Composition and CHAOS

[@pc1189]

As someone who is learning landscape it’s reassuring to see and hear that an experienced landscape photographer struggles with chaotic scenes.

[@LeandroOliveira-hs6su]

Contrary to your belief, I loved the photo with the mossy branches that appear at 11:55. I don't think the white branches spoil the scene. On the contrary, I think they kind of give the scene a sense of depth of field that otherwise wouldn't exist in the picture! It's just amazing! Congrats!

[@ralphwatson7036]

Why the heck don't you have a million subscribers?? Your photos and editing are phenomenal and your videos are the most polished of any of the many photographers I follow. 👍👍

[@brandonwells8300]

Week after week you show a body of work which places you in a category of excellence among contemporary landscape photographers which is all your own...and manage to clearly explain why and how. This both inspires and helps me no end. I want to thank you.

[@JohnTomasella]

That's the beauty of photography, it's art and the camera is the photographers brush.

[@AlergicToSnow]

Your body of work is amazing. I really like this series. It’s about photography, not about gear! How refreshing. Incredibly inspiring, and provocative.

[@gayleruble6529]

Your images are hands down stunning. You possess this innate ability to not only see but seemingly attract phenomenal lighting. I’m amused how others may disagree with your philosophy that light trumps composition...but your images undeniably demonstrates and validates your claim. Well done.

[@lindefraser9148]

I 'm amazed at the quality of these videos, for visual, auditory effects and education. I don't miss cable tv .

[@MadsPeterIversen]

That’s just some sublime photos!

[@TL-xw6fh]

Yes, Mad these are superb images. Adam is a real master and kudos to him for sharing them with us. I do agree with him that we should not rigidly restrict composition to the "hard and fast" rules, but let our creativity take precedence. I notice that you do that often too!

[@michaelmckeag960]

At 0:45, such a familiar sight, sand verbena and the Santa Rosa Mountains in last light before the sun sets behind the San Ysidro Mountains. For the past several years we have spent mid-winter in the Anza-Borrego Desert. This winter we stayed home, and with the guidance of your tutorial videos and those of a few other landscape photographers I’m starting to learn how to find compositions in the chaos of our winter, often fogbound, oak-pine woodlands in the east Columbia River Gorge. Bafflement and frustration is starting to give way to occasional satisfaction. Thanks!

[@lonosmond]

I think the white trees in the image at 11:54 are the primary subjects of the image. My eyes were immediately drawn to them; they appeared to be prisoners behind bars. Enjoyed seeing it.

[@j8rtUfh3evz]

That first image brings to my mind Ansel Adams, beautiful.

[@GlenDomulevicz]

What I like most about our image are that I feel them as much as I see them. Which what I photograph the outdoors. I just have to try and capture the something I feel. You showed and impressive collection of images. The green on green, I also believe it works. I have no issue with the birch trees. If they were not include, It would just a different images, perhaps even composed differently. Thanks for sharing.

[@davebenson1504]

your explanation of your image at around the 12 min mark as well as the over-lay pen marks around 13 min mark help understand the flow... but even more it offers confidence to other striving/struggling artists who may also have an image they really like but one that meets some "criticism" from out side sources... bottom line... when 'you' (the artist) likes it, that is the critical client that must be content, in love with the image... that discussion provides huge support to so many other photographers... Thank You!

[@keoni37]

Great video Adam, always look forward to your videos. Really enjoyed meeting the F4 group today photographing the big waves. Aloha!

[@AlexMcDougallPhotography]

Your stuff is just beautiful. I look at it and think that I will never capture images like that and think what's the point of going on. Then I get my ass outside and realise just how much I enjoy being outdoors and just having a go. Thankyou.

[@cstevenett2779]

Wonderful images again Adam!!! You are always inspiring to say the least! You unknowingly push me to be true to myself and produce images that help inspire others! As photographers, we have to remember to create images that express our creative vision and if we grow a following of appreciative souls, that is more than satisfying enough for me! Thanks! Craig.

[@rockychocbill]

Incredible slideshow Adam. This is like a Greatest Hits album. Not so much the teaching images, but all the others you "sprinkled" in. Oh, and I said it at the time, I love the branches over the river image. Please show a b&w conversion of it at some point. Maybe do a b&w conversion video.

