ASK JIM
Every month, Jim will answer a question from his online students, from people who participate
in his tours and workshops, or from subscribers to this magazine. If you have a question
you’d like Jim to answer, please drop him a note at [email protected].
Q: Jim.. .I took this picture in the Valley of Fire State Park near Las Vegas last year, and I thought I did
everything right. It has complete depth of field, the light is from a low-angled sun, and I placed my tripod
close to the foreground. However, I really don’t think it’s a great image. What are your thoughts, and can
you tell me why this isn’t a really strong photograph?
Adriana Peters, Helena, MontanaA: You are correct that you did everything right. What this picture lacks, though, are land forms that
are graphic and beautiful. Besides great lighting -- which you have -- the other ingredient that contributes
to making nature images successful is beautiful shapes ... i.e. graphic design. That’s why landscape photog-
raphers love shooting the Grand Tetons, the slot canyons in Arizona, Torres del Paine in Patagonia, the
Huangshan Mountains in China, and the massive icebergs in Antarctica and Greenland. It’s because of the
incredible shapes these natural formations offer. That’s what this picture lacks.© Adriana Peters