Landscape- Myth, Fantasy and Ritual

Mystery of the landscape...

The landscape, well the term landscape can viewed in many forms, the urban or the natural being two of the main areas for me that encompass the term and genre of photography that is landscape. However the subject of landscape is vast and open in a literal and academic sense, the point in this piece I wish to focus on is how the landscape, whether it natural or man made can hold context, a meaning, a story, a piece of time etc. The landscape like other genres of photography can be so much more than the literal general subject of just landscape in this case. It can hold hidden meanings, senses, engage with the viewer with different intwined views and feelings, such as the landscape could hold a sense of fantasy, myth and ritual which is quite interesting when you think about, how can a piece of land and area of a natural habitat hold such stature within a photographical image?

For this concept of a landscape image being more there are the more subtle of themes and senses of a concept upon an image an the dam right in your face immediate images that automatically show the ideal of an image, say the sense of myth right from the outset in the initial viewing this being a viewing structure point that is the studium effecting the viewer the immediate case and point of the image striking the viewer, but the more subtle more punctum feeling images which prick and poke at the viewer ask questions but reveal the idea and feeling behind the image I feel work better especially with the genre of landscape which is vast in its nature and open so the ideal behind the image works better subtly but how do images encompass these ideal, how does it work as an image holding fantasy or myth etc...

This takes me on to the work or Ansel adams his images being vast pieces of craftsmanship   intricately dodging and burning areas of the frame to enhance the image, and I feel they do posses a feeling of fantasy and myth, one because of the location and two because of the way they have been manipulated take this image for instance...

THE TETONS & THE SNAKE RIVER, GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING, 1942

From Ansel Adams the making of 40 photographs, 

Manipulated and altered to show the natural impressive landscape even on its own but now with the tool of photography to alter dodge and burn an image to show the feelings of the photographer, the viewer the feeling of that landscape, this being a sense of fantasy, highlights, contrasting skies, light behind the cloud sense of mystery, dreams i feel that ecompany the epic nature of all of Ansel Adams images this enhancing of the natural area which adds a level of fantasy and myth as these images do not exist in this state, they are more the view of one person, crafted to be in this nature. 

Lots of photographers use the fantasy of the landscape to add another level of dimension to their images some in a more direct form others more subtly Ansel Adams images being a more subtle representation of this theme, but a more direct phase of showing fantasy or myth like feelings in the work of Berthold Steinhilber in the series ghost towns of the American west depicting a series of abandoned buildings small townships across the American west, which alone are quite interesting holding a sense of mystery behind their story and past, but its the way Steinhilber has lit these images to hold a fantasy feel, and mystery feel like in this image...

Crystal, Colorado. Sheep Mountain Tunnel Mill.

                                                  From Ghost Towns Of The American West

On first viewing it could be a piece of a mystical fantasy land of some sort, but it is depicting a piece of the American west, its the techniques of lighting and post production that shows the images location in this light, adding fantasy and mystery to the image just like Ansel Adams did to add more depth to the image, manipulating the views thought and gaze with the fantasy like approach and view the photographer had of this area, to take that view and show it in a visual form is only possible with the tool and key to thought that is photography in this very visual and direct form of representation.

Mystery of the landscape can come in many forms the use of themes such as fantasy and myth add depth to the image, however these themes are easier thought of than visually shown, it takes the skill of a photographer, but depth of thought and vision to portray these themes in this visual form, however the photographers main intention may not have been a theme of fantasy and myth but the editing in this way does lead towards it.  Because all landscapes do hold a level of mystery, fantasy and myth as they are used within stories, films, writings to set the scene, its just the way you choose to portray a landscape which unlocks this sense of hidden mystery behind natures elements.