I want to be like........

[Dylan & Marianne]

When I was playing basketball - I wanted to be like Mike
As a physician I wanted to be like a certain mentor I had since medical student days
As a landscape photographer , I most definitely want to "be like" Marc Adamus

Thanks to his works of art (often blended exposures from the one spot for many days) , more so than any other landscape photographer, I am constantly inspired

A couple of recent ones of his :

http://1x.com/#!/photo/48107/all/popular-month/homage-to-the-mountain

http://1x.com/#!/photo/48185/all/popular-month/ripples-and-flames

[mikew09]

WOW, those photos are fantastic.

[arthurking83]

Yesm! .... Marc seems to have quite a collection of images! :th3:
(got his gallery @ #5 in my galleries bookmarks)

Have you seen or heard of Robert Mekis too? .. brilliant!!

They used to post regularly on an e-magazine called Neutral Density Magazine, where Andy Mumford seems to be either the main contributor/owner/organiser of the site, but is open to contributions from many individuals.

[Dylan & Marianne]

thanks for that arthur- I'll be looking at their works as inspiration for NZ later this year with their alipine shots in particular!

[sunny6teen]

I'm glad you posted this Dylan as I've been thinking something similar all week.

My arguent is unlike most forms of photography - 'landscape' has stagnated lately. I've been hunting around for images to inspire etc
but the Masters these days seem to be failing at innovating and progression. I don't know if the diluted industry is preventing
photographers from taking risks or whether the seeming increase in workshops is taking Masters away from their art.
Many will disagree with me I'm sure but I just feel that many of the most popular landscape photographers just seem to be cranking out
the same generic formula.

...but I digress.
to answer your question...and to stay on the matter of landscapes.

I loved Eliot Porter's work when I was at school but he was getting pretty old and not really doing much. They were old images I was admiring.
I started looking closely at guys like Jack Dykinger and David Muench - who are both a bit stale I think. Don't get me wrong...both are very popular but I just don't think they're charting new territory. They're not alone.
Guys like Joe Cornish and Galen Rowell made me cringe years ago...and still do.
The former makes 'chocolate box' images. The latter, in my opinion, is an example of everything that's wrong with popular processing techniques these days :(

A couple of photographers I've been casting my eye over lately are Michael Kenna and Edward Burtynsky. I'm not saying either are
entirely exempt of my previous criticisms but they are do appear to be at least trying to break the mould.
Closer to home...a young guy called Trent Mitchell has been creating some interesting work as well. I think he's still working out
what direction to take (mind you, he's pretty good in all fields) but worth keeping an eye out for.

[terry.langham]

I want to be like Murray Fredericks (http://www.murrayfredericks.com.au/). I would like to be able to leave civilisation behind for weeks at a time as much as I would like to be bale to produce images like his.

Great thread Dylan. Plenty of good artists to explore in the future already, my favourites list has just grown a lot.

[Dylan & Marianne]

I love the salt series of Murray Fredrericks!
Tony - I haven't even heard of half of those names but will look them up too

[Steve Axford]

I'm glad you posted this Dylan as I've been thinking something similar all week.

My arguent is unlike most forms of photography - 'landscape' has stagnated lately. I've been hunting around for images to inspire etc
but the Masters these days seem to be failing at innovating and progression. I don't know if the diluted industry is preventing
photographers from taking risks or whether the seeming increase in workshops is taking Masters away from their art.
Many will disagree with me I'm sure but I just feel that many of the most popular landscape photographers just seem to be cranking out
the same generic formula.

...but I digress.
to answer your question...and to stay on the matter of landscapes.

I loved Eliot Porter's work when I was at school but he was getting pretty old and not really doing much. They were old images I was admiring.
I started looking closely at guys like Jack Dykinger and David Muench - who are both a bit stale I think. Don't get me wrong...both are very popular but I just don't think they're charting new territory. They're not alone.
Guys like Joe Cornish and Galen Rowell made me cringe years ago...and still do.
The former makes 'chocolate box' images. The latter, in my opinion, is an example of everything that's wrong with popular processing techniques these days :(

A couple of photographers I've been casting my eye over lately are Michael Kenna and Edward Burtynsky. I'm not saying either are
entirely exempt of my previous criticisms but they are do appear to be at least trying to break the mould.
Closer to home...a young guy called Trent Mitchell has been creating some interesting work as well. I think he's still working out
what direction to take (mind you, he's pretty good in all fields) but worth keeping an eye out for.

I think you are right. Landscape is a bit "old hat" and perhaps much of the very best has already been done - for now. Perhaps the very best photographers are now doing other things that have more potential with the current technology. That's not to say that there isn't room for improvement, just nothing revolutionary for now. I think that most of the best paid landscapers are a bit boring. Take one well known Aussie photographer who does endless panoramas of Aussie icons that all look the same. Still, he makes lots of money from it so he must be good, mustn't he?

[mongo]

Wow - for Mongo this is seriously great work. Some of what James said is probably true. However, when Mongo looks at these images they appear inspirationally NEW and have their own persona and nothing like your "typical" commercial landscape

Mongo forgot to tell who he would want to be like. A combination of Fred Hollows, “Weary” Dunlop and Sir William Deane. Mongo has absolutely no use for George Clooney types. so, figure that out.

[peterking]

Don't bother Dylan.
You're already as good.
The images of yours I have seen so far have more life to them and are far less stark.

[Dylan & Marianne]

lol peter - thanks for the compliment :) as long as I don't think so, there is something to progress toward and that's always important in anything i do!
ps. I also have zero use for George Clooney types Mongo .......though I live among them in the hospital lol

[ricktas]

I just want to be better than ME. If I can improve then I have had success. I would rather rate my work against myself, than against another.

[Dylan & Marianne]

same here Rick ! but personally I find it easier to judge myself against what I currently perceive to be 'gold standard' and if ain't there - try try try again!

[mechawombat]

Dont want to blow smoke up your bum Dtoh but I want to shoot like you and Xenedis.:th3:

[outstar79]

Dont want to blow smoke up your bum Dtoh but I want to shoot like you and Xenedis.:th3:

Agreed, but seriously Dylan, Bill, Xenedis and other landscapers/seascapers on this site I would be more than happy to shoot at half their level. But as Rick says, I want to be better than ME - I've seen how far I've come as a photographer since joining this site - and I have a whole heap to learn yet but I owe a lot to you guy here on AP :th3:

[Dylan & Marianne]

I always want to better than me too! it's just easier to find an actual visual goalpost (eg Adamus) rather than an imagined ideal!

[outstar79]

He certainly captures some amazing light, but I think at the moment I have to think to more realistic goals considering my capabilities at the moment. Though I admire Adamus and people like Nick Rains and Ian Wallace too

[Erin]

David Noton rocks the landscape kazbaa as far as I am concerned. I would love to shoot like him but absolutely no chance in Hades at this point in my life.