Essays

Latest essay:
The 2017 Zion Fine Art Summit

1 - Introduction
My essay series are collections of essays each focusing on a specific aspect of professional landscape photography.  These essays are based on my personal experience as well as on the experience of my students.  Each essay features a specific photograph either as illustration or as point of departure. A number of essays are written by students or contributors to this site. Each essay features an introduction by myself.

These essays are published in the context of three different series, as follows:
1 - Thoughts and photographs
2 - Craft and Technique
3 - Marketing

2 - Thoughts & Photographs
Each essay in this first series focuses on challenging photographic situations, concepts or ideas as well as on real-life experiences. This series does not have specific limits in regards to what can be addressed in each essay.  I set it up that way to be able to address areas that I may not discuss in my other article series.

If I dare compare my writings to music I suggest that we consider the essay in this series as fugues and my longer essays as operas.  While the later sets a stage and proceeds to display an elaborate performance, the former responds to the whim and desires of the moment in a spontaneous display of character. 

3 - Craft & Technique
This second series focuses, as its name implies, on the craft and technique of digital photography. This series is quite different from the first series in that its focus is practical rather than philosophical. In a way, these two series follow my belief that photography, as a whole, is a combination of art and science. In this view, the Thoughts & Photographs series focuses on the Artistic aspect of photography, while the Craft & Techniques series focuses on the scientific aspect of photography.

4 - Marketing
This third series focuses on the subject of marketing your photographs. As such, its intended audience are photographers who are either considering or already selling their work. Each essay focuses on a specific aspect of marketing. The goal of this series is to provide helpful tips, insights and recommendations to increase your sales. Every essay is based on my personal experience selling my work since 1994.

5 - You can become a contributor to this series
Many essays in this series have been written by contributors, either students who attended our workshops and seminars or photographers who want to share their experience with others.

If you wish to contribute to this series simply email your essay, or a short description, to alain@beautiful-landscape.com. After reviewing it I will email you personally to let you know if your essay was selected for publication. There are no particular subjects that can or cannot be addressed. We simply enjoy learning about your personal experience and "take" on photography: where you are coming from, what you have experienced, and of course your personal approach to photography, be it from an artistic or a technical perspective since this series addresses both aspects of Fine Art Photography.

List of essays in the three series:

Thoughts & Photographs: Craft & Technique: Marketing:

