How many golden hour photos are enough-I gag on them now. How many Iceland, Faroe island or Antarctica will every You Tuber all run to within two weeks of each other. I really don’t need to see 4 TH-camrs all reporting on their trip to Iceland -all within a week or so of each other. I enjoy your Denmark photos because they are unique. I enjoy seeing how landscape photographers deal with poor or less than ideal conditions. I enjoy seeing photographers handling non-‘IN’ sites. I think this is part of the reason for decline.
Bingo. My two favorite TH-camrs are Mark Denny and Simon d'Entremont. They mostly film from their homes, but they put a heavy emphasis on instructing. With so much content on social media and so little time, I have to make priority calls on what I watch and what I don't. I do enjoy watching some of the field work, but it's all kind of the same. And I never will watch a 30 minute video about a photographer's van.
I very much prefer the videos where the photographer is in the field creating photos but you bring up good points. They are always somewhere exotic and with 'AMAZING' conditions. It's basically the same videos over and over again. Thomas Heaton did a video several years ago where he intentionally went out into the most mundane boring landscape and tried to make photos. It was much more relatable and educational watching him try to pick something out of nothing. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only photographer who cannot afford to fly off to the Dolomites or Iceland to get our images. I think a lot of us are out there in our local landscapes trying to make something out of nothing.
And the “backcountry” Alaskan types that aren’t as backcountry as we’re suppose to believe. We’re being sold lifestyles rather than sheer photography. Being dropped off by a bush pilot does not constitute a full blown expedition. If I sound bitter, it’s because I am LOL. I’m only mad because I can’t do it myself.
Correct. Every YT landscape photographer this year has made a trip to Svalbard at least once. Ok fine, but let's take a break. Try somewhere more challenging or different, maybe a desert area.
I prefer your videos where you just go out in the field and shoot. You have a wonderful eye and talent for making a beautiful scene out of seemingly nothing. I personally hope you keep doing them.
I think this is partly due to saturation of contents. Particularly on platforms like Instagram has seen an explosion of landscape photography. The abundance of similar images has reduced the perceived uniqueness and value of the genre. Secondly, there’s a shift in trends. People are gravitating towards contemporary photography that tells stories or evokes personal connections, feelings which often resonate more with viewers compared to scenic landscapes. Photography with a message, where the meaning holds greater weight than the subject matter.
Mads Who can those landscape and wildlife photographers learn from the street photographers? People want and need inspiration to shoot locally! This is the thing to be learnt from street photographers. Iceland, Antarctica, Namib, ... is great, but it is not the photographic reality for 99.9% of the audience! I really love your vids when you go local in Denmark and around the Baltic Sea! I really love you mastering our daily weather light & conditions to create stunning photography. Those are the one the audience can learn from as they are learning from the street photographers on YT etc.
I love your In The Field videos, no matter where they are but especially Denmark, where you excel at teaching us how to find an image from somewhere that is not normally thought of as Epic. That is where I get the most value.
A great deal of food for thought. I watch a lot of landscape photography videos on TH-cam and recognise that you have the skill to produce brilliant images in just about any situation. The videos that really attract my attention, however, are not the spectaculars from an 'exotic' location but the ones where you use your skills to demonstrate that stunning photos can be captured in the more mundane of environments that many of us are familiar with. These are so much more relatable and therefore inspirational.
@@annaheya2109 I went and got myself a website, filled it with beautiful photos and nobody ever visits! like 1 person every 2 weeks according o the stats..
I stopped caring for Landscape content because most of it felt too "methodical" for my personal taste. I love spontaneous, unplanned photography. Going out and just seeing what might happen, capturing the moment. Most Landscape content felt like the antithesis to that. Traveling to a specific place, at a specific time to capture a specific motive, pretty much knowing what the finished photo will look like before they're even there (In an exaggerated sense but that's how it feels to me). It's just not my thing. That's why I also gravitate more towards channels like James Popsys or Olle Nilsson. Videos in mid-day conditions at a local forest or the town nearby, not caring about golden hour or specific weather conditions I'll never be able to care for myself. It feels spontaneous and relatable which motivates me to grab my cam and go out myself.
True... "youtube" landscape photography is more about golden hour when actually, you cannot always get to catch the golden hour...there has to be something else to landscape photography than only golden hour... that is the frustration I think...
I wonder if it has matured on TH-cam. Meaning that it is not searched for as much because viewers have found their favorites and watch them regularly without looking for new channels. You’re one of my favorites! 😀
I was thinking something similar. In the beginning, I searched for information about different genres of photography and TH-cam served up creatives that I then subscribed to. Since I was getting the information I wanted through subscriptions, there was no need to do further searches. The metrics that you are referencing are searches rather than specific content being consummed.
Saturation, pure and simple. There were a handful of photographers on TH-cam, but now everyone is a landscape photographer - plus there is saturation of content, deciding on gear/editing/composition etc there is only so far you can go before it's all the same repeating cycle. I watch your channel because I like your style and presentation, but I'm not looking for any further content from others and I certainly don't search for it any more. Maybe we have got to the stage where we all know what we like?
I’ve found some really good new content lately. Search for your local area and you might be surprised at what you find. There is a guy near me “Photos on the Bay”. He does LIVE streams in any and all conditions. Some days are no cloud, some overcast, his latest was Epic. He shows how to deal with the conditions as it changes. All the BIG TH-camrs go to Epic locations, use the best gear, cover the same editing processes. There are so many small channels out there that are doing something new and different. Watching the same content all the time sends me into zombie mode. I love Mads, but I’m also looking for new content all the time. Fototripper is my current favorite ( after Mads 😉 ).
Totally agree. I came here to comment that I have been mostly turned off from landscape photography because every seemingly interesting and "unique" scene in the entire world has been photographed to death by pretty much anybody with a camera, a suitcase, and the desire to trek to the various locations. You can only see so many photos of Yosemite or Patagonia or the Faro Islands and Iceland, etc. For me it comes down to "why bother?"
Merry Christmas Mads. Been a long time fan. Love your content. I personally think we are oversaturated with Landscape photography, especially on TH-cam. And most of the channels cover very similar locations, information, techniques etc. I would LOVE to see you try some “Live, on location” TH-cam videos. I have been doing a lot over the past few months and it can be a challenge when conditions don’t do what you hope for. This is Landscape photography. It’s not always Epic. I would LOVE to see yourself and more photographers give this a try. It adds an element of “real” . Anyway, love what you do and always enjoy your videos 👍🏼
I live in Australia and whilst the majority of landscspe photographers I follow are from overseas, I love watching in the field videos as it gives me ideas when I go out doing my own landscape photography. I also do wildlife photography, and I watch both videos equally.
I have been watching landscape photography youtube videos for almost 10 years now and until 2020 it was interesting, but then I felt like everyone was shooting the same places(Iceland for example) And the fact that I will never have enough money to go to the same places also made me lose a bit of interest in this subject. Which is funny because I am a landscape photography youtuber myself, trying to make content every week.
I personally appreciate your field videos more than the studio because it helps me to understand your thought process in taking photos. For example, an explanation as to why you are using a certain F-stop in a particular situation is very helpful in comparison to information on how to operate the camera. The studio sessions are helpful to, I just find more value with the real world situations and challenges. Please keep them coming!
For me, after a time of seeing beautiful landscape photography videos it became depressing because I will never be able to go to these places. What I have found more interesting are the channels which focus on intimate nature photography, such as Riding the Edge Photography by David Patton. He walks along woods and trails, something I can do where I live, as most folks can do. One of my recent photos which really appealed to me was raindrops on the thorns of a rose bush. That's the type of nature photography which is in my surroundings.
I absolutely agree! That's why I also gravitate more towards channels like James Popsys or Olle Nilsson. Videos in mid-day conditions at a local forest or the town nearby, not caring about golden hour or specific weather conditions I'll never be able to care for myself. It feels spontaneous and relatable which motivates me to grab my cam and go out myself.
Desde que todo el mundo accedio a la fotografia al tenerla al alcance de su mano a traves del smartphone, la actividad perdio toda su originalidad. Antes se hacia fotografia para los demas, ahora solo se hace para uno, que es el unico que la ve.
The ‘problem’ with landscape photography started way back with the introduction of Fuji Velvia and everybody could adopt a distinctive landscape style of warm saturated colours. Up until then you kind of had to create your own landscape style. And the saturation continued with digital photography with everybody shooting the style, until ramped up with ten stop filters and everybody photographing the same pier or stick sticking up out of the sea. And there are TH-camrs who call themselves ‘Professionals’ promoting the copy cat cut and paste style. Landscape photography looked at via social media is on a downward spiral because images are stylistically copied without having any reason to do it, like a project to work on, a statement to make, etc. so photography becomes like stamp collecting as a passive exercise of filling voids.
