Working Pictures: The Dramatic Landscape
Join National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson in “The Dramatic Landscapes” online workshop, where you’ll learn to elevate your landscape photography beyond the ordinary.
Go beyond standard landscape compositions
Dates: TBD | Tuition: $315
Three 90-minute sessions online. Each session will begin at 8 PM EST. It will be recorded and made available to registered participants for 60 days. Tuition is non-refundable.
With decades of experience, Jim has made it his mission to break free from conventional landscape compositions, creating images that tell captivating stories. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to move beyond the stereotypical landscape shot, discovering the hidden narratives within nature and how to capture them with impact. Jim’s unique perspective has graced numerous National Geographic gatefolds, and now he’s ready to share his insights with you.
Master the Art of Dramatic Landscapes
Through a blend of classroom lectures, field assignments, and in-depth critiques, Jim will guide you in expanding your vision and mastering the art of dramatic landscapes. You’ll explore new techniques and borrow inspiration from other art forms and music, all while honing essential photographic skills. Whether you’re looking to deepen your aesthetic approach or sharpen your technical abilities, this workshop will help you unlock the full potential of your landscape photography.
Course Outline
Session One
We will cover:
- Opening discussion of the the Dramatic Landscape and why it can be so powerful
- How landscapes can explore geology and geography, culture and history
- Survey of standard landscape photography and the various ways it can become stylized and cliche, and ways to break free
- Why many standard landscape pictures (however beautiful) never get published
- Necessary things: Tools for landscape photography, like cameras and lenses, tripods, filters, etc.
- Assignment: Directions on what to photographer before the next class and how to submit images for review.
Session Two
We will cover:
- Unconventional landscape composition that elevates your photography (and why the rule of thirds is a poor substitute for actual graphic skill)
- How to draw on other arts (like music and painting) to suggest emotional and dramatic themes for your landscapes
- How to make landscapes tell a story, and how to build whole stories out of landscapes
- Review and critique of your images
- Assignment for new weeks session
Session Three
We will cover:
- Review and critique of you images
- Exploring new locations and new motivations for you photography
- How and why to incorporate new techniques into your photography
- Sources for broadening your perspective on landscapes
- Your questions and a roundup discussion
Meet your instructor
Jim Richardson
Workshop FacultyJim has work appearing regularly in National Geographic magazine and National Geographic Traveler in addition to Geographic books. Jim is on assignment for Nat Geo projects almost full time and for good reason. Richardson, a onetime newspaper photographer in Kansas and Colorado, brings amazing story-telling techniques along with detailed research to his pictures. Thirty years ago, he began photographing the area around his hometown in north central Kansas.