Essays

Latest essay:
The 2017 Zion Fine Art Summit

1 - Introduction
My essay series are collections of essays each focusing on a specific aspect of professional landscape photography.  These essays are based on my personal experience as well as on the experience of my students.  Each essay features a specific photograph either as illustration or as point of departure. A number of essays are written by students or contributors to this site. Each essay features an introduction by myself.

These essays are published in the context of three different series, as follows:
1 - Thoughts and photographs
2 - Craft and Technique
3 - Marketing

2 - Thoughts & Photographs
Each essay in this first series focuses on challenging photographic situations, concepts or ideas as well as on real-life experiences. This series does not have specific limits in regards to what can be addressed in each essay.  I set it up that way to be able to address areas that I may not discuss in my other article series.

If I dare compare my writings to music I suggest that we consider the essay in this series as fugues and my longer essays as operas.  While the later sets a stage and proceeds to display an elaborate performance, the former responds to the whim and desires of the moment in a spontaneous display of character. 

3 - Craft & Technique
This second series focuses, as its name implies, on the craft and technique of digital photography. This series is quite different from the first series in that its focus is practical rather than philosophical. In a way, these two series follow my belief that photography, as a whole, is a combination of art and science. In this view, the Thoughts & Photographs series focuses on the Artistic aspect of photography, while the Craft & Techniques series focuses on the scientific aspect of photography.

4 - Marketing
This third series focuses on the subject of marketing your photographs. As such, its intended audience are photographers who are either considering or already selling their work. Each essay focuses on a specific aspect of marketing. The goal of this series is to provide helpful tips, insights and recommendations to increase your sales. Every essay is based on my personal experience selling my work since 1994.

5 - You can become a contributor to this series
Many essays in this series have been written by contributors, either students who attended our workshops and seminars or photographers who want to share their experience with others.

If you wish to contribute to this series simply email your essay, or a short description, to alain@beautiful-landscape.com. After reviewing it I will email you personally to let you know if your essay was selected for publication. There are no particular subjects that can or cannot be addressed. We simply enjoy learning about your personal experience and "take" on photography: where you are coming from, what you have experienced, and of course your personal approach to photography, be it from an artistic or a technical perspective since this series addresses both aspects of Fine Art Photography.

List of essays in the three series:

Thoughts & Photographs:
Craft & Technique:
Marketing:
1- Marketing Photography
2-Marketing Importance
3-How to price your work?
4-The Numbering Affair
Marketing
5-I won several awards. How come I’m not making more sales?
Marketing
6-Is the Advanced Marketing DVD relevant outside of the USA?
Marketing
7-Advanced Fine Art Photography Marketing Mastery updates
Marketing
8-The Advanced Marketing Mastery Workshop on DVD
Marketing
9-Grand Canyon posters by Alain Briot
10-The Master File
Marketing
10-Can you sell my work ?
Marketing
11-Marketing question- answer
12-Raw Conversion
in Adobe Lightroom
Marketing
12-Review of Marketing Fine Art Photography
13- The Digital Summit
Marketing
13-Focusing on Quality not quantity
14- Art, Elegance and
the Fine Art Print
Marketing
14-Marketing Your Photography Today
15- Composition 1:
Hoodoos
Marketing
15-Financial Management Top 12 for Artists
16- Composition 2:
Antelope Swirls
Marketing
16-Financial management
17- Composition 3:
Monument Valley Afternoon
Marketing
17-Personal Style and Portrait Photography
18- Composition 4:
Comb Ridge Clouds
Marketing
18-Making art and Selling Art
19- Composition 5:
Totem Pole
Marketing
19-About Art Competitions
20- Composition 6:
Clearing Spring Storm
Marketing
20-The best kept Secret
21- The Artistic Process
A Four-Parts Series
Marketing
21-Artistic and Financial Success
22- What is a Fine Art Photograph?
Marketing
22-Advanced Marketing Mastery workshop on DVD details
Marketing
23-The 12 Advantages and Benefits of The Mastery Workshops on DVD Series
24- Antelope Canyon before and After
Marketing
24-Focusing on Quality, not quantity
25 - Why am I taking these Photographs ? By Steve Zigler
Marketing
25-A visit to Michael Stoyanov’s Gallery
26 - Western Brocade. By Brian Pawlowski
Marketing
26-The Counter-Intuitive Aspects of Photography
27-Phase One P45 collages
Marketing
27-Not teaching from the Book

28-The reluctant artist
by Steve Pope -- Part 1
Marketing
28-About Art Competitions
29-Leo Ridano: selling photographs in Patagonia
Marketing
29-Waiting for Talent – Part 1
30-Jim Scott: DxO and Panoramic Stitching
Marketing
30-Waiting for Talent – Part 2
31-Tony Sweet Interview
Marketing
31-Photography is Changing
32-The reluctant artist
by Steve Pope -- Part 2
Marketing
32-Fine Art Printing and “manipulation”
33-Setting up a Home Studio
Marketing
33-Fine Art Top 15
34-Setting up a Home Gallery
Marketing
34-Vision
35-Photographic Knowledge
35-Reaching your goals in 2014
36-The reluctant artist
by Steve Pope -- Part 3
36-Fuji X100s
Camera Review
37-From Good to Really Good 37 - Introducing the Vision Mastery Workshop on DVD
38-Image Enhancement
by Ronny Nilsen
 
39-Finding the Personal in Art
 

40-The 2008 Bryce Canyon Fine Art Printing Summit
 
41-Video Print Reviews
 
42-Fine Art Photography:
1-July 2009 Artist Statement
 
43-Eva Polak
 
44-Luis Argerich Interview
 
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45-Composition Top 15
 
46-What do you do ?
46 - Achievements
 
47-PMA 2007
47-Marketing Fine Art Photography
Book Review by Drake Fleege
 
48-It's About the Art
48-Why Personal Style is Important
 
49-Testimonials
49-Why I Photograph Cars
 
50 -Landscape Blurs


50-Cars Photography as Hobby

 
51-New essays are also posted to my Reflections Blog
51-About Photographing Cars
 

52 -The Mastery DVD Series

52-Six Remarks on Composition
 
53-The Artistic Achievement Pyramid
53-Sunrise Reflections, Bosque del Apache
 
54-Composition notes #1/6
54-Creativity Top 12    
55-Using Color Harmonies in Photography, Part 1 of 9: Monochromatic Color Harmony
55-Fifteen Remarks on Fine Art Photography Composition    
56-Fine Art Top 15
56-Optimization is part of composition    
57-Sunrise, Joshua Tree NP: How it was done
57-Monument Valley Avant Garde: How it was done    
58-Expressing our Vision or Collecting Gear?
58-HDR in 2013    
59-Proust, Art & Photography
59-Why Personal Style is Important    
60-Artistic License
60-Light    
61-My Story
61-The 2017 Zion Summit    


All text and photographs Copyright © Alain Briot 2017
and Copyright © the respective photographers who are contributing to this series.
Credits are provided in each essay written by contributors.
All rights reserved worldwide

If you wish to contribute to this series simply email your essay, or a short description to:
alain@beautiful-landscape.com

Thank you to all the students and photographers who have contributed work to this series.

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