Every year when I was in University there would be a poster sale that was held on campus at the beginning of each year. I remember in my first year purchasing 2 Eliot Porter posters, one was of Big Sur (it was a scene I stared at often and vowed to always go visit…I did) the other was a more intimate photographer of wildflowers. Just in case you don’t know Eliot Porter was an American Landscape photographer whose work will leave you breathless. Why am I telling all this…bear with me for a minute. A couple of years ago I was reading an Outdoor Photographer article on “intimate landscapes” and the writer used Eliot Porter’s work as an example of the beauty of the intimate landscape. It was about challenging yourself as a photographer who normally creates photographs of vast landscapes to stop and focus (excuse the play on words) or narrowing your field of vision to find the intimate details in nature. I knew that the Porter wildflower poster I had purchased was a wonderful example of that.
When I learned that the team at Dreamscapes’ latest ebook release was titled “Beyond the Grand Landscape – A Guide to Photographing Nature’s Smaller Scenes” I knew I had to pick 
up a copy and read it. The book, written by authors and photographers Sarah Marino and Ron Coscorrosa, is a 172 page behemoth that covers everything from the principles of composition, abstract forms, repetition in nature to camera technique and processing.
I’ve reviewed other books by Marino & Coscorrosa including Desert Paradise – A Guide to Death Valley and Forever Light – A Photographer’s Guide to Iceland and was impressed then as I am now by the thoroughness; knowledge and depth that goes into their ebooks.
The first part of Beyond the Grand Landscape delves into the mind of the photographer, both from Marino’s perspective and Coscorrosa’s, of how to look for and see a smaller scene. They discuss topics such as visualization and the role of familiarity of scene and take it one step further by interviewing and including the work of other renowned photographers such as Greg Russell and Justin Reznick and allowing the reader to gain yet another perspective on the topic.
Throughout the book the authors share their portfolio of images with detailed explanation of settings, equipment and processing.
Different types of small scenes that can be photography subjects.
Twelve key creative concepts and field practices used to discover and photograph small scenes.
Exercises to facilitate your learning and application of the ebook’s concepts.
Field techniques for macro, flowers, foliage, and abstract photographs.
Foundations of photographic composition and technical fundamentals.
Enhancing effects of light, weather and atmospheric conditions.
Value of mood and how it establishes an emotional connection to your viewer.
Beyond the Grand Landscape can be purchased for $19.95 at the Dreamscapes store. Just click here to purchase or you can also download a free sample.
