Photography: Landscape vs. Close-Up

Back before we hit the crazy swimming lessons/traveling/moving season we’re currently struggling through, I started experimenting with the modes on my new camera. I’m not ready for the advanced settings, so the modes seemed like a good place to start; I’m particularly interested in how switching between landscape mode (everything in focus from near to far) and close-up mode (flowers or small things in focus) can change the feeling of a photo.

(Please don’t think that my “Photography” posts are in any way designed to be tutorials. I simply like to take pictures and to talk about why I find certain photos interesting.)

These two pictures were taken at a park here in College Station, back when temperatures were such that we actually went outside for longer than 12 seconds.

Landscape:

Close-up:

And these two pictures were taken in the Lincoln Lodge wild flower garden in Northern Wisconsin. Thanks to my sis-in-law Chandi, who works as a florist in Vancouver, I now know that these flowers are called “Sweet Williams”. Hallie calls them “Will Sweeties”.

Landscape:

Close-up:

To me, the close-up photos feel true to life. The present (the in-focus subject) is clear and well-defined, but the future (the out-of-focus background) is mysterious. I don't know about you, but that sounds a lot like my day-to-day life.

In opposition, the landscape photos feel dreamy and distorted. The present is peacefully rejected in favor of a more defined future; what lies in the distance is clear, but is particularly intriguing and tempting because it seems to lie just out of reach.

What do you think?