[@krimke881]

you do master this at the highest level Adam. But the photo where you captured the roots at 9 minutes, I think was far better than outspoken. The photo at about 4minutes, I think would be unbelievable good as a wallpaper in a living room on a full wall. The depth and the light would not be fair to put on just a poster. Really. :)

[@gerarddonovan8678]

Adam this is one of my favourite videos, your images are gorgeous, I was blown away by their beauty. My other favourites are when you fell face first into the deep snow and when you you say " welcome to the cave of secrets" I'm still laughing. Keep up the good work

[@johnsholian4318]

Thanks for another master class in composition Adam. I think the important piece that you hit on is finding compositions that work for you. I hope that having watched this series of educational videos that I can find more compositions that work for me. There are some brilliant examples but having said that there are some that I can’t wrap my brain around and that goes to your point and that is the beauty of it all isn’t it? Well done Adam and have fun on your F4 adventure. Cheers!

[@canuckdon]

Wonderful video, Adam. Composition is where I and most photographers struggle most. Your review of your fantastic shots is very inspirational and helpful.

[@stevewurz5856]

Brilliant video Adam! All your images are just stunning, and the first minute with your music selection is so moving. Looking forward to future videos and learning more from you. Looking forward to the "Four Amigos" antics as well.......

[@jackthompson8377]

Excellent images. Trust your instincts is a good approach, assuming you have good instincts

[@TL-xw6fh]

Really stunning images here, Adam. Thank you for sharing!

[@paulafontanini5719]

Loved the opening video Adam...big WOW factor! Your videos are always a joy to watch and you always manage to enhance the experience even more with your music selections. Outstanding photos and very helpful to hear your thought process when trying to compose/simplify a chaotic scene.

[@nickshepherd8377]

Another very enjoyable video. Your thoughts and reflections on your images are interesting and helpful.👍👏👏👏

[@Prashant.Khapane]

Adam Enjoyed this series which I just finished. I remember that image at 10:10, I think it was a major award winner for you. I always enjoy your work since NPN days. Next time you are in the UK I’ll get the book autographed

[@matty332010]

Thanks for taking the time to make this Adam. I really enjoy your work.

[@MyJeanf]

Great Video Adam with excellent look and composition. Thank you

[@jrodewald2010]

Excellent work, Adam. Thanks for sharing these composition videos, they are such a joy to see and listen to.

[@4rr44E]

Adam - the photo of the fjord slopes and sunrays you showed is absolutely beautiful.

[@patmcshane8976]

Adam....one of your very best of many great videos. I found it particularly helpful because so many of the woodlands around my home are far from manicured. So finding examples of compositions within the chaos was really helpful!

[@KellyPettit]

I’ve been following you for years now and your images never get old. Love your channel, Adam. Safe travels.

[@dmcd6769]

You truly are inspirational Adam, I get lost in your photo's . . . in a good way of course.

[@IamUke]

Beautiful images, Adam. It is very helpful for me to hear your thought processes. I shoot in the PNW rain forests and Eastern Olympics every year when I visit and find the chaotic forests to be super challenging. This helps.

[@kimhansen8615]

Holy Moses - You must spend an awful lot of time outdoors with a camera? Absolutely stunning subjects, beautifully captured. I'm all in and love these 'all over' compositions with a hair-thin balance between realism and abstraction - all depending of the eye of the viewer. Very sound advise too - Instant subsciption here...

[@davehayford4294]

Well done Adam.....loving this series. Thanks for sharing.

[@billonthehill9984]

...Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder as you have so clearly explained. I do remember that stump image & your thought processes that went into it & why you included what you did in a very chaotic scene. It still doesn't work for me, but that really doesn't matter because most importantly, you see the beauty in it! In closing Adam, I wish I could achieve a 1 in 10 success ratio for as it stands, I'm doing good at perhaps 1 in 25... Very much enjoyed this, thanks. Bill on the Hill... :~)

[@paulkirk5760]

Great video and insight into your approach to composition. Looking forward to the road trip escapades!

[@johnredwine]

The one photo of mossy branches with white trees below I think works well. If you didn't have the white branches then you couldn't get depth perception. I wouldn't say it's amazing but it works, very pretty

[@zigatretjak75]

Great pics amidst all chaos,, where instinct helps experienced

[@Paul_anderson_creative]

Excellent and inspirational work. Kudos for showing what works and what doesn't. Moss shot was chaos in balance and a pleasure...