I do watch all your videos, but the ones of you in the field are the ones I enjoy the most. I am out at least once every weekend, enjoying nature and taking photos when I feel inspired, which is often. I am finding though that many landscape photographers / youtubers seem to be getting burned out; either posting less frequently or the content quality is no longer there, or their channels are becoming overly commercialized, so I am losing interest in those channels.
Ah I love your out and about videos and look forward to each piece of new content, decline could correlate to the advancement in mobile phones which is suffice a lot of the time for posting on social platforms but tbh as you'e pointed out I rarely google anything regarding landscape photography I just go straight to TH-cam. Looking forward to your adventures and further inspiration in 2025, have a great xmas!
We are only watching the videos on location, out in the field, hope you never stop doing those! I work 12 hours a day, going to work in the dark and going home in the dark, your videos bring lots of pleasure watching sunrises and sunsets and beautiful landscapes I would never see otherwise. Please go on doing videos out there in nature🌳
Mads - I’ll use my photography experience to address what you’re seeing. I started my photography a little over ten years ago and as such I was into landscape photography. As my skills progressed I slowly went away from landscape and went to different genres. I continue watching the same vloggers as they continue to put out basic photography tips which I use to continue my advancement. With the advancement of cellphone photography, I don’t think people take the time to actually seek out vloggers to get their inspiration or to learn new techniques - just point and shoot. Mads, keep up your good work and we’ll keep watching!
Merry Christmas! One factor you didn’t mention is the improvement in mobile phone cameras, which I think has affected landscape, street and travel photography more than wildlife photography. Although I’m a photography enthusiast, I find I’m often happy with what I can get with a phone for travel, and it’s lightweight and inconspicuous. Mirrorless cameras for wildlife photography are undergoing rapid improvement, however, which generates a lot of interest on TH-cam regarding the new gear and how to use it. I can’t do wildlife photography with a phone. That said, I still subscribe to and watch all my favorite landscape photographers on TH-cam for the instruction, gear, and travel to places with beautiful scenery. I’m hoping to do more actual landscape photography in the new year.
Cell phones and their advancement. Anyone can now take great photos without worrying about aperture, shutter speed, iso, and especially dynamic range. It does it all automatically, and everyone has one already in their pocket. Its good enough for them and they don't have to learn to use a camera and all its features. Cell phones dont work so well with wildlife photography and getting up close shots from far away.
I can only speak for me, but I was a landscape photographer from 2016 to 2021, when the cost of gas and lodging made it too expensive a hobby to pursue any longer. During those years I devoured videos by other landscape photographers, wanting to learn as much as I could. Yours included. But since I can no longer pursue landscape photography, I don't watch photographers' videos anymore. Or rarely, since I did watch this one. I'm sure I'm not the only photographer who's had to hang up their camera because of the cost of travel.
This channel is still my favorite channel on TH-cam and I like your videos the most where you are outdoors, somewhere in Danmark. Those videos I prefer over gear videos and so on. Here are my thoughts on why landscape photography has lost some of its magic. 1. It seems as every landscape photographer takes the same pictures over and over again. Iceland, the Dolomites... If you have the opportunity (the time, the money) you go to these fascinating places and the your shot. Than you will see the same pics on all social media platforms. That's kind of boring. 2. If you have less time, not sufficient money for traveling to all those places, it can get boring very quickly when taking pictures always in your own hood. I have to travel at least 1 hour or more to see something like landscape and since photography isn't my profession, it always lacks time. 3. Taking wildlife pictures can be more interesting, more adventure, more thrill. It's not just depending on the right light. You also have to be sneaky, quiet, patient, maybe need some camouflage... It can be enough to go to the nearest park or a nearby forest. There you can find foxes, raccoons and so many different birds. These pictures need more effort and skill than just taking a picture od the nearby pond, field or flower. Of course I am not saying that a simple picture of a flower (straight from above) has the same qualities like a picture of a forest during fog, with different layers and an interesting foreground. But many people don't see the difference there but see the difference between a blurry bird picture and a sharp photo of a flying swallow, so your pictures receive more appreciation.
Hi Mads, landscape is possible by everyone its there, your standing on it. wildlife has become a set up, lakes being fed with fish for the ospreys, a line of trucks for wildlife, boring to the extreme, you show that getting out there is possible if you want the shot. thanks Mads.
Think we have just reached a saturation point in landscape photography. After the umpteenth photo of a French lavender field, Icelandic waterfall, twisty road in Tuscany, tulip field in the Netherlands, wintery seaside town in the Lofoten, foggy mountain top on Madeira, etcetera... most people have seen it all by now, and multiple times as well. There will still be a market for landscape photography, hence why Google Trends is showing a more flattened graph in recent years, but the masses have just moved on to other roads that aren't as well travelled yet
I think it may be because most people stay in their local environment when they photograph. Photo tours are expensive and time consuming. People like the familiar and envy the esoteric which most of us cannot achieve. I suspect drone photography has gone way up - a new way at looking at landscape.
Good point. Probably the restriction of movement during the pandemic and then lack of affordability to travel has put a lot of people off. Yet, still even going for short cheap breaks you can visit great places to photograph, and there is a trend on YT of appreciating your local areas and perceiving them from a different point of view. Not to look far, just here on this channel, Mads has some good content on that subject. Yet again, a lot of people might find that boring, so I guess the landscape genre is getting a bit more niche, which results in less popularity, but better, more refined content?
I think you're on to something with the reference to drone photography. I suspect some of the interest in traditional landscape photography has migrated to drone photography. A few years ago I started seeing folks for the first time take drones on landscape photography workshops, so I think it's definitely a factor.
I was obsessed with everything landscapes since 2019 but have to admit, I've pulled back a bit. The more I got into it, the more I felt like I had seen a lot of the big landmark places everyone captures.. My own photography has shifted to 35mm film and watching channels like grainy days ect. I still prefer sharp, digital images for landscapes but I'm more interested in capturing that nostalgic feeling of simpler times.
There is also the fact that landscape photography is actually quite inconvenient. It’s best done at golden hour, when people would rather be in bed or having breakfast, or at blue hour, when most people are, or would like to be, having dinner. In summer these time windows are squeezed into even more unsociable hours of the night, and the length of the time window itself is even shorter - but in winter, it’s so much colder.
I quit trying for golden hour or early morning light and just shoot mid day now. I’ve definitely learned to adapt and work with light and can get good photos in any light almost. I really could care less about sunrise or sunset photos for my personal style tbh.
Also remember that it's not what some statistical category is doing that's important, it's how YOU are doing that's important. Social Blade shows you've gained about 25,000 subscribers this year, and predicts steady growth, so you're doing something right!
I am so surprised those are the videos that perform the worst. I’ve learned so much from your videos describing your thought process and mechanics in the field. I am surprised there is not a spike in landscape photography during the pandemic, when there certainly was a spike in National Park visits.
Great subject of discussion Mads! Also it is very interesting to read through the comments. I would definitely agree that saturation is a component, but also, I think we all have gone to see which creators are the ones that we liked, and then your search is over, you go to the same spots all the time. A second thought is why people go to the “studio” vs “field” contents, and tanking my own journey in photography in the last 10 years, it is related on where you see the most progress in your craft. I would assume that there is always people picking up photography, and making progress in your pictures at the beginning, it is easier to see how you can edit your pics, learn the tools and techniques, This will be specially emphasized by people that does photography either sporadically or temporarily (pick up photography for a few years). However, when you stick to the craft for long, composition, looking for locations, (a.k.a. field oriented videos) is the area to make progress… This is harder and requires more time also to see a difference in what is created, thus, searching for lots of content at once, does not help as much, it is more steady progress needed. I am wondering if this is just me; what others think? Thanks for the discussion!
Perhaps searches have declined as people have found the channels they like and no longer use Google to search. I follow a few different channels on TH-cam. That means that additional channels get into my feed because of the algorithm. I don’t need to go searching because I have the opportunity to browse different content without doing a search. Once I find the channels I like, I don’t need to keep looking. Just a thought.
It's ironic that studio videos do better than out in the field, because I have unfollowed a few people because all they do now is studio. I prefer to see what the world has to offer.
I can only speak for myself, but I enjoy videos that tech me something technical about editing or camera operation. Those are things that are more specific and difficult to master for me. I feel like framing a composition on location is more of an intuitive talent that I can teach myself more easily than I can teach myself to focus blend with an editing program. I enjoy all types of photography videos but like to have more technically oriented ones to look for.
