How to make your impressionist landscape images more interesting

Have you ever asked yourself what is an interesting impressionist photo? What makes a good impressionist image? Is there some secret formula you can apply that will guarantee beautiful impressionist images?

I think the answer to these questions is relatively simple. There are definitely a few guiding ideas you can use that will most likely get you closer to the perfect impressionist landscape image.

Basically, your picture needs to convey an idea, a mood and an essence of the place. It needs to tell a compelling story.

How can we tell a visual story that will grab your viewer’s attention?

First of all, you need to learn to see. Observe and look at everything that surrounds you. Seeing is noticing everything that’s in front of you and distilling it into a compelling image. If you come across an interesting place then you should consider what is so special about it that moved you to take your camera out of your camera bag.  It’s usually only a small part of what we see that’s important; it’s the one that drives us and intrigues us. The key to success is to notice the most important elements, and then focus on them.

[bctt tweet=”If you come across an interesting place then you should consider what is so special about it” username=”evapolak”]

The second, no less important, task is to convey emotion into the photo.

How do you convey those emotions to an impressionist image?

The beauty of working impressionistically is that you can suggest mood by careful use of colour, shape, and of course light.  Every landscape can be reduced to a diverse collection of shapes, lines and colours, textures and patterns.

[bctt tweet=”Every landscape can be reduced to a diverse collection of shapes, lines and colours, textures and patterns.” username=”evapolak”]

It might also be helpful, when photographing, to describe the place by using as many adjectives as possible. They will determine the most important features of the image and will help you to focus on the story that you are trying to tell. Ask yourself what is important in the image and look for a way to emphasise these essential features.

What makes a good composition?

Composition results as much from what you leave out of the frame as what you keep in it. Once you know what you are photographing and what specific aspect of a landscape you want to capture, you can assess what can be eliminated from the frame. If an element within the frame doesn’t help you convey what you intended, it doesn’t belong there.

[bctt tweet=”Remember, the success of your impressionist landscape images depends on you, your eye, and your experience.” username=”evapolak”]

Remember, the success of your impressionist landscape images depends on you, your eye, and your experience. Cameras can’t come up with ideas, they don’t decide when to release the shutter, nor can they compose the image or feel the mood. These decisions are all up to you. Taking good pictures involves many skills. You need to know the rules of exposure, techniques, composition, but the most important is your imagination.

Experiment with your images. Watch the resulting impact and the effectiveness of your decisions on your photographs. Learn from your successes – and especially from your mistakes. Every photo shoot will bring you closer to better and more interesting impressionist landscapes.