Different people offer different opinions when it comes to ranking the best landscape photographers. But who is the best one? Who is considered the best landscape photographer of all time? Then again, is there one? In this article I will discuss why this matters, how and who judges photographers, and then give you my answer. Read on to find out.
Is it important to know who the best fine art landscape photographer is? Is it important to be considered one of the best landscape photographers? This answer will vary depending on who you ask. For example, the answer to the first question might matter to a fine art collector. Conversely, the answer to the second question may be important to a fine art landscape photographer.
Some photography fine art collectors do care to own images from well known photographers. Owning art that was created by a landscape photographer, who is considered to be the best (or even one of the best), is satisfying. Moreover, a fine art print from a well known landscape photographer can be a prized possession, even if the artist is not necessarily the best.
However, I believe that most people who buy fine art nature photography do so because the image has an emotional effect on them. They buy images that they really like. They buy images they are drawn to. They buy landscape prints which evoke positive feelings. I don’t know that many photography buyers purchase prints for the mere reason that the photographer is famous.
Some fine art landscape photographers care about winning photography contests, awards, recognition, and other forms of accolades. It is satisfying to be acknowledged for your hard work and be rated the best among a group of peers.
Other landscape photographers find it important to share their work on social media and receive the recognition and praise of people who follow them. It is in our human nature that all of us get a dopamine surge when others praise our work. It is also validating when people recognize and like the results of our efforts.
As a fine art landscape photographer, I care about what my customers think. Yes, I am no exception and also get a dopamine surge when someone praises my fine art nature photography. However, what matters to me is that my customers like my artwork, enough that they are willing to purchase it. By far the most significant way someone can compliment me as a photographer is by purchasing my work. To me there is no better acknowledgement than people willing to spend their hard-earned dollars on my fine art.
When we say “best landscape photographer” or “best nature photographer”, we need to ask – according to whom? Different people use different judgement criteria and for this reason they measure differently.
You can objectively measure temperature, distance, elevation, etc., but not art. Where would you even start? If you had three landscape images how would you measure them to decide which one is the best?
Would you measure the composition? How would you do that? Or, would you measure the colors and the tones? But besides measuring the colors’ hex codes, what would your color measuring technique be? And even if you measured the hex codes how would you determine “the best” colors?
Some years ago I showed my latest image Burning Snow to my wife, after finishing processing it. She shrugged and said “It is good but not that special”. In contrast, I really liked the image. Therefore, I decided to print it on large metal and add it to my gallery collection in Breckenridge, CO where some of my images were sold at the time.
One Friday evening I drove to the gallery to hang the landscape print myself. Shortly after it was proudly displayed on the gallery wall, a man walked in and started browsing my fine art nature photography. His eyes stopped on Burning Snow and he engaged me in a conversation to learn details about the image. He became very interested and sent a phone picture of it to his wife. A few minutes later we were filling out an order form as he decided to purchase a copy. This experience remains vivid in my memory and reminds me how subjective it is to judge fine art nature photography.
Most commonly the people who rank best landscape photographers are other photographers, photography educators, promoters of photography gear, or some combination of these. If you google “best landscape photographers” several results will show up. You will see Top 10 or Top 25 lists. You will also see top list of a certain year. If you examine those lists of the best landscape photographers you will notice that some names appear in more than one list. Then again, other photographers appear on one list only.
What is more interesting to me is who the creators of those lists are. They are usually people in the photography industry. So I am wondering – do sales matter when determining the best landscape photographer? In other words, is “best selling landscape photographer” synonymous with “best landscape photographer”? The other interesting part when you search in google is that when you look for “best selling landscape photographers” you don’t see any lists. The results only display websites telling you how to sell landscape photography.
