Explorations in Landscape and Place: Photographing Close to Home

A landscape becomes a place when people identify it and assign meaning to it. A place evokes memories and emotions. While we may long to photograph distant or dramatic landscapes, exploring landscapes close to home can result in more intimate and meaningful photographs because of the connection we have to place. Nearby landscapes are also more accessible, so we can visit there often—in different light, in changing seasons, and over time. Photography is a great way to explore and get to know a new place better or to share our intimate knowledge of places we have known our entire lives.

The challenge with photographing close to home is that it can sometimes seem too familiar. We pass by photographic opportunities daily without even realizing it. In this online workshop with photographer and writer Lee Anne White, we explore new ways of looking at familiar landscapes and seeking out details that give a place character. We also broaden our concept of landscape by including culture, history, architecture, and other elements that address the relationship between humans and the land over time.

Lee Anne’s program includes short journaling exercises and photography assignments to help you identify locations close to home where you can make photographs. We discuss different approaches to photographing place and look at the work of other photographers. Plan to get outdoors and photograph one or more locations nearby, whether you have deep connections to these places or are exploring them for the first time. The net result is a broader and richer connection to place and the power of photography as a tool of discovery.