Award-winning panorama and nature photographer Greg Boratyn is understood for combining good images with a penchant for educating photographers via shows and his worldwide workshops.
Boratyn’s portfolio accommodates colourful panorama pictures that transport viewers to a time and place. His work locations important emphasis on capturing the essence of the spirit of a scene whereas sustaining a robust sense of realism.
PetaPixel spoke with Boratyn about his profession, portfolio, ardour for serving to different photographers enhance their work, and inventive imaginative and prescient.
Changing into a Severe Photographer In the course of the Analog to Digital Transition
“For a lot of photographers, myself included, the transition to digital images led to important modifications and alternatives,” Boratyn tells PetaPixel.
Advances in digital images enabled Boratyn to develop and develop as a photographer in quite a few methods. Digital images offered instantaneous suggestions, permitting him to get a real-time view of a scene and verify his pictures. With the moment suggestions offered by digital cameras, Boratyn discovered it a lot simpler to develop his method.
There have been different advantages for Boratyn as digital cameras took over, together with important reductions in price, considerably simpler post-processing and enhancing, a streamlined workflow, and improved accessibility. Having the ability to seize, view, edit, and share pictures shortly proved very important for Boratyn as he constructed his profession.
A Naturalistic Method within the Digital Age
One of many advantages of digital that Boratyn expressed is that it allowed him to edit and digitally manipulate his pictures simply. Nevertheless, with nice energy comes nice accountability.
“In terms of my inventive strategy and relationship with post-processing, I try to take care of a stability that preserves the authenticity and essence of the scene whereas using digital instruments to boost the ultimate end result,” Boratyn explains.
“For me, the last word aim of post-processing is to deliver out the inherent magnificence and emotional affect of the captured second slightly than creating a man-made or closely manipulated picture. I view post-processing as a way to refine and fine-tune the {photograph}, to not drastically alter or distort the truth I skilled on the time of seize,” he continues.
To that finish, he’s cautious to keep away from extreme or heavy-handed edits that scale back the authenticity of a scene. He needs to make use of digital know-how to strengthen the connection between the viewer and the {photograph}, however extreme or unnaturally enhancing strategies can serve to sever that bond. For Boratyn, a profitable {photograph} immerses the viewer and retains them targeted.
“After all, each artist has their distinctive strategy to post-processing, and there’s no proper or incorrect technique to do it. It’s a private selection based mostly on one’s inventive imaginative and prescient and intent,” he provides.
“In my case, I worth the stability between the ability of digital instruments and the preservation of a pure aesthetic. It’s this strategy that resonates with me and, apparently, with viewers like your self who recognize that sense of authenticity and timelessness,” Boratyn explains.
His aim is to evoke emotion, and digital cameras and the accompanying post-processing software program are instruments in his equipment. Irrespective of how profitable skilled photographers equivalent to Boratyn obtain their outcomes, and there’s a various vary of approaches to that aim, all of them have one thing in widespread — intention and consistency.
Inside a Constant Inventive Imaginative and prescient, Boratyn Makes use of Various Lenses
When viewing Boratyn’s portfolio, a number of issues are instantly obvious. He depends closely upon technically-sound photographic strategies, loves coloration, goals to boost actuality in refined methods, and he makes use of many alternative lenses.
Lots of panorama images is captured utilizing wide-angle lenses. They’re a well-liked first selection for budding panorama photographers. Nevertheless, photographers like Boratyn present that there’s a spot in each panorama photographer’s bag for lengthy lenses.
“The selection of lens and focal size performs a vital function in creating compelling compositions and visible storytelling,” he says.
Large-Angle Lenses
“Large-angle lenses, usually with focal lengths under 35mm, permit me to seize expansive scenes and convey a way of grandeur. They’re helpful for landscapes, structure, and environmental portraits, as they emphasize the foreground and supply a broad view of the environment. Large-angle lenses can create a way of depth, main traces, and a sweeping perspective that immerses the viewer within the scene,” Boratyn explains.
Commonplace Lenses
There’s a spot for traditional lenses, equivalent to 50mm primes, in his equipment, too.
“Commonplace lenses, usually with focal lengths round 50mm, are versatile and intently mimic human imaginative and prescient. They provide a pure perspective and are well-suited for documentary-style images and road images. Commonplace lenses are sometimes my go-to option to seize scenes with a way of normalcy and authenticity, permitting the viewer to really feel as if they’re current within the second,” says Boratyn.