Back to the question – “Best landscape photographer” according to whom? Let us acknowledge that different people look for different things, when deciding the best landscape photographer. Consider the following three personas:
Photographer – A photographer will consider those fine art landscape photographers as “best”, whose work they really want to emulate. Landscape and nature photographers do make judgements about other fellow photographers’ work. They way they decide good, better, and best is through various factors. For example they are drawn to photography, which they find inspiring. They are inspired by photography which is similar to their own style but, in their subjective estimation, is better. They want to learn how to create that kind of photography, because they wish their own work looked more like it.
Photo contest judge – Contest judges may or may not be photographers themselves. However, they look for factors such as: composition; tones; mood; focus/sharpness; subject; light; concept; impact; artistic approach; exposure; technique. In general, they try to objectively evaluate the photographic skills of every contestant. Their goal is not to emulate the contestants’ work, nor to buy it.
Fine art collector – These are the people who buy fine art nature photography. They usually do not mechanically evaluate composition, exposure, technique, etc. They usually feel. They go by whether the artwork speaks to them. They determine by whether they are emotionally moved inside. They judge by whether they can identify with the imagery and the locations.
Being a landscape photographer myself I can appreciate the judgement criteria used by people in the photography industry. Thus, I think that there is a good reason for photography contests, photographers rank lists, etc. At the same time I cannot help but ask – shouldn’t the opinion of buyers matter as well? At the end of the day, the customers are the ones who spend money on the landscape photography prints. They are the ones who truly demonstrate the value of the art that we nature photographers create. Should their preferences not be used to decide the best landscape photographers?
The best fine art landscape photographer is measured by their work. Therefore one would have to ask what is the best landscape artwork, in order to define the best landscape photographer. However, asking Who is the best landscape photographer? is like asking Who is the best culinary chef?
To me, the notion of a universal best landscape photographer does not exist. Maybe different people have chosen their own best photographer, but I don’t believe that a single artist fits that category.
Ever since photography was invented there have been great photographers. Their passion, skills, and pursuit of nature photography have produced inspiring and captivating images. In the last decade or so, we have seen better technology, better techniques, which have led to better photography in general.
Still, certain names stand the test of time. Ansel Adams is one of them. He had very different technology available to him, than what we have today. Nevertheless, his work has been, and continues to be, acknowledged by many.
My point is this – we are all particular in how we rate landscape photography artwork. This is not black and white, nor do I think there is one right answer. Remember how my wife did not care much for Burning Snow? Remember also how a customer walked in and bought it within 15 minutes of it being displayed on the gallery wall? As a photographer, I am inspired by the work of many different photographers. Then again, others are inspired by photographers that do not influence me. And this is ok because I am not the standard for judging, nor are they.
Now I would like to speak to you – the fine art collector, or the person thinking about buying a fine art nature photography print. After all, how do you go and determine the best landscape photographer, in order to ensure the best art purchase?
Instead, I would encourage you to find the image that you want, regardless of who took it. Does it speak to you? Does it move you emotionally? Do you identify with the scene? Would you enjoy looking at it every day for a long time to come? Would it be worth buying it?
Additionally, consider if the artist offers this image in the size you are interested in. Also, does he/she offer it in the print medium that works best for you? Furthermore, is the size and print medium offered at a price that fits your budget?
Finally, consider the quality of the work. Is “high quality” synonymous with this photographer’s work? If yes, does it apply not only to their digital images, but the quality of the final landscape print? Do they use the best quality print products? Does this photographer take pride in their work and stand behind it?
There are many, many really good landscape and nature photographers out there with outstanding skills and artwork. I know that to the buyer of fine art nature photography, the choices are many. However, if you are reading this article I would like to invite you to consider my fine art landscape galleries. Should you decide that you are interested, please let me know by contacting me. Thank you for reading and may you find the image of your dreams!
Gintchin Fine Art offers exclusive limited edition fine art photography by Lazar Gintchin, a nature and landscape photographer specializing in large format size prints. Each image in Gintchin’s portfolio is a unique and limited edition print. The gallery includes high-quality wall art prints in acrylic and metal mediums, providing a luxurious fine art presentation. With a diverse range of genres to choose from, art enthusiasts can curate a collection that reflects their aesthetic preferences.