1 - Lemons & Lemonade I 1 - Transformations Marketing 1- Marketing Photography 2 - Lemons & Lemonade II 2 - Extreme Image Enlargement Marketing 2-Marketing Importance 3 - Lemons & Lemonade III 3 - Canon 1DsMk2 and Better Light Digital Back Marketing 3-How to price your work? 4 - I & I: Inspiration and Imagination 4 - Using WhiBal as a Lens Shade Limited Editions 4-The Numbering Affair 5 - You can't have your cake and eat it too 5 - Arctic Butterfly Marketing 5-I won several awards. How come I’m not making more sales? 6 - Literal vs Expressive Representations 6 - Raw Developer Review Marketing 6-Is the Advanced Marketing DVD relevant outside of the USA? 7 - Becoming an Artist 7 - DxO Optics Pro 3.5 Review Marketing 7-Advanced Fine Art Photography Marketing Mastery updates 8 - Why attend a Workshop? 8 - Raw Converters Comparison Marketing 8-The Advanced Marketing Mastery Workshop on DVD 9 - The Learning Process 9 - Cropping and Composition Marketing 9-Grand Canyon posters by Alain Briot 10 - A Once in a Lifetime Experience 10-The Master File Marketing 10-Can you sell my work ? 11 - Tools of the Trade 11-New Lands Night Marketing 11-Marketing question- answer 12 - Emotional Light 12-Raw Conversion in Adobe Lightroom Marketing 12-Review of Marketing Fine Art Photography 13-Generating Income from your Passion 13- The Digital Summit Marketing 13-Focusing on Quality not quantity 14-Being an Artist in Business -with audio excerpts 14- Art, Elegance and the Fine Art Print Marketing 14-Marketing Your Photography Today 15-The Desecration Panel 15- Composition 1: Hoodoos Marketing 15-Financial Management Top 12 for Artists 16-Art and Facts 16- Composition 2: Antelope Swirls Marketing 16-Financial management 17-Art and Freedom 17- Composition 3: Monument Valley Afternoon Marketing 17-Personal Style and Portrait Photography 18-Visualization Realized 18- Composition 4: Comb Ridge Clouds Marketing 18-Making art and Selling Art 19-Opening a Fine Art Gallery 19- Composition 5: Totem Pole Marketing 19-About Art Competitions 20-Notes on Photographing a Nautilus 20- Composition 6: Clearing Spring Storm Marketing 20-The best kept Secret 21-From aboard a Russian Icebreaker in Antarctica - Part 1 21- The Artistic Process A Four-Parts Series Marketing 21-Artistic and Financial Success 22-From aboard a Russian Icebreaker in Antarctica - Part 2 22- What is a Fine Art Photograph? Marketing 22-Advanced Marketing Mastery workshop on DVD details 23-My First Show 23- From Raw File to Master File Marketing 23-The 12 Advantages and Benefits of The Mastery Workshops on DVD Series 24-Briot Speaks CD-1 24- Antelope Canyon before and After Marketing 24-Focusing on Quality, not quantity 25-Reflections on Studying Photography 25 - Why am I taking these Photographs ? By Steve Zigler Marketing 25-A visit to Michael Stoyanov’s Gallery 26-The Coso Range 26 - Western Brocade. By Brian Pawlowski Marketing 26-The Counter-Intuitive Aspects of Photography 27-PhotoEidolo 1 27-Phase One P45 collages Marketing 27-Not teaching from the Book 28-Beautiful-Landscape Podcast 28-The reluctant artist by Steve Pope -- Part 1 Marketing 28-About Art Competitions 29-Becoming a Music Producer 29-Leo Ridano: selling photographs in Patagonia Marketing 29-Waiting for Talent – Part 1 iPad OS 4 30-iPod, iPhone, and iPad 4 features 30-Jim Scott: DxO and Panoramic Stitching Marketing 30-Waiting for Talent – Part 2 31-A Response to Of Cameras and Art 31-Tony Sweet Interview Marketing 31-Photography is Changing 32-Photography & Poetry 32-The reluctant artist by Steve Pope -- Part 2 Marketing 32-Fine Art Printing and “manipulation” 33-Introduction to Paradigm Shift 33-Setting up a Home Studio Marketing 33-Fine Art Top 15 34-Introduction to Artist in Business - Part 2 34-Setting up a Home Gallery Marketing 34-Vision 35-Phot'Art Magazine Knowledge 35-Photographic Knowledge Goals 35-Reaching your goals in 2014 36-Introduction to Artist in Business - Part 3 36-The reluctant artist by Steve Pope -- Part 3 36-Fuji X100s Camera Review 37-Pure Dumb Luck 37-From Good to Really Good Vision 37 - Introducing the Vision Mastery Workshop on DVD 38-What Makes your Work so Special? 38-Image Enhancement by Ronny Nilsen   ? 39-The Best Answer Audience & Artist 39-Finding the Personal in Art   40-Photographing a Shooting Star 40-The 2008 Bryce Canyon Fine Art Printing Summit   Workshops Seminars Consulting 41-Testimonials 41-Video Print Reviews   42-Phot Art Portfolio 42-Fine Art Photography: 1-July 2009 Artist Statement   Reader Comments 43-Reader Comments 43-Eva Polak   44-Personal Style: Michael Regnier Interview 44-Luis Argerich Interview   45-Two and 3/4 Years 45-Composition Top 15   46-What do you do ? Achievements 46 - Achievements   47-PMA 2007 47-Marketing Fine Art Photography Book Review by Drake Fleege   48-It's About the Art 48-Why Personal Style is Important   49-Testimonials 49-Why I Photograph Cars   50 -Landscape Blurs 50-Cars Photography as Hobby   51-New essays are also posted to my Reflections Blog 51-About Photographing Cars   52 -The Mastery DVD Series 52-Six Remarks on Composition   53-The Artistic Achievement Pyramid 53-Sunrise Reflections, Bosque del Apache   54-Composition notes #1/6 54-Creativity Top 12     55-Using Color Harmonies in Photography, Part 1 of 9: Monochromatic Color Harmony 55-Fifteen Remarks on Fine Art Photography Composition     56-Fine Art Top 15 56-Optimization is part of composition     57-Sunrise, Joshua Tree NP: How it was done 57-Monument Valley Avant Garde: How it was done     58-Expressing our Vision or Collecting Gear? 58-HDR in 2013     59-Proust, Art & Photography 59-Why Personal Style is Important     60-Artistic License 60-Light     61-My Story 61-The 2017 Zion Summit

All text and photographs Copyright © Alain Briot 2017
and Copyright © the respective photographers who are contributing to this series.
Credits are provided in each essay written by contributors.
All rights reserved worldwide

If you wish to contribute to this series simply email your essay, or a short description to:
alain@beautiful-landscape.com

Thank you to all the students and photographers who have contributed work to this series.