What you present is amazing! The videos you produce I like the most are, precisely, those where you show how you take a picture, how to look for the best composition, how to approach, for example, a minimalist picture. Can it be that landscape photography is not sufficiently flashy, bold, as it seems to be the taste of these days, with media, like X, proposing louder and louder screams?
Maybe it's a good thing that interest in landscape photography is declining. Perhaps it's because people are already saturated with such images, or because they are often presented in a very utopian way that no longer resonates with viewers. People might relate more to realism and want to see this reflected in photos-images that are more open to interpretation or align better with the viewer's own perspective. I've been watching your channel for a long time, and I enjoyed the topics that were really within your reach or just 30 km from your home the most. The Faroe Islands masterclass was okay, but it doesn't really resonate with the community that watches you, and for a simple reason-we're ordinary people, enthusiasts, who want to take great photos in every possible situation. We want to learn to spot every opportunity for a shot and make the most of it. Cheers
I have a very small nature photography channel. I prefer to focus on the art of photography in the field. But my most-viewed videos are those focused on a particular piece of kit. Except for one in-the-field video which blew up for reasons I've never figured out. I also found that my bird photography videos do better than my landscape videos. I intend to keep doing both genres because I shoot mainly for myself anyway.
I think we all get much more landscape related content PUSHED by the media today so I would never come to the idea to search for even more landscape photos explicitly.
Happy Holidays! I think that after all the amazing educational and inspirational content you have created we are out taking better photographs and finding more interesting adventures. Your content got me to Iceland. I’ve upgraded my gear to the Hasselblad H2d and I’ve hiked hundreds of miles with my gear. I’m a retired studio photographer that is learning new skills from every outing. Please keep creating content. You are an extraordinary teacher and artist. I hope to share a photo adventure in the future. Until then I’ll stay tuned!!
In my case, I have stopped searching for "landscape" and have narrowed down to sub-genres such as beach, flower, macro, tree, etc. In my photography, I am not looking for the grand landscapes but more intimate scenes. A huge inspiration to me is Eliot Porter.
I find it incredibly frustrating on TH-cam you type in "subject" and you get the same 5or 6 people or constant poo not even related. So after 10 min I do something else. I feel so SORRY for any new comer trying to start a new channel up. Like all social media what started out out as fabulous format is now corporate BS. MERRY CHRISTMAS and keep the good work up.
I do all kinds of photography as I find I learn a lot of different skills from different types photography. These can then be mixed up in the different genres. But at the end of the day for me photography is just an excuse to get outside in nature and enjoy the day. I think you are very good at creating that feeling of pure joy over some "epic" ;) light, weather or what ever. So I really hope you keep doing things like always. I am a big fan :)
I agree market saturation probably the biggest reason. It’s almost “lamescape” photography, meaning even the most fantastical images are a dime a dozen, and frankly boring now.
Mads I was advid hiker and landscape photographer the pandemic had a major effect on me the trails became jammed with non hikers I had to start walking the beach to isolate my self from other people at the beach I started doing wildlife photography. I still hike and photograph landscapes but as much as I used too as I now split my photography between landscapes and wildlife. Happy holidays to you Mads
First of, happy holidays! I personally think social media hasn't helped alot. It gave us a place where we can all see these incredible pictures eventually sparkling interest to try it ourselves, only to discover that those epic landscapes aren't just up for grabs anywhere. I live in the Netherlands and I think its pretty tough to create something interesting here when you constantly see epic photos of Iceland or the Dolomites for example. Creating a good landscape photo takes time and practice. When I look at wildlife it also takes practice but its also somewhat more accessible, not to mention its less composition heavy orientated. Weve grown used to seeing fantastic images on Instagram, making it practically feel out of reach for many of us.
Hi Mads. Interesting discussion. As others have said, it is number of landscape you tube channels that feature similar locations etc. The title of your video is "the decline in Lanscape photography", but I think landscape and other photography, whether a camera or phone, is increasing. But it is the saturation of similar youtube content that is turning people away. It could also be the need to keep producing content if that is the main income. You mention a lot of social media channels, but Flickr to me seems to be the best for photographers. Have a safe and happy new year. Ross
I do not do many searches online for photography -b landscape or wildlife. I have a number of TH-cam channels, such as yours, that I watch for tips, hints and inspiration.
Great video - and an interesting look at the trends. I think your closing probably captures it pretty well, in that people seeking content these days probably lean away from web searches and more towards TH-cam searches. I know I tend to start on TH-cam, then head to the web, unless I am looking for a specific spec or technical detail of something - then I do a Google search, as I just want a fast text answer. I do find it interesting that in-the-field videos aren't as popular anymore. I know in some of the circles I hang out in, the vlog, in the field videos are the ones people are looking for. Great video!
Merry Xmas to you as well. I think a part of it is the social media side of things. IG has become nauseatingly overwhelmed by adds, influencers, and reals. Xwitter has gone down the drain here in the US, Threads is fun but kinda meh, and bluesky doesn't feel very photog oriented. Most of the photographers I follow now days are on youtube... which as a person who enjoys photography but is dreadfully unskilled at video, makes it feel like it's not worth sharing anything I create anymore.
Photography has also changed in the way it is displayed. Every photo most be so epic, I miss simple minimalistic landscape photos but they are not getting likes in instagram. It’s only the highly saturated epic ones.
Maybe many people started landscape photography inspired by epic Instagram pictures and then stopped after they realised which effort it really needs to take such an epic photo. Regarding wildlife the camera technology gets better and better and thus makes the genre more accessible to more people.
100% correct..I search on YT not on Google. As many have said here, there is saturation. Everyone capturing the same images of the same landscapes…with the other genres there is more variety. I used to shoot landscapes, but it such an effort….especially when my wife refuses to shoot landscapes😂..the other genres are so much easier to do and offer variety
Do you think as younger people come into their own, that street photography/cityscape is where they live and capture the day to day. Fifty/sixty years ago there was quite a lot of documentary photography going on. Resurgence of film with the younger generations also might have a draw. Landscape photography is quite labor and travel intensive. Just different interests artistically speaking. I have several interests in different aspects of capturing images. Landscape, Cityscape, Abstract, Architectural and Astrophotography Landscape. At 73, I started at 14 and struggled to carve out a living in photography with tough avenues to sell images or services. But quite interesting topic and I would not change my path.
The important metric isn't Internet searches but instead camera, tripod, backpack sales. While Internet searches may correlate, actual equipment sales is going to be a better indicator of this subject.
Not dying Mads. Getting expensive for many and unless retired never easy to go out when the urge happens. Also many see the you tube vids and try to copy and many fail and give up. Then there is the biggie. Mobile phones. Not photography as we know but is a force. We all have been local and desire new location challenges all which take time and money to experience. I and my friends are lucky that we are retired so have time and have built our kits up over years and now just enjoy the time outdoors. Challenge for you , Come try the light in Australia so different to Europe but still EPIC.
Landscape photography as a process is something I find quite relaxing and almost meditative. I enjoy it for that as well as nature photography. Street photography whilst I admire some of the images I would personally find too stressful to do myself. Each to their own I suppose.
I can understand why, but some of the best technique and seeing photograph learning, outside of going into the field myself, that i have had are the videos in the field with you and others sharing their technique.
That data seems perfectly understandable. It’s pure demographics. Photography is growing again. More new enthusiasts are joining us. Fact is, populations are centered in urban areas. For a lot of people, landscape photography is aspirational, but not very practical as a daily hobby. Street photography or ‘urban landscape’ photography is naturally going to be easier for more people to do close to home. What about wildlife photography’s elevated interest? I could be wrong, but I think wildlife photography videos are just interesting to watch. There’s suspense and action - and amazing photos. I watch those videos even though I don’t do wildlife photography at all. I don’t even have a camera and lenses best suited for that. And I don’t want to get them, but I still like the videos. Keep going, man! Love your stuff!
I shot landscape from 2009 to 2018. Took some workshops and even personal workshops to learn more. Best thing about it was seeing it with your own eyes and being in awe. Then hang the ones you love on walls and give away to charities and family and friends. I’m thinking about getting back into it again during my overland adventures, which has been capturing 100% video. Maybe video is the reason why it went down?
You're correct. Maybe for you with million followers it's even less observed but for us the mortal, recently there was a huge drop on number of people we reach. I'm not a professional, I don't work with photography, so I don't invest too much on IG. However, I use to have a mean number of likes around 120 likes. Thousand of visualization. Now many times I got 30 to 50 likes. I tested posting older but very high (300 likes for my profile) and got this 30-50 likes. Social media doesn't reflect people, they influence people.