[@puck528co]

What a Beautiful Collection!

[@BorjaGarciaZ]

Do you recommend photographing the scene in black and white before not to get confused with the details? 📷 Follow me in my travel account of Instagram ✈️ @europeosviajeros

[@stevechilvers1322]

Great video as always Adam. Very informative & NOT rushed, which I like!!

[@perambulatingmike]

Another brilliant video, Adam...thank you!

[@MJLangdon175]

For me it’s your use of contrasting colours, temperature of the light and luminosity contrast that keeps me engaged.

[@anvilcloud]

So much to admire and chew on. BTW my jaw literally dropped at that very first image. What a powerful beginning.

[@gaetanoscalfidi]

Enjoyed this video really much. I always find some chaotic scenes, and I always give up without even given them a try. Great inspiration, thank you!

[@victordianow5973]

As always outstanding. Finding any sins of order in chaos was and is very difficult for me. I'm sure that practice is a key to improvement, but tutorials of this type are more than very helpful. Thank you very much, Adam.

[@franksnyder284]

Great video! Fantastic images and information.

[@osteon2]

Thanks Adam. Sharing your thought process is extremely useful and facilitating.

[@leonescher6876]

perfect Video, I really enjoyed it and learned something new - I have one question: "Where is your music from? Especially the music from the start of the video?"

[@tompetersphotography]

Not sure what to say Adam just perfection and I just learn so much from your walkthroughs for each shot. Very inspiring

[@erichstocker4173]

These images show why you were a landscape photographer of the year!

[@paulwayman5137]

INTERNATIONAL LPOTY Erich (LPOTY is a different thing)

[@shamcarz]

I was thinking the same. Images with such high standards

[@bradleyzimmerman4184]

Some of the cut in photos you put in this video are extraordinary. I've been noticing many of your grand scenics remind me a lot of the works of Marc Adamus. I found him on Photo.net years ago. He has all his verticals and horizontal separated which I thought is pretty cool. I highly recommend everyone looking at his mind blowing portfolio. I think in many respects you are in the same league as Marc and that is saying something!

[@cmax4692]

Stunning!!! Your work best reflects what I would hope to achieve someday.

[@TheAjbarron]

Always enjoy your work. This one was a standout.

[@joaoquintela1575]

12:15 - Acttaully in my perspective those white tree help very much

[@gordroberts53]

Hi Adam, I think this is one of your best videos, certainly one of my favourites. The opening sequence of photos had me holding my breath, no exaggeration! The vlogs are good but your voice over style is also excellent and I will be looking forward to the next of this style. Thanks for sharing and safe travels.

[@timmorrow8909]

Adam, your images are just so solid. I love listening to you describing all the little nuances that went into making them.

[@kiwicit0]

Always enjoy the content from your channel! Best,

[@merlenetanke7500]

Very good and instructive video. I enjoyed it very much. Thank you.

[@ScottLawPhotography]

Wow, Adam. Beautiful images here. I've been a subscriber for a year or so and always look forward to your videos. It's also fun to see you with Gavin when you let your hair down a little. Since I started Vlogging a few months ago I've learned to appreciate even more all the effort and time that goes into putting these out. Thanks for your work and your advice!

[@JohnMHazlewood]

Great video as usual. Continuing to learn from you. Thanks so much.

[@barryj1956]

Brilliant stuff, the explanations, the fact that you include the raw file along with the finished image as well as your critical and honest opinion of your work makes for an excellent learning experience. Love this series.

[@ShaneCrouch]

Excellent information. Love the before and after format. Thanks Adam

[@bryanpriestley2701]

Wow some vision of composition.learning things.

[@proach3]

I very much enjoy seeing images from your archives. Simply stunning.

[@JoeMustang99]

Love the music selections, love the detail in the explanations, love that you give us slow learners enough time with each image to let the ideas soak in! Another great Saturday morning for me (and others).

[@christian.irmler]

A fantastic video, Adam! I really love your way of building compositions in woodland and you definitely hit the point as you mentioned, that not everyone sees a photograph in the same way the photographer does. But I find, this is even an advantage, because it allows the viewer to ask himself, why the photographer took the photo exactly in that way he did. I think, there is always a part of the photographer inside the final photo then. That's what we call art ;)

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

I love your very painterly approach to composition and editing. I like the mossy branches at 12:00 as is. Without those white background branches, I would find the void distracting and the composition out of balance. But that's me.