Telephoto Lenses
“Telephoto lenses, with focal lengths above 70mm, are beneficial instruments for compressing distance and isolating topics from their environment. They’re glorious for capturing particulars, portraits, and wildlife images. Once I attain for an extended lens, it is actually because I wish to emphasize a particular topic or ingredient inside a scene whereas minimizing distractions. Telephoto lenses assist me create a extra intimate and targeted composition by narrowing the sector of view and drawing consideration to the topic,” he explains.
Specialty Lenses
Boratyn’s tips of the commerce don’t cease there. He additionally often makes use of macro lenses and even fisheye lenses.
Choosing the Proper Lens
“Finally, the selection of lens will depend on the story I wish to inform and the visible affect I intention to realize. Every focal size affords a definite perspective and permits me to convey feelings, information the viewer’s consideration, and create a particular ambiance inside the body. By rigorously deciding on the correct lens for every scenario, I can improve the composition, emphasize essential components, and evoke the specified response from the viewer,” Boratyn explains.
There are various substances to forcing panorama and nature pictures, together with lighting, framing, and topic positioning. Nevertheless, whereas these compositional components in the end comprise the ultimate picture, the lens a photographer selects is an integral a part of the method. The selection of focal size impacts how an artist can compose the scene and determines what will be included. However, maybe most significantly, focal size additionally impacts what a photographer can omit from a body.
Coloration is a Highly effective Part of Composition
For Boratyn, “coloration is a robust compositional ingredient.” He makes use of it to evoke sure feelings within the viewer in particular methods.
Coloration Concord and Distinction
“I pay shut consideration to the interaction of colours inside a scene. I hunt down coloration harmonies, the place colours complement and reinforce one another, creating a way of unity and stability. Conversely, I additionally search for coloration contrasts that add visible curiosity and seize the viewer’s consideration. By utilizing complementary colours (reverse hues on the colour wheel) or contrasting heat and funky tones, I create dynamic compositions that draw the viewer in,” Boratyn explains.
Coloration concept has lengthy been important to the success of coloration photographers and artists. The digital age of images has solely made it simpler to make exact changes to hues and saturation to realize the specified end result.
Coloration as a Narrative Factor
As for the emotional qualities of colours, Boratyn explains that completely different colours embody sure symbolic meanings. He takes benefit of this by strategically utilizing coloration to strengthen the specified narrative of {a photograph}.
“For instance, heat tones like golden hues or fiery reds could evoke emotions of heat, power, or ardour, whereas cool tones like blues and greens can evoke calmness, tranquility, or melancholy. By aligning the colour palette with the meant emotional response, I strengthen the connection between the viewer and the picture,” he tells PetaPixel.
Selective and Dominant Colours
“Typically, I make use of the strategy of selective coloration, the place I spotlight a particular coloration amidst a predominantly impartial or desaturated palette. This system directs the viewer’s consideration to a specific topic or ingredient inside the body,” Boratyn explains.
He combines this strategy with a dominant coloration method. Dominant coloration refers to pictures the place a single coloration “dominates the composition,” which, Boratyn continues, “Can create a daring and impactful visible assertion, emphasizing the topic or creating a particular ambiance.”
Submit-Processing and Coloration Grading
To realize particular colours and allow color-dependent compositions, Boratyn makes use of post-processing and coloration grading. He fine-tunes explicit colours to realize the specified end result, together with adjusting coloration temperature, saturation, and distinction.
Like different facets of his post-processing workflow, Boratyn works to stability realism and inventive expression.
“Coloration grading strategies permit me to stylize the pictures additional, including a signature appear and feel that aligns with my inventive imaginative and prescient,” he explains to PetaPixel.
“By using coloration consciously, I intention to elicit emotional responses from the viewer and improve the general affect of my pictures. Coloration can convey many feelings, from pleasure and pleasure to tranquility and introspection. Via cautious consideration of coloration harmonies, contrasts, and the narrative potential of every hue, I try to create visually charming and emotionally resonant pictures,” Boratyn says.
He provides that it’s value contemplating how colours can imply various things and evoke diverse feelings relying on the viewer. Nonetheless, he makes use of coloration thoughtfully and deliberately to supply sure emotional responses, even when these particular person reactions to paint can rely on private and cultural associations.
Composition and Scale in Panorama Images
Probably the most difficult facets of capturing huge landscapes is instilling a way of scale for the viewer. Even a large mountain can look comparatively small within the body, particularly with a wide-angle lens.