My first thought is that I, for example, don't remember the last time I searched for 'landscape photography' on TH-cam or Google proper. I did when I first decided to get serious about landscapes; I found the YT channels that I liked, and I subscribed to those 4, yours included. Now, YT's algorithm occasionally feeds me another new landscape channel, so I don't need to search. I have added one additional channel in the last year or two from the random feeds. So, in my case, my initial search gave me what I needed, and the YT algorithms do the rest. There are really good photographers whose work I admire that I haven't subscribed to because they didn't click with me, but I catch them once in a while. I'm in the US (East Coast megalopolis), but subscribe to only 1 other US photographer because he shoots a lot in the western US national parks, which I don't get to often. The others are 1 Brit, 2 Welsh, and 1 Dane. What all 5 have in common are good delivery, good information, and access to landscapes that am so jealous of I could just scream--your forests are more interesting and the mountains look better because they aren't all covered trees, as ours are. I might be wrong with my theory. My other thought is that people might have been searching in the past as they got into digital photography and landscapes and were looking for information about what cameras and lenses to use. Now they've made their purchasing decision and are set with one brand and have moved on. That also might explain the uptick in street photography searches in the last few years--people who were caught up in learning and buying the small, pocketable Fujifilm X100V and VI (or similar) that have been so in demand for the last few years. Or, maybe they turned off their computers and got out of the house to do some photography, finally. Does that allay your fears?
Add Film Photography to the graph and see if it replaces the landscape graph? I feel like 2015ish and the boom of landscape photography on instagram as a trend has turned into film photography over the last 4 years?
Percent of searches does not necessarily mean less searches. There may be a greater number of searches due to smart phones in the hands of more people and especially the younger population doing more searches. Their searches are likely not in the area of photography. The real number of actual searches might give better information on the trend of photography.
When I first got into photography more seriously I was interested in landscape and followed yourself and quite a few others on YT. I have just about photographed to death my local area (which although it’s beautiful in places) it becomes a bit tiresome, you tend to photograph the same places but in different conditions and different seasons. I have been to Iceland twice and visit the Scottish highlands and Orkney as often as possible and that rekindles my interest in Landscape for obvious reasons. I have now become more interested in Wildlife photography because of the infinite variation within my local area, I don’t have to travel any distance to get different shots. I also get huge satisfaction when I nail a shot of wildlife due to its difficulty. I still enjoy all genres of photography but wildlife has got me hooked. I only get back into landscape mode when I travel and that’s not often enough. I’m only an amateur of three years and only share my work on social media (FB) and enter a few competitions.
Maybe it is the search criteria? If I am looking for anything landscape related I will do a very specific search on TH-cam for subjects like focus or exposure bracketing. Widening the search criteria to include subjects that are landscape related might give you a better picture. It took me around 3 years to learn the basics of photography. After that I was not really interested in watching tutorial videos and I narrowed down who I subscribed to. Personally I love the videos you do when you are in the field. I hope you have great Christmas and a happy New Year.
Interesting topic. I personally love the images you sculpt and what your post techniques can enhance. Watching someone on site is of less importance to me… as I want my own adventure lol. I’ve never overly enjoyed watching sports I play on the tele (or TH-cam), I want to be on the field personally. Not trying to express ANYTHING negative about your content, love it. Just psychoanalyzing my own response to photography channel content. If the video has a good balance between getting the shot and the process of achieving the result (if it’s good), I’ll always glean something… and it’s entertaining. Then there are just people I’ll watch because I enjoy their personality and respect their opinions (You, Hudson Henry, Dustin Abbott, Christopher Frost, James Popsys etc.). Landscape photography is still my favorite genre... I love God’s creation. Also the rise of online content has created a decrease in outdoor activity… and then there was Cov!d and it’s aftermath. Edit: A wonderful Merry Christmas to you there across the pond!
Interesting data from one source. Comparing different data bases and providers will provide a more accurate trend rate. I have found using different search engines has resulted in a wider range of results. Yes, if I specifically want to see a video of a specific topic I would search TH-cam. I tend to follow photographers, such as yourself, as I have found that their content matches my photographic interest. Saturation of the same topic and with little to no variety can result in less interest in a topic. Impacting all of this is the worldwide social unrest that impacts one's attitude and mental state. Thank you for your channel and Happy New Year!
For landscape photography I basically only use TH-cam and my viewing habits hasn't changed much, if at all. But I never search for content. I have some channels in my favorites that I watch regularly, but I rarely have to click on my favorites as TH-cam put new videos on my feed anyway. Same with new channels that might interest me. No search needed as TH-cam keep giving me more videos from my areas of interest than I could possibly watch. As for content - I'm watch some gear review videos, but for landscapes I'm mostly interested in seeing videos of (new) interesting places although I of course enjoy seeing some images too. I think it's difficult to draw clear conclusions from the statistics in your video as there are so many variables we don't know anything about.
My photography interest has shifted from landscape to street because street more accessible and can require less travel. With the difficulty in airline travel/weight restrictions and costs I tend to stick closer to home where car travel is more possible. It’s therefore harder to find subjects to pique my interest in landscape. I am going to try some more landscape soon, we will see how it goes.
Very interesting statistics...I'm sure there's LOTS of contributing factors in the general decline. What I would have really been curious to see, and I will probably have a look, myself, but it would be interesting to see the statistics for "astrophotography", which has seemed to have exploded since 2020. It was actually my reason for getting into photography, and in turn, getting interested in landscape photography, and finding channels such as yours & Nigel Danson's. Oh, and Merry Christmas, Mads!
Many people in the comments don't recognize that this is a global trend, not just a TH-cam thing. I thought about your question, Mads, and I think one reason why it's hard to answer is, because we don't even know what the main reasons are for people to search "landscape photography". Are they looking for wallpapers? Are they looking for advice on gear or advice on processing or philosophy?... Each of those areas might have a different answer to your question why the search term is used less often.
When cameras weren't in the hand of every person on earth, fewer photos were in the realm and as such the photos available were often places/things not seen by the public
I think part of this is cyclical, interest ebbs and flows with time for various reasons. It probably is bit of oversaturation with certain genres; changing tastes of the public and whatever is hot today. This has been something I have seen over the years. But great work is still being done by you and others. I think also there is a tendency for some to overemphasize 'bucket list' locations over one's own 'backyard' by some. The 'unobtanium' locations might discourage some as they can't afford the trip while someone who works primarily in their own 'backyard' shows that there is beauty around us if we learn to look. Mads, working as Dane primarily in Denmark helps beginners to understand there are beautiful locations near them and they don't have to travel to somewhere that is 'unobtanium'.
What I'm seeing from the charts you showed is not that Landscape is in decline but other genres are becoming more popular and balancing out the available 'market' of photographers. Probably due to social media/TH-cam exposure - personally I had no idea Street Photography was a thing until I saw it on TH-cam. More likely a reason for certain videos performing badly is that Vlogging is dead. The interest and attention span for it is no longer there, whereas in the early days of TH-cam it was a cool novelty that we got to see into the daily lives and routines of other people. If anything though, photography in general is becoming more popular again - ever since the pandemic there has been an explosion of interest which the camera companies pat themselves on the back for, as if it was all down to the Mirrorless revolution, but that's not true. The covid years simply pushed people into exploring new hobbies.
Very interesting. I think the decline is simply over saturation both in content and new things to say. Videos showing exotic locations simply do not have the same appeal. Similarly people are fed up with constant input of how they can improve. I get the feeling that more and more people just want to do their own thing.
I have always enjoyed your channel, seeing the process and what you accomplish, even though into wildlife, flowers, and some macro myself. In a sense, I guess this can be said for any genre, but for me watching landscape photos, I just feel like I can't be sure if I'm looking at the ”real” thing or a computer miracle. Having seen on other channels how much is changed in editing sometimes - beatiful light perfectly hitting a valley was just a mask done in post processing etc. Tricky and some ppl probably don't even care, but for me personally I'd prefer photos to be fairly close to what was actually seen with the eye.
Might be also because we see all the "perfect" locations for landscape photography and a lot of us do not think that we could do something "near home". I am in this situation, I like landscape photography but it feels hard to find an image that maybe in the back of my mind I compare with an Iceland photo.... I dont know...I like landscape but feels hard to compete...
I still enjoy taking landscape photos as a process and a way of spending time in nature, but I consume landscape photography less and less. After a while I just started seeing it all as just a bunch of pretty pictures, which is no longer enough to keep my attention. With landscapes I often miss the storytelling aspect of photography, the narrative, some sort of a message - something more than just a postcard. Instead of individual pretty pictures, I very much enjoy landscapes as a part of a photography projects conveying some sort of a message, which is why I love the works of photographers such as James Popsys or Kyle McDougall.
