Perspectives on Place

Jesse Alexander is a freelance photographer, writer and educator. He has contributed articles and criticism for numerous print and online photographic publications. Jesse is currently Photography Curriculum Leader at the Open College of the Arts, UK and a Visiting Lecturer in Documentary Photography at the University of South Wales, Newport, UK.

• Introduction Where is the Landscape? Distinction as a Genre Why Explore Landscape Art? Health/Safety/Law/Ethics Advice on Giving and Receiving Feedback Chapter 1: TAMING THE VIEW Geography, Metaphor, Autobiography Frames and Formats Lenses for Landscapes Tripod or Handheld? The Zone System Managing Dynamic Range Compositional Conventions Landscape Narratives Assignment 1 Chapter 2: DEFINING NATURE What is 'Beauty'? The Pastoral and the Picturesque The Qualities of Light The Sublime Where is the Wilderness? Voyages in the Landscape Assignment 2 Chapter 3: SYNTHETIC VISIONS Depth-of-field and Focal Planes The 'Temperature' of Light Analogue and Digital Filters Infrared Light Lighting the Land Interpreting Technologies Pictorialism vs. 'Straight' Photography Assignment 3 Chapter 4: LANDSCAPE, POLITICS and POWER Landscapes of Industry New Topographics Environmental Politics Gender and the Landscape Personal and National Identities Assignment 4 Chapter 5: The PRESENCE of ABSENCE Landscape and Memory Landscapes of Conflict The Aftermath Liminal Spaces From Spaces to 'Places' Assignment 5 Glossary; Bibliography; Webography; Index

This excellent book should be on any serious landscape photographer's shelf ... the author provides stimulating assignments that are both challenging and educational ... This wonderful book is an inspirational and aspirational resource. Outdoor Photography Perspectives on Place sets out to 'inspire people to use photography to explore and engage with their surroundings' - and in this it provides a firm foundation for entering into the complex and absorbing process of transforming the experience of place into an image. -- Eugenie Shinkle Source A timely, contemporary treatment of a complex subject trapped in its historical roots... The title offers an intelligently considered introduction to the genre of landscape photography. It also treats many of the relevant associated issues/topics that form the intellectual context for serious contemporary practitioners. Prof. Thomas Drysdale, Institution NYU, Tisch School of the Arts, Department of Photography and Imaging, US There are many ways such a book could contextualize the subject of photography and landscape, the book does this in a clear and detailed way. The book taps into debates and practices that are contemporary yet builds that bridge between FE and HE in a way that is intelligent and understandable to those coming to the subject at the beginning of their studies. Russell Roberts, University of South Wales. UK The book fills a void in the marketplace [and] the author puts across a wide range of questions that encourage the reader to explore the genre. This book supports and questions the journey of landscape photography. Steven Tynan, lecturer BA (Hons) Photography, Falmouth University, UK An appropriate introduction to landscape photography [that] goes beyond the technical know-how of so many books on the market, offering a deeper level of engagement with the subject. Dr Mike Simmons, Programme Leader MA Photography, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK This book is not just about landscape photography and how to engage with it. It is a celebration of camera vision - the practice of seeing, thinking and creating photographically - and the individuals who pursue it passionately. Professor Paul Hill, Visiting Professor, University of Derby and De Montfort University, Leicester, UK This is a superb book that provides the reader with an authoritative understanding of contemporary landscape photography, Neil Dyson, De Montfort University, UK