[@chrisdevaraj5599]

Awesome photos Adam! Can guy also give links to the music you use? Especially love the violin piece on the last photo 🙏🏽☺️

[@trevorcrossley3054]

So many nice images thank you Adam.

[@jamesgerboc]

Love this video Adam. It speaks to the challenges many of us have in simplifying that which is complex to find beauty in the mundane. Please do more of these. It’s great hearing your thought process. Thank you for being so candid about your own work.

[@runninblue9415]

I could look at your back catalogue all day, there must be a market for relaxation videos using it to music like that. Beautiful work

[@PeterLariviere1]

Another amazing video. And I do like that photograph of the green mossy branches with the lighter trees in the background...that image and the one of the stump are soothing to look at even though there is so much going on.

[@edphoto]

It was interesting hearing you critiquing your one photo that didn't work for you. Would be cool to see a video of you going through a few other photos that just dont work for a particular reason or that you wish youd done in a different way or even just got completely wrong! Really enjoy watching your videos!

[@QuietLightPhoto]

Great idea!

[@IanMiddletonPhotographyTravel]

I think the image of the mossy branches is stunning. Also the background trees work perfectly and add more interest. I think that without them the photo would be just another mossy branch photo.

[@TjeerdPloeg]

Adam, thanks so much for sharing your experience. It's true the compositions are about own experience, and own in interpretations. Some you like, others maybe not that much. But good to follow your own idea. This is very helpful.

[@SuzanneMathia]

The images in this video almost brought me to tears!

[@bozark1]

Outstanding! One of your best

[@pdp11]

These videos are a gem.

[@CalMukumoto]

This video reminds me of when I would sit down with my father and critique photos. My father, trained at Art Center in LA, would have me take him through the picture much as you have in this video. Thanks for reminding me that this process is vital in proper composition. Beautiful photos, by the way.

[@carlreid4161]

Mesmerising images Adam like the colours and the contrast of the light especially on images with backlit subjects. The opening sequence of images was outstanding

[@UnverifiedUser10]

You truly inspire me, thanks!

[@nickbristol3457]

Thanks Adam! Another enjoyable watch! I'll follow the 4 of you if I can. Cheers!

[@powershot70]

I absolutely love the images you are able to capture. Even the "chaotic" images have a very subdued and serene quality that keeps me enveloped in the scenery within the image.

[@loricanton7969]

Awesome love the explanation , more please

[@danieltopham5911]

I have enjoyed all your videos and thought they couldn’t be topped. However your series on composition have really hit home for me and offer so much inspiration and attention to detail. All the best in 2020.

[@hilleviupmanis7389]

Thank you! Love the way you match the music to the pictures 💚

[@markusviol200]

absolutely nailed it, Adam! I learned so much once again... Forest scenes are maybe the most difficult to "order"...

[@pattymattes7124]

Your images are amazing. I know you said the image with the rose hips is a bit chaotic. I liked that image and maybe I was thinking what you were thinking when you saw it. The colors of the rose hips stood out in my mind along with the little bit of green. Maybe it's the colors that I like. I think I would have done the same. If I was out on a late fall or winter day and saw some red with a bit of green or any color I think I would have taken a photograph. I guess it gets exciting to see some color on drab kind of day. Maybe I should focus on shapes and as always the light. Thank you for your video on instructing us to look for the light. That really is important for all types of photography.

[@scottternan105]

Fantastic Adam. These last few videos are really well done and very informative . thanks again.

[@artemsapegin]

Some pictures are just incredible, Adam! And totally agree with you no-rules-only-feelings approach, I compose my images the same way.

[@destructobeam3000]

Now if I can just remember to use these instructions when I’m making a photograph! Good stuff as always.

[@aussiephotographer]

Breathtaking images Adam. Thank you for all you do.

[@andychattaway5620]

Stunning photography and helpful critique on the ones that didn't quite work. ✌️

[@davemenard5089]

Thanks Adam, this one was a feast! Beauty in chaos and abstract is are my favorites. They are the most personal and challenging I think.

[@PaulFaracePhotography]

Agreed 100%! I love the challenge of finding something different and unique in a chaotic environment like a forest, so rewarding when you nail one.