My thoughts when I saw the stats are that whilst nothing will replace the joy of landscape photography for photographers, phone cameras have now made it so anyone can grab a snap of a moment they've witnessed or a place they've visited. Compare that to wildlife and street photography where you need more expensive equipment to achieve the results you want, anyone who just uses a phone probably won't be able to capture those kinds of shots so they have to search for them. What I'm not saying is that phones have replaced DSLRs and mirrorless but people connect to places they recognise or have been to before. I can go out and photograph an amazing location at the perfect time but if it's largely unknown, it'll never perform as well as an okay photo of a popular spot. Key locations are now easier to reach than ever so more people are able to visit, queue and get a photo of their own, which will mean more to them than one taken by someone else. All this could explain the decline in searches but I don't feel like there's a decline in the joy of landscape photography, both in terms of capturing the moment or being inspired by someone else's work.
I think wildlife and landscape are type of photographies requires us to travel away, where we who work 9-5 can't afford due to time, family or money. Meanwhile street photography is just at our doorstep.
From a personal perspective I find that for wildlife photography I can pop out for a couple of hours to photograph birds (and sometimes mammals) whereas for landscapes the weather is more critical and I have to travel further. The same would also be true for street photography, although it's not something I do. Also in the last few years, with improved auto focus and mirrorless cameras wildlife photography has become far more accessible. However I have found that from a sales point of view my landscape images are far more popular, so although I enjoy wildlife photography more, and will continue to spend more time doing that, I will look for opportunities to take landscapes when the conditions are most conducive.
An interesting analysis Mads. From a personal perspective, I would normally look to TH-cam for photography related material first and then use the web if there was something specific I wanted to find out. I would also think there is perhaps an element of saturation in the Landscape genre and the 5 things, 6 mistakes, 7 tricks type videos, may also have a negative impact in some instances. I get why it's done but again the risk is saturation if everyone is doing it. Again from a personal perspective, I do love the out in the field videos as to me, it's vicarious living, seeing places through the eyes of others. One question I would have for you, is how has your channel grown in the same period as being a long time follower of your work, the time taken to get to 200k followers seemed quicker than the time to get to 100K followers. It may be an misconception on my part but it would be interesting to hear more about your channel growth from a subscriber perspective. I suspect generational shifts in terms of genres of interest combined with equipment costs, mobile phone technology may also have a bearing as well. Also wondering if podcasts have an influence too as the preference might be more audio as opposed to more video. As I said, interesting to hear your thoughts on the subject and suspect it is one that could be revisited again some time in the future
The fact that every person has a great camera (that also makes calls) in their pocket, that takes great photos without much instruction, and the fact that most people are satisfied with what they get from these devices... The need for instruction and or buying advice is declining... so much easier to use, for what is mainly social media interaction... who cares about back button focus ;-) Wildlife need bigger better equipment and hence teaching... imo.
I switched from landscape to wildlife. Not as in a decision but it just happened. For me getting into wildlife became a possibilty since the long lenses became affordable and widely available. In 2004 a 600mm lens was very expensive so not within reach for most people while now you can get an amazng camera lens combination suitable for wildlife for about 2000 euros. I noticed more people i know gradually left landscape for wildlife probably because of personal taste.
For me, I rarely use the search function to find content unless I'm looking for gear reviews. I'm subscribed to maybe 10 photogrtaphy-related channels and the content from those sources more than fills-up the time I have available to watch TH-cam. I therefore don't think the stats you're referring to quatify the interest in landscape photography. Instead, I think peopIe have decided the 'brands' they're interested in, and aren't searching for content as much - although there are lots of photography channels out there, there aren't that many people producing top-level productions. I can't comment on the differing trends in other sub-genres of photography because I'm less familiar with them. I was surprised to hear that the 'in the field' content is least popular as that's what I prefer unless, like I say, I'm looking for gear. Has there been a change since you started to focus more on local photography? This isn't a criticism, but my favourite content on any channel combines travel and photography. I guess this means that any searches I do are for photography in a specific location.
Very interesting and timely. The declining general interest in landscape photography follows my own path over the last short several months since I got into it seriously with new Fuji medium format gear . Before that, I had been taking landscape "snapshots" for 50 years, around the world on mountain climbs. My first real landscape photo trip was to Iceland in Winter, last month. Many (for me) epic shots, made easily in an epic landscape at locations designated by the guide, likely many (hundreds?) of times before. When I showed the shots to friends, I started by saying, "This is real color, very little processing". If you look at the "before" and "after" samples in countless TH-cam videos, you'll know what I mean. In landscape photography, what is real in the image? Objects can be put in (even entire skies) or taken out (content-aware fill is your friend). The public is now used to much more pixel manipulation via CGI, difficult to compete with those visuals. I'm not giving up just yet, because I like traveling to dramatic scenery, and the excuse of photography is a handy one for my family. And I know that what I show is the way it was - more or less, depending on how aggressive I am with the processing sliders. It's the epic images from pros like you, captured under difficult condition that I can relate to, that keeps me engaged. I don't know if those behind-the-scenes efforts resonate with the general public. As others have said, the effort is mostly for personal satisfaction - not a very marketable position.
Interesting topic. I've read a few posts and some authors have complained that the videos are either too technical or the resulting photos too expected. Some prefer the feel-good style of shooting, which is generally lacking in the videos. Perhaps the content has really shifted towards how to take a good photo for beginners who don't have much experience. However, this target group is gradually losing interest as they find that making a "snap" is not as easy as having an experienced photographer come in and create a great photo with ease. Part of the viewers want to achieve great results quickly and easily, and for them there is no point in creating videos about composition or preparation. Rather, they would appreciate content focused on the journey and discovery - something like a story, not just an instructional video. I think the viewership data for videos focused on wildlife photography bears this out. Viewers are attracted to the "we're going somewhere, we don't know where, and let's see what we shoot" approach. But the preparation behind it all often remains hidden.
Maybe the huge rise in video trains people to be entertained by movement, sound and being led and told more directly what look at. Also endless memes and singing dancing videos hav lots of immediate interest if you hav a short attention span. All that flashyness competing with a static image is maybe just overwhelming, no matter how beautiful the images is.
Hey Mads I'm still here and am watching! I think it's been a good trend for you to show more local photography proving that you don't have to go to Iceland to take great photos. I also think though that there is social media fatigue going on a lot across the board. People are sick of the Zuckerbergs and Musks feeding us what they want instead of letting us follow what our friends are doing. I'm almost to the point of not bothering with Meta bc even my friends and family aren't going on there anymore to see my photography. As for youtube, I don't know who's pulling the strings. I watch a ton of it and happily pay for Premium, it's what I watch far more than anything else. I can't figure out why landscape channels are struggling. Other than maybe some reinvention needs to happen. I used to watch a lot more landscape vlogs but now it's pretty much you and Shainbloom. The format is maybe too much the same and is repetitive. Maybe you've overachieved and anyone interested in landscape composition feels like they've seen enough and know what they want to know. The takeover of technology has certainly made photography easier and for me takes the fun out of it some. I miss metering and overcoming the technical challenges. My passion is certainly less than what it used to be. Possibly some are jaded by your use of the newest and greatest gear and software. You know that great photos can come from any camera. It's just a tool. It would be interesting to see what happens if you pull out a dslr or maybe a film camera or a phone and show that you don't need a epic gear anymore than an epic location. I wish you luck and hope your channel keeps going
You talk mostly about search. I subscribe to a number of TH-cam channels on landscape photography and don't do a lot of searching. I look at the content of interest as it becomes available. I'm still very involved in landscape photography as a hobby. I find these videos to be a source of ideas that I can put to use while in the field.
How many golden hour photos are enough-I gag on them now. How many Iceland, Faroe island or Antarctica will every You Tuber all run to within two weeks of each other. I really don’t need to see 4 TH-camrs all reporting on their trip to Iceland -all within a week or so of each other. I enjoy your Denmark photos because they are unique. I enjoy seeing how landscape photographers deal with poor or less than ideal conditions. I enjoy seeing photographers handling non-‘IN’ sites. I think this is part of the reason for decline.
Bingo. My two favorite TH-camrs are Mark Denny and Simon d'Entremont. They mostly film from their homes, but they put a heavy emphasis on instructing. With so much content on social media and so little time, I have to make priority calls on what I watch and what I don't. I do enjoy watching some of the field work, but it's all kind of the same. And I never will watch a 30 minute video about a photographer's van.
I very much prefer the videos where the photographer is in the field creating photos but you bring up good points. They are always somewhere exotic and with 'AMAZING' conditions. It's basically the same videos over and over again. Thomas Heaton did a video several years ago where he intentionally went out into the most mundane boring landscape and tried to make photos. It was much more relatable and educational watching him try to pick something out of nothing. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only photographer who cannot afford to fly off to the Dolomites or Iceland to get our images. I think a lot of us are out there in our local landscapes trying to make something out of nothing.
