craft. This is what I worry about.
My questions to you
Reduce speed What is this, appreciate photography for this, not what the algorithms want.
If we determine the way we consume and create social media, we risk losing something valuable – in fact the ability to connect with an image.
Otherwise, the future of photography may not be at all, but AI-borne composites and teenage videos are dancing. I don’t believe? Just see how Instagram has shifted its attention away from photography and towards video content.
So, I will leave you with it:
- When did you really study an image?
- The last time you shot for yourself, not for social media?
- Last time when you let a picture go to the sink, instead of swiping in the past only?
What are your thoughts? Am I away from the mark, or are you looking at this change too? Let’s discuss in the comments.
