[keithwms]

Just saw this thread. Interesting.

How do you put emotion & feeling into a landscape?

I think it's so simple as to be overlooked: you must first be emotionally invested in that landscape. It has to mean something to you... at a level beyond "pretty" or "dramatic." The scene has to matter to you. If you have that connection, then by all means release the shutter and be confident that others will enjoy the image as well!

In my opinion, a more difficult question would be: how do you find emotional connection to an unfamiliar landscape, e.g. if you are travelling through a new area or don't have the time to get off the beaten track and really get the lay of the land.

What I very often see in landscape photography is a lot of "ooh" and "ah"... but no evidence of a deeper connection. I think if you look at Ragnar Axellson's work, you'll see just how much a photographer can be connected to the land and really become part of it. Then the ooh and the ahh is just icing on the [substantial] cake.

It doesn't necessarily take long to get to know the character of the land, but.... there is also no reason to expect a landscape to reveal all of its possibilities through the window of a moving car. People often mention Adams in connection with effective landscape images; well, he lived in those landscapes. They were as familiar to him as an old friend... and it shows.

P.S. The gear is just a thing. It can facilitate your conversation with the landscape... or it can come between.

P.P.S. Glancing up, I think I agree with Vaughn in all respects!