And the “backcountry” Alaskan types that aren’t as backcountry as we’re suppose to believe. We’re being sold lifestyles rather than sheer photography. Being dropped off by a bush pilot does not constitute a full blown expedition. If I sound bitter, it’s because I am LOL. I’m only mad because I can’t do it myself.
Correct. Every YT landscape photographer this year has made a trip to Svalbard at least once. Ok fine, but let's take a break. Try somewhere more challenging or different, maybe a desert area.
I agree. Namibia is soooo last year.
Well, I'd go in a heartbeat, but it's out of my range.
632 people, including me, taking time out on Christmas Day to watch your work! That says something 🙂 Have a lovely Christmas everyone! 🎄
I prefer your videos where you just go out in the field and shoot. You have a wonderful eye and talent for making a beautiful scene out of seemingly nothing. I personally hope you keep doing them.
Please continue what you do so well Mads - your videos from the field are definitely the best. Your enthusiasm is contagious
I think this is partly due to saturation of contents. Particularly on platforms like Instagram has seen an explosion of landscape photography. The abundance of similar images has reduced the perceived uniqueness and value of the genre.
Secondly, there’s a shift in trends. People are gravitating towards contemporary photography that tells stories or evokes personal connections, feelings which often resonate more with viewers compared to scenic landscapes. Photography with a message, where the meaning holds greater weight than the subject matter.
Mads
Who can those landscape and wildlife photographers learn from the street photographers?
People want and need inspiration to shoot locally!
This is the thing to be learnt from street photographers.
Iceland, Antarctica, Namib, ... is great, but it is not the photographic reality for 99.9% of the audience!
I really love your vids when you go local in Denmark and around the Baltic Sea!
I really love you mastering our daily weather light & conditions to create stunning photography.
Those are the one the audience can learn from as they are learning from the street photographers on YT etc.
I love your In The Field videos, no matter where they are but especially Denmark, where you excel at teaching us how to find an image from somewhere that is not normally thought of as Epic. That is where I get the most value.
A great deal of food for thought. I watch a lot of landscape photography videos on TH-cam and recognise that you have the skill to produce brilliant images in just about any situation. The videos that really attract my attention, however, are not the spectaculars from an 'exotic' location but the ones where you use your skills to demonstrate that stunning photos can be captured in the more mundane of environments that many of us are familiar with. These are so much more relatable and therefore inspirational.
I still go out a lot doing landscape photography I have never posted it on social media only do it for my own satisfaction
I’ve always done it for myself and never shared it but recently felt the need to
@@annaheya2109 I went and got myself a website, filled it with beautiful photos and nobody ever visits! like 1 person every 2 weeks according o the stats..
Same here.
Same thing here. Nowadays, I'm even shooting more film (again) - as you said, it's all about own satisfaction.
Same here, as an old 3d artist that got burnt out by the machine i the mid 2000 I see me photography as my grounding tool from our fantasy society.
I stopped caring for Landscape content because most of it felt too "methodical" for my personal taste. I love spontaneous, unplanned photography. Going out and just seeing what might happen, capturing the moment. Most Landscape content felt like the antithesis to that. Traveling to a specific place, at a specific time to capture a specific motive, pretty much knowing what the finished photo will look like before they're even there (In an exaggerated sense but that's how it feels to me). It's just not my thing.
That's why I also gravitate more towards channels like James Popsys or Olle Nilsson. Videos in mid-day conditions at a local forest or the town nearby, not caring about golden hour or specific weather conditions I'll never be able to care for myself. It feels spontaneous and relatable which motivates me to grab my cam and go out myself.
You described my thoughts on the issue and my approach to style- flightography- an escape from the norm towards just rambling a specific landscape.
True... "youtube" landscape photography is more about golden hour when actually, you cannot always get to catch the golden hour...there has to be something else to landscape photography than only golden hour... that is the frustration I think...
I wonder if it has matured on TH-cam. Meaning that it is not searched for as much because viewers have found their favorites and watch them regularly without looking for new channels. You’re one of my favorites! 😀
I was thinking something similar. In the beginning, I searched for information about different genres of photography and TH-cam served up creatives that I then subscribed to. Since I was getting the information I wanted through subscriptions, there was no need to do further searches. The metrics that you are referencing are searches rather than specific content being consummed.
Saturation, pure and simple. There were a handful of photographers on TH-cam, but now everyone is a landscape photographer - plus there is saturation of content, deciding on gear/editing/composition etc there is only so far you can go before it's all the same repeating cycle. I watch your channel because I like your style and presentation, but I'm not looking for any further content from others and I certainly don't search for it any more. Maybe we have got to the stage where we all know what we like?
I'd agree and add YT algorithms encourage excess content too.
Yup
Saturated of any and all genre has occurred. Landscape, birds in flight, long exposure, weddings, etc. have all reached saturation.
I’ve found some really good new content lately. Search for your local area and you might be surprised at what you find. There is a guy near me “Photos on the Bay”. He does LIVE streams in any and all conditions. Some days are no cloud, some overcast, his latest was Epic. He shows how to deal with the conditions as it changes.
All the BIG TH-camrs go to Epic locations, use the best gear, cover the same editing processes.
There are so many small channels out there that are doing something new and different.
Watching the same content all the time sends me into zombie mode. I love Mads, but I’m also looking for new content all the time.
Fototripper is my current favorite ( after Mads 😉 ).
Totally agree. I came here to comment that I have been mostly turned off from landscape photography because every seemingly interesting and "unique" scene in the entire world has been photographed to death by pretty much anybody with a camera, a suitcase, and the desire to trek to the various locations. You can only see so many photos of Yosemite or Patagonia or the Faro Islands and Iceland, etc. For me it comes down to "why bother?"
Merry Christmas Mads. Been a long time fan. Love your content. I personally think we are oversaturated with Landscape photography, especially on TH-cam. And most of the channels cover very similar locations, information, techniques etc.
I would LOVE to see you try some “Live, on location” TH-cam videos. I have been doing a lot over the past few months and it can be a challenge when conditions don’t do what you hope for. This is Landscape photography. It’s not always Epic. I would LOVE to see yourself and more photographers give this a try. It adds an element of “real” . Anyway, love what you do and always enjoy your videos 👍🏼
I live in Australia and whilst the majority of landscspe photographers I follow are from overseas, I love watching in the field videos as it gives me ideas when I go out doing my own landscape photography. I also do wildlife photography, and I watch both videos equally.
I have been watching landscape photography youtube videos for almost 10 years now and until 2020 it was interesting, but then I felt like everyone was shooting the same places(Iceland for example) And the fact that I will never have enough money to go to the same places also made me lose a bit of interest in this subject. Which is funny because I am a landscape photography youtuber myself, trying to make content every week.
I personally appreciate your field videos more than the studio because it helps me to understand your thought process in taking photos. For example, an explanation as to why you are using a certain F-stop in a particular situation is very helpful in comparison to information on how to operate the camera. The studio sessions are helpful to, I just find more value with the real world situations and challenges. Please keep them coming!
For me, after a time of seeing beautiful landscape photography videos it became depressing because I will never be able to go to these places. What I have found more interesting are the channels which focus on intimate nature photography, such as Riding the Edge Photography by David Patton. He walks along woods and trails, something I can do where I live, as most folks can do. One of my recent photos which really appealed to me was raindrops on the thorns of a rose bush. That's the type of nature photography which is in my surroundings.
I absolutely agree! That's why I also gravitate more towards channels like James Popsys or Olle Nilsson. Videos in mid-day conditions at a local forest or the town nearby, not caring about golden hour or specific weather conditions I'll never be able to care for myself. It feels spontaneous and relatable which motivates me to grab my cam and go out myself.
Desde que todo el mundo accedio a la fotografia al tenerla al alcance de su mano a traves del smartphone, la actividad perdio toda su originalidad. Antes se hacia fotografia para los demas, ahora solo se hace para uno, que es el unico que la ve.
The ‘problem’ with landscape photography started way back with the introduction of Fuji Velvia and everybody could adopt a distinctive landscape style of warm saturated colours. Up until then you kind of had to create your own landscape style. And the saturation continued with digital photography with everybody shooting the style, until ramped up with ten stop filters and everybody photographing the same pier or stick sticking up out of the sea. And there are TH-camrs who call themselves ‘Professionals’ promoting the copy cat cut and paste style. Landscape photography looked at via social media is on a downward spiral because images are stylistically copied without having any reason to do it, like a project to work on, a statement to make, etc. so photography becomes like stamp collecting as a passive exercise of filling voids.
