Landscape Photography without a Subject

The subject is the most important element in a composition - or is it maybe possible to get out a fantastic photograph without a subject? 

#1 What is the Subject?

Lots of photography books recommend to define the subject when building up a composition. But what is the subject? I see a subject as the main character of my composition.

#2 Tell a story

We want to use a main character, maybe a hero, but even the best main character - let's call him a super hero - were nothing without a compelling story. Telling a story is often forgotten on my experience. We are fixated on lines, shapes and patterns that we oversee the much more important part of building up a composition - the story.

#3 Do we need a Subject?

Does a story need a super hero? I think it could be easier to tell a story about Superman, but a story with Superman only could maybe get boring. But what if we don't have a super hero in our set of characters? What if we just have usual characters on the same level?

#3 Define your Characters

This is why I'm convinced it is more important to think about the characters which are used to tell the story. There will be a different weight on them. Sometimes we will have a super hero, sometimes we will have characters on the same level. For me it doesn't matter, if it's possible to tell a fantastic story.

#4 Advantage of using no Subject

Photographs with a strong subject tend to push a lot of energy out to the viewer, what could be fantastic, when you think about evoking emotions through the photo. But it is so refreshing to have photographs between with low energy, where the viewer can stay long inside and just enjoythe photograph. The only thing we have to consider is, that a photograph like that doesn't get boring. But on my experience it doesn't with a fantastic story behind - maybe of a shore with a rising sun, seeing light spots in the landscape, conveying calmness an peace.

Check out my gear, which I use for my landscape photography:

My Landscape Photography Gear

Nice greetings,

Christian