I’ve loved landscape photography, the different means of capturing beauty of places I’ve been to, and places I want to go to, and places it FEELS like I’ve been to but never have or will, but the photo itself was an amazing experience.

As was shared with me, Ansel Adams wrote (somewhere?) photograph what you FEEL, and not just what you see.

I recently adventured to Horseshoe Bend near Page Arizona, and am so glad I did. What an experience, the whole thing from wanting to do it for a year+, to spontaneously jumping in the car because there were going to be CLOUDS! I learned a bunch out shooting, one major point was to know where you’re standing. I found this out after spending 15-30 minutes on a shelf of rock that was only 3 inches thick, and hanging over the cliff. The beauty of the HB was incredible, to see the awesomeness of Earth, Water, and Air all in one place, and to stand at the edge and see was beautiful. I learned about how to shoot in the day time, under clouds, and sometimes with a little sun. I found that I need to trust the camera, and not give into the immediate feel of the image is too dark (only because it shows up on the little LCD super dark, in the middle of the day >.< ).

Landscapes are a treat, you get to go somewhere beautiful, and be… though, they are challenging in making sure you’ve scouted your spot(s), and are prepared for what may or may not occur. I decided to photograph the full moon rise a week or so before my HB trip. I scouted it for a two days before the rise, and when it happened, everything but the Sun worked out. It was still wonderful as I drove nearly ~600 miles within the Phoenix valley, and played with a lens that was more like a telescope. I’ve better learned what is required for both prep and execution of images of these places and events.

Shoot what you feel, because if you can capture that the people who see your imagery, your feels, may experience those feels through what you’ve shared. What an amazing gift, to share a feeling, for all involved.