I do watch all your videos, but the ones of you in the field are the ones I enjoy the most. I am out at least once every weekend, enjoying nature and taking photos when I feel inspired, which is often. I am finding though that many landscape photographers / youtubers seem to be getting burned out; either posting less frequently or the content quality is no longer there, or their channels are becoming overly commercialized, so I am losing interest in those channels.
Ah I love your out and about videos and look forward to each piece of new content, decline could correlate to the advancement in mobile phones which is suffice a lot of the time for posting on social platforms but tbh as you'e pointed out I rarely google anything regarding landscape photography I just go straight to TH-cam. Looking forward to your adventures and further inspiration in 2025, have a great xmas!
We are only watching the videos on location, out in the field, hope you never stop doing those!
I work 12 hours a day, going to work in the dark and going home in the dark, your videos bring lots of pleasure watching sunrises and sunsets and beautiful landscapes I would never see otherwise. Please go on doing videos out there in nature🌳
Mads - I’ll use my photography experience to address what you’re seeing. I started my photography a little over ten years ago and as such I was into landscape photography. As my skills progressed I slowly went away from landscape and went to different genres. I continue watching the same vloggers as they continue to put out basic photography tips which I use to continue my advancement. With the advancement of cellphone photography, I don’t think people take the time to actually seek out vloggers to get their inspiration or to learn new techniques - just point and shoot. Mads, keep up your good work and we’ll keep watching!
Merry Christmas! One factor you didn’t mention is the improvement in mobile phone cameras, which I think has affected landscape, street and travel photography more than wildlife photography. Although I’m a photography enthusiast, I find I’m often happy with what I can get with a phone for travel, and it’s lightweight and inconspicuous. Mirrorless cameras for wildlife photography are undergoing rapid improvement, however, which generates a lot of interest on TH-cam regarding the new gear and how to use it. I can’t do wildlife photography with a phone. That said, I still subscribe to and watch all my favorite landscape photographers on TH-cam for the instruction, gear, and travel to places with beautiful scenery. I’m hoping to do more actual landscape photography in the new year.
For last 3years i'm shooting ONLY with my iPhone and getting even A1 good quality prints for selling...
Cell phones and their advancement. Anyone can now take great photos without worrying about aperture, shutter speed, iso, and especially dynamic range. It does it all automatically, and everyone has one already in their pocket. Its good enough for them and they don't have to learn to use a camera and all its features. Cell phones dont work so well with wildlife photography and getting up close shots from far away.
@@NickG65 I like the convenience of the phone, but I definitely enjoy the experience of a camera with a viewfinder more.
I can only speak for me, but I was a landscape photographer from 2016 to 2021, when the cost of gas and lodging made it too expensive a hobby to pursue any longer. During those years I devoured videos by other landscape photographers, wanting to learn as much as I could. Yours included. But since I can no longer pursue landscape photography, I don't watch photographers' videos anymore. Or rarely, since I did watch this one. I'm sure I'm not the only photographer who's had to hang up their camera because of the cost of travel.
💯 this right here is the same reason I lost interest
This channel is still my favorite channel on TH-cam and I like your videos the most where you are outdoors, somewhere in Danmark. Those videos I prefer over gear videos and so on.
Here are my thoughts on why landscape photography has lost some of its magic.
1. It seems as every landscape photographer takes the same pictures over and over again. Iceland, the Dolomites... If you have the opportunity (the time, the money) you go to these fascinating places and the your shot. Than you will see the same pics on all social media platforms. That's kind of boring.
2. If you have less time, not sufficient money for traveling to all those places, it can get boring very quickly when taking pictures always in your own hood. I have to travel at least 1 hour or more to see something like landscape and since photography isn't my profession, it always lacks time.
3. Taking wildlife pictures can be more interesting, more adventure, more thrill. It's not just depending on the right light. You also have to be sneaky, quiet, patient, maybe need some camouflage...
It can be enough to go to the nearest park or a nearby forest. There you can find foxes, raccoons and so many different birds. These pictures need more effort and skill than just taking a picture od the nearby pond, field or flower. Of course I am not saying that a simple picture of a flower (straight from above) has the same qualities like a picture of a forest during fog, with different layers and an interesting foreground. But many people don't see the difference there but see the difference between a blurry bird picture and a sharp photo of a flying swallow, so your pictures receive more appreciation.
Hi Mads, landscape is possible by everyone its there, your standing on it. wildlife has become a set up, lakes being fed with fish for the ospreys, a line of trucks for wildlife, boring to the extreme, you show that getting out there is possible if you want the shot. thanks Mads.
Think we have just reached a saturation point in landscape photography.
After the umpteenth photo of a French lavender field, Icelandic waterfall, twisty road in Tuscany, tulip field in the Netherlands, wintery seaside town in the Lofoten, foggy mountain top on Madeira, etcetera... most people have seen it all by now, and multiple times as well.
There will still be a market for landscape photography, hence why Google Trends is showing a more flattened graph in recent years, but the masses have just moved on to other roads that aren't as well travelled yet
I think it may be because most people stay in their local environment when they photograph. Photo tours are expensive and time consuming. People like the familiar and envy the esoteric which most of us cannot achieve. I suspect drone photography has gone way up - a new way at looking at landscape.
Good point. Probably the restriction of movement during the pandemic and then lack of affordability to travel has put a lot of people off.
Yet, still even going for short cheap breaks you can visit great places to photograph, and there is a trend on YT of appreciating your local areas and perceiving them from a different point of view.
Not to look far, just here on this channel, Mads has some good content on that subject.
Yet again, a lot of people might find that boring, so I guess the landscape genre is getting a bit more niche, which results in less popularity, but better, more refined content?
I think you're on to something with the reference to drone photography. I suspect some of the interest in traditional landscape photography has migrated to drone photography. A few years ago I started seeing folks for the first time take drones on landscape photography workshops, so I think it's definitely a factor.
I was obsessed with everything landscapes since 2019 but have to admit, I've pulled back a bit. The more I got into it, the more I felt like I had seen a lot of the big landmark places everyone captures.. My own photography has shifted to 35mm film and watching channels like grainy days ect. I still prefer sharp, digital images for landscapes but I'm more interested in capturing that nostalgic feeling of simpler times.
There is also the fact that landscape photography is actually quite inconvenient.
It’s best done at golden hour, when people would rather be in bed or having breakfast, or at blue hour, when most people are, or would like to be, having dinner.
In summer these time windows are squeezed into even more unsociable hours of the night, and the length of the time window itself is even shorter - but in winter, it’s so much colder.
I quit trying for golden hour or early morning light and just shoot mid day now. I’ve definitely learned to adapt and work with light and can get good photos in any light almost. I really could care less about sunrise or sunset photos for my personal style tbh.
Also remember that it's not what some statistical category is doing that's important, it's how YOU are doing that's important. Social Blade shows you've gained about 25,000 subscribers this year, and predicts steady growth, so you're doing something right!
I am so surprised those are the videos that perform the worst. I’ve learned so much from your videos describing your thought process and mechanics in the field. I am surprised there is not a spike in landscape photography during the pandemic, when there certainly was a spike in National Park visits.
Great subject of discussion Mads! Also it is very interesting to read through the comments. I would definitely agree that saturation is a component, but also, I think we all have gone to see which creators are the ones that we liked, and then your search is over, you go to the same spots all the time.
A second thought is why people go to the “studio” vs “field” contents, and tanking my own journey in photography in the last 10 years, it is related on where you see the most progress in your craft. I would assume that there is always people picking up photography, and making progress in your pictures at the beginning, it is easier to see how you can edit your pics, learn the tools and techniques, This will be specially emphasized by people that does photography either sporadically or temporarily (pick up photography for a few years). However, when you stick to the craft for long, composition, looking for locations, (a.k.a. field oriented videos) is the area to make progress… This is harder and requires more time also to see a difference in what is created, thus, searching for lots of content at once, does not help as much, it is more steady progress needed.
I am wondering if this is just me; what others think?
Thanks for the discussion!
Perhaps searches have declined as people have found the channels they like and no longer use Google to search. I follow a few different channels on TH-cam. That means that additional channels get into my feed because of the algorithm. I don’t need to go searching because I have the opportunity to browse different content without doing a search. Once I find the channels I like, I don’t need to keep looking. Just a thought.
👍
It's ironic that studio videos do better than out in the field, because I have unfollowed a few people because all they do now is studio. I prefer to see what the world has to offer.
