Lydia Goetze Explains Why China Is A Natural Choice For A Contemplative Landscapes Photo Workshop

Lydia learned to love landscapes through outdoor activities, especially mountaineering and sailing. She now lists her three primary interests as:

• landscape photography;
• making fine art prints; and
• teaching others.

She considers herself a lifelong learner and embraced the digital revolution in cameras and photography at an early stage. She is now well-armed to pass on that knowledge to others with similar interests.

Fordie: Please explain what you mean by Contemplative Landscapes.

Lydia: Contemplative photography is where the perceptual skills of seeing space, change and light correctly merge with using the skill of mindfulness to be more fully aware of the world. This approach allows one to see more deeply into the relationships among the elements of what one is photographing; it is about one’s way of working, rather than about a specific type of image. It is about taking time to be fully present and aware, waiting for the light or a person’s expression, instead of rushing to grasp as many different scenes as possible. This approach can be applied to any type of photography, including landscapes with or without people.

Fordie: Can anybody learn the Contemplative approach?

Lydia: Anyone who takes the time to understand how human visual perception works and practice the skills of using space, change, and light, as well as practicing the skill of mindfulness, can learn to photograph in this way. Our workshop is based on giving participants time and guidance to learn and practice these skills and apply them to the natural and human landscapes they experience.

Fordie: Is there a best time of day for producing these images?

Lydia: When color slide film became available, the word among photographers was that one should use the “sweet light” around dawn and sunset, because the bright contrasty light of a sunny mid-day washes colors out. Black and white photographers, however, can produce outstanding images at any time of day. One of the skills in being a good travel photographer in a new and unfamiliar place is to learn to be aware of and make the best possible use of the conditions at hand at any particular moment; we coach participants in how to do this.

Fordie: What are the main benefits of learning the skills of contemplative photography?

Lydia: At first, one notices a subtle change in the way one sees and portrays details and relationships in images. This opens the way for more authentic artistic expression. For some, learning the skill of mindfulness has been a life-changing experience with far-reaching benefits.

For these photographic projects, I went to places where my heart is at home and waited for light to reveal the work of the elements and the characters of those who have been shaped by them

Fordie: Why is China a natural choice for a Contemplative Landscapes Photo Workshop?

Lydia: Our interest in and study of classical Chinese landscape paintings showed us that painters use a different structure for showing distance and depth than Western painters do. That made us curious to experience the landscapes they painted from. Our study also led us to investigate the influence of Taoist and Buddhist philosophies on their painting. The question then became: How could we photograph the Chinese landscape as though we were seeing with the eyes of classical Chinese painters instead of through the eyes of Ansel Adams or other Western photographers? What is the connection between the techniques of modern photography and this ancient landscape? Put another way, how could one not want to explore China and its culture, using skills that make one more aware of people and the places they live?

Fordie: Why did you choose Zhangjiajie?

Lydia: We previously photographed in Huangshan, a mystical and very beautiful place and also an important inspiration to classical painters, but it is more readily accessible and thus much more crowded. Zhangjiajie, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has many of the same landscape elements (spires, clouds and mist, intriguing topography and vegetation), yet is wilder and less busy. Local names for unusual features aside, I hope to see the place with fresh eyes. As a biologist, I am also curious about the many endemic species that flourish here and look forward to exploring a new ecosystem with my lens.

Fordie: The first half of the workshop visits towns and villages. Where are the landscapes here?

Lydia: China has been an agrarian society for millennia, and people have shaped its landscapes during all this time. The area we will visit retains its rural character in spite of the recent economic development and urbanization in much of China. As a young woman, I was a mountaineer, and I have retained an affection for and a curiosity about mountain peoples in many parts of the world. So the interesting question becomes, who are these mountain people (the Miao and the Tujia)? How do they sustain themselves? What do they grow and how? What is distinctive about their lives and customs? These are the people who have shaped and been shaped by the near-mountain environment and landscapes that we will see. And the contemplative approach is effective in working with people and making portraits as well as landscapes.

Fordie: Where else in China would you like to photograph?

Lydia: On previous trips to China, I have photographed in more urban areas (Beijing, Harbin, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai) as well as Huangshan, but I am a rural person at heart. The Silk Road has always intrigued me, with its long and interesting history as a meeting place for different cultures and its challenging desert landscape. The steppes of Mongolia. The rural countryside along the Li River. And probably many other places if I knew more about them!