Boratyn employs quite a few strategies to seize the grandeur of imposing landscapes, together with main traces and foreground components.
“I search for pure traces, equivalent to rivers, paths, or mountain ridges, to information the viewer’s eye via the body and create a way of depth. This helps draw the viewer into the scene and offers a way of scale,” Boratyn explains, including, “Together with a compelling foreground ingredient provides depth and dimension to the picture. It might be a rock formation, a tree, or every other object that provides curiosity and leads the viewer’s eye into the picture.”
He tells PetaPixel that different efficient methods to reveal scale in panorama pictures embody exhibiting atmospheric components like clouds, mist, or fog, and composing pictures with a particular level of reference. Examples of reference factors embody timber or distant constructions. He additionally likes to experiment with completely different angles and vantage factors.
Acquainted to photographers of all expertise ranges, the “rule of thirds” can be important for seasoned execs like Boratyn. “I typically apply the rule of thirds to position key components, such because the horizon or outstanding options, alongside the intersecting traces or their intersections. This helps create stability and visible curiosity,” he says.
Key components can embody dramatic clouds, mountains, or waterfalls. Parts like these create dynamism and make pictures extra attention-grabbing.
Nevertheless, there’s such a factor as “an excessive amount of.” Simplicity is widespread amongst profitable pictures throughout all genres.
“I isolate the topic by eliminating distracting components, specializing in its distinctive traits, textures, or patterns. This simplification permits viewers to understand the main points and sweetness which may in any other case be ignored,” explains Boratyn.
“I try for a balanced composition, using detrimental house and thoroughly putting the topic inside the body. This creates a way of concord and permits viewers to concentrate on the topic itself,” he provides.
Framing is frequent all through a lot of his work as properly. All through this interview, there are pictures that make the most of components like branches and rocks to assist body a photograph’s topics.
Filters are a Panorama Photographer’s Finest Buddy
“Filters will be highly effective instruments for enhancing and controlling gentle, including artistic results, and attaining desired outcomes straight in-camera,” Boratyn says.
At the same time as picture enhancing software program has change into extra superior and make it simpler than ever to fully change a photograph’s appear and feel, particular filter results are very troublesome or outright not possible to duplicate digitally.
For instance, polarizing filters, which allow photographers to cut back reflections in a scene, are not possible to implement digitally. “They’re notably efficient when photographing landscapes with water, foliage, or skies. Polarizers can take away glare from water surfaces, deepen blue skies, and make colours seem extra vibrant,” Boratyn says of polarizing filters.
He additionally makes use of impartial density (ND), graduated impartial density (GND), and color-enhancing filters in his work. ND filters assist photographers management publicity occasions and stability gentle and can be utilized to easy water and add motion to clouds. GND filters apply an ND impact to solely a part of the picture and are sometimes used to darken the sky in difficult gentle, permitting photographers to show the foreground higher.
Boratyn’s filter firm of selection is Singh-Ray, a producer he works with. PetaPixel readers trying so as to add high-quality filters to their equipment can use Boratyn’s private low cost code, “GREG10,” to get 10 % off an order from Singh-Ray.
Schooling is Essential to Boratyn’s Enterprise
Like {many professional} photographers, Boratyn affords workshops. Providing Boratyn an opportunity to “pitch” his workshops, he tells PetaPixel that he designs his workshops to be immersive and ship in depth hands-on studying and instruction.
His workshops take small teams of photographers to stunning and various places worldwide. Boratyn tries arduous to include native tradition into his workshops. “Past images, my workshops typically incorporate components of native tradition, enabling contributors to attach with the individuals, traditions, and historical past of the vacation spot. This provides depth to the expertise and might encourage distinctive views of their images,” Boratyn explains.
He needs his shoppers to return house with nice pictures, improved photographic expertise, new mates, and incredible reminiscences of unimaginable places.
Extra particulars about Boratyn’s workshops are available on his website.
Extra from Greg Boratyn
Boratyn tells PetaPixel that he hopes his solutions present perception into his images and provide sensible ideas that readers can use to enhance their panorama and nature images. “My solutions could sound very ‘instructional,’” Boratyn explains, “However that was my intent.”
Far more of Greg Boratyn’s stunning and award-winning panorama images is obtainable on his website, Instagram, and 500px.
Picture credit: All pictures © Greg Boratyn