SFN 0010: Portraits of Landscape

Last week’s “photo a day” experiment was challenging.

I caught myself using the 35mm lens like it was a 100mm prime—tight shots, filling the frame with a single subject, blowing out the background to make it pop.

The images were solid.
But they felt… empty.

They looked good, but they didn’t say much.

I also found myself taking the easy shot—whatever was right in front of me.
That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it forced me to pay attention. To notice moments. To stop when something stood out and take the shot.

That matters.
It kept me creating.

But my goal isn’t just to take photos.
It’s to tell stories.

I want to create images that feel like something.
Images that say something.

And I can feel it starting to happen.

Shooting every day is working.
I’m getting better. Slowly, but noticeably.

Enough that I’ve decided this isn’t just an experiment anymore—it’s a habit.

An image a day. No excuses.

I’m five weeks in, and while I’ve seen growth… I want more.

Right now, I feel limited.
By time. By routine. By staying too close to home.

So this week’s challenge is Portraits of Landscape.

The idea is simple, but intentional.

First, I want to find more story in my images.

In a previous experiment, I realized something about 35mm:
the frame works best when there’s an anchor—a clear subject—and everything else supports it.

That’s the goal.

Find a subject in the landscape.
Treat it like a portrait.
Let the rest of the frame build the story around it.

Second, I need to get out.

There are only so many images in my backyard.
If I want better work, I need better inputs.

That means exploring.
Pulling over when something catches my eye.
Taking the extra minute instead of letting the moment pass.

I’ve noticed how often I don’t do that.

This week, I will.

I looked for inspiration—how others shoot landscapes on a 35mm—but most of it pointed toward including people in the frame.

That’s not what I want.

I want to find a way to make landscapes feel alive without relying on human presence.

That might be harder.
But it also feels more interesting.

The goal is to treat the landscape like it has a pulse.
To find the life in it.

And tell that story.

• Experiment: Portraits of Landscape

• Rule: One photo per day

• Focus: Anchor subject + supporting environment

• Constraint: No human subjects

• Goal: Tell a story through the landscape