Landscape Photography and Social Media

There's no denying it: social media has been a tremendous tool for the growth of landscape photography, both as a profession and a hobby. The ease of posting photos online for thousands of people to see instantly has changed the way people look at photography as a whole, and landscape photography in particular. We can now see photos from anywhere in the world at any time, with amazing compositions and perfect focus. We can gain inspiration, knowledge and skill from browsing and following thousands of photographers who post their photos. We can connect with other people who share the same passions, growing communities who can learn from, share with, and inspire others.

So is it all roses and sunshine? Not quite.

For every positive aspect of social media, there's a downside. And in terms of landscape photography, the biggest downside is the gamification of it all. The nature of social media is that the more exposure you have, the more your photos are shown to more people. Simply put, it's a game of numbers, where the amount of followers, likes and comments you get will determine how much "reach" your photo will have. The biggest issue with this is that it gives one the false impression that the mark of a good photo is how many likes and comments it has. That is obviously ridiculous, as some people have 1 million followers and will get much more exposure on their photos, no matter how good or bad, than an amazing photo from someone who has just 200 followers. Another issue with it is that there's no end; people get stuck in the endless race of gaining more followers, as it's a bottomless pit, and they will never reach satisfaction because there's always someone who has more than them.

Similarly, we feel the need to go to these amazing places and get that "bucket list" shot because anyone who's anyone should have that shot. This, too, is a never ending (and expensive) race. Eventually, the ease with which social media provides us to see amazing photos of the most incredible and exotic places in the world means that we just get desensitized to it all. Waterfalls in Iceland become boring and repetitive; The Grand Canyon is waaay too easy to get to. Fitz Roy in Patagonia gets annoying to even look at anymore. Social media accounts all start to look the same, containing the same "iconic" shots, simply trying to one up each other. Another fallout from all this is that these amazing places become crowded tourist hotspots. Often, the environment get trashed. The locals get upset. The photographers themselves are all fighting with their tripods to gain the best vantage point.

I have a feeling this isn't what landscape photography is supposed to look like.

Sure, these places are popular for a reason. They are beautiful, inspiring and provide us with that sense of passion for what we do. But I don't think they should be what is considered the "pinnacle" of photography. They usually don't even provide us with an opportunity to get creative and find our own unique compositions.

So, the question becomes, where should we go? What should we take pictures of? How do we expand our skill without focusing on expanding our follower count?

I think the answer is in right in your own backyard. Literally.

As on online community, we are all located in places all over the world. Each of us has access to somewhere, locally, that the rest of us don't know about. We need to start focusing more on shooting locally. No matter where one lives, there is definitely a place within an hour or two's drive that can offer something beautiful to photograph. A place you can learn to know intimately. To see it under all conditions. All seasons. All kinds of light. A place the rest of the world doesn't know. A place that will really help you develop your skills, force you to be more creative, think outside the box, and grow as a photographer and a person. Sure, these photos won't get you 10,000 followers. But who cares? They'll be unique. They'll have your own voice. You'll be the MASTER of your local landscape, instead of a jack of all landscapes, master of none.