I can only speak for myself, but I enjoy videos that tech me something technical about editing or camera operation. Those are things that are more specific and difficult to master for me. I feel like framing a composition on location is more of an intuitive talent that I can teach myself more easily than I can teach myself to focus blend with an editing program. I enjoy all types of photography videos but like to have more technically oriented ones to look for.
What you present is amazing! The videos you produce I like the most are, precisely, those where you show how you take a picture, how to look for the best composition, how to approach, for example, a minimalist picture. Can it be that landscape photography is not sufficiently flashy, bold, as it seems to be the taste of these days, with media, like X, proposing louder and louder screams?
Maybe it's a good thing that interest in landscape photography is declining. Perhaps it's because people are already saturated with such images, or because they are often presented in a very utopian way that no longer resonates with viewers. People might relate more to realism and want to see this reflected in photos-images that are more open to interpretation or align better with the viewer's own perspective.
I've been watching your channel for a long time, and I enjoyed the topics that were really within your reach or just 30 km from your home the most. The Faroe Islands masterclass was okay, but it doesn't really resonate with the community that watches you, and for a simple reason-we're ordinary people, enthusiasts, who want to take great photos in every possible situation. We want to learn to spot every opportunity for a shot and make the most of it.
Cheers
I have a very small nature photography channel. I prefer to focus on the art of photography in the field. But my most-viewed videos are those focused on a particular piece of kit. Except for one in-the-field video which blew up for reasons I've never figured out. I also found that my bird photography videos do better than my landscape videos. I intend to keep doing both genres because I shoot mainly for myself anyway.
I think we all get much more landscape related content PUSHED by the media today so I would never come to the idea to search for even more landscape photos explicitly.
Happy Holidays! I think that after all the amazing educational and inspirational content you have created we are out taking better photographs and finding more interesting adventures. Your content got me to Iceland. I’ve upgraded my gear to the Hasselblad H2d and I’ve hiked hundreds of miles with my gear. I’m a retired studio photographer that is learning new skills from every outing. Please keep creating content. You are an extraordinary teacher and artist. I hope to share a photo adventure in the future. Until then I’ll stay tuned!!
In my case, I have stopped searching for "landscape" and have narrowed down to sub-genres such as beach, flower, macro, tree, etc. In my photography, I am not looking for the grand landscapes but more intimate scenes. A huge inspiration to me is Eliot Porter.
I find it incredibly frustrating on TH-cam you type in "subject" and you get the same 5or 6 people or constant poo not even related. So after 10 min I do something else. I feel so SORRY for any new comer trying to start a new channel up. Like all social media what started out out as fabulous format is now corporate BS.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and keep the good work up.
I do all kinds of photography as I find I learn a lot of different skills from different types photography. These can then be mixed up in the different genres. But at the end of the day for me photography is just an excuse to get outside in nature and enjoy the day. I think you are very good at creating that feeling of pure joy over some "epic" ;) light, weather or what ever. So I really hope you keep doing things like always. I am a big fan :)
I agree market saturation probably the biggest reason. It’s almost “lamescape” photography, meaning even the most fantastical images are a dime a dozen, and frankly boring now.
eep up the outings, Mads, your enthusiasm makes even mundane places interesting. The comet and aurora videos were wonderful. One might say epic.
😇
Mads
I was advid hiker and landscape photographer the pandemic had a major effect on me the trails became jammed with non hikers I had to start walking the beach to isolate my self from other people at the beach I started doing wildlife photography. I still hike and photograph landscapes but as much as I used too as I now split my photography between landscapes and wildlife.
Happy holidays to you Mads
First of, happy holidays!
I personally think social media hasn't helped alot. It gave us a place where we can all see these incredible pictures eventually sparkling interest to try it ourselves, only to discover that those epic landscapes aren't just up for grabs anywhere. I live in the Netherlands and I think its pretty tough to create something interesting here when you constantly see epic photos of Iceland or the Dolomites for example.
Creating a good landscape photo takes time and practice.
When I look at wildlife it also takes practice but its also somewhat more accessible, not to mention its less composition heavy orientated.
Weve grown used to seeing fantastic images on Instagram, making it practically feel out of reach for many of us.
Hi Mads. Interesting discussion. As others have said, it is number of landscape you tube channels that feature similar locations etc. The title of your video is "the decline in Lanscape photography", but I think landscape and other photography, whether a camera or phone, is increasing.
But it is the saturation of similar youtube content that is turning people away. It could also be the need to keep producing content if that is the main income. You mention a lot of social media channels, but Flickr to me seems to be the best for photographers.
Have a safe and happy new year. Ross
I do not do many searches online for photography -b landscape or wildlife. I have a number of TH-cam channels, such as yours, that I watch for tips, hints and inspiration.
Great video - and an interesting look at the trends. I think your closing probably captures it pretty well, in that people seeking content these days probably lean away from web searches and more towards TH-cam searches. I know I tend to start on TH-cam, then head to the web, unless I am looking for a specific spec or technical detail of something - then I do a Google search, as I just want a fast text answer.
I do find it interesting that in-the-field videos aren't as popular anymore. I know in some of the circles I hang out in, the vlog, in the field videos are the ones people are looking for.
Great video!
Merry Xmas to you as well. I think a part of it is the social media side of things. IG has become nauseatingly overwhelmed by adds, influencers, and reals. Xwitter has gone down the drain here in the US, Threads is fun but kinda meh, and bluesky doesn't feel very photog oriented. Most of the photographers I follow now days are on youtube... which as a person who enjoys photography but is dreadfully unskilled at video, makes it feel like it's not worth sharing anything I create anymore.
Photography has also changed in the way it is displayed. Every photo most be so epic, I miss simple minimalistic landscape photos but they are not getting likes in instagram. It’s only the highly saturated epic ones.
Maybe many people started landscape photography inspired by epic Instagram pictures and then stopped after they realised which effort it really needs to take such an epic photo. Regarding wildlife the camera technology gets better and better and thus makes the genre more accessible to more people.
100% correct..I search on YT not on Google.
As many have said here, there is saturation. Everyone capturing the same images of the same landscapes…with the other genres there is more variety.
I used to shoot landscapes, but it such an effort….especially when my wife refuses to shoot landscapes😂..the other genres are so much easier to do and offer variety
Do you think as younger people come into their own, that street photography/cityscape is where they live and capture the day to day. Fifty/sixty years ago there was quite a lot of documentary photography going on. Resurgence of film with the younger generations also might have a draw. Landscape photography is quite labor and travel intensive. Just different interests artistically speaking. I have several interests in different aspects of capturing images. Landscape, Cityscape, Abstract, Architectural and Astrophotography Landscape. At 73, I started at 14 and struggled to carve out a living in photography with tough avenues to sell images or services. But quite interesting topic and I would not change my path.
The important metric isn't Internet searches but instead camera, tripod, backpack sales. While Internet searches may correlate, actual equipment sales is going to be a better indicator of this subject.
Not dying Mads. Getting expensive for many and unless retired never easy to go out when the urge happens. Also many see the you tube vids and try to copy and many fail and give up. Then there is the biggie. Mobile phones. Not photography as we know but is a force. We all have been local and desire new location challenges all which take time and money to experience. I and my friends are lucky that we are retired so have time and have built our kits up over years and now just enjoy the time outdoors. Challenge for you , Come try the light in Australia so different to Europe but still EPIC.
Landscape photography as a process is something I find quite relaxing and almost meditative. I enjoy it for that as well as nature photography. Street photography whilst I admire some of the images I would personally find too stressful to do myself. Each to their own I suppose.
I can understand why, but some of the best technique and seeing photograph learning, outside of going into the field myself, that i have had are the videos in the field with you and others sharing their technique.
That data seems perfectly understandable. It’s pure demographics. Photography is growing again. More new enthusiasts are joining us. Fact is, populations are centered in urban areas. For a lot of people, landscape photography is aspirational, but not very practical as a daily hobby. Street photography or ‘urban landscape’ photography is naturally going to be easier for more people to do close to home. What about wildlife photography’s elevated interest? I could be wrong, but I think wildlife photography videos are just interesting to watch. There’s suspense and action - and amazing photos. I watch those videos even though I don’t do wildlife photography at all. I don’t even have a camera and lenses best suited for that. And I don’t want to get them, but I still like the videos. Keep going, man! Love your stuff!
An excellent summary on the impact of social media and photography!
I shot landscape from 2009 to 2018. Took some workshops and even personal workshops to learn more. Best thing about it was seeing it with your own eyes and being in awe. Then hang the ones you love on walls and give away to charities and family and friends. I’m thinking about getting back into it again during my overland adventures, which has been capturing 100% video. Maybe video is the reason why it went down?
You're correct. Maybe for you with million followers it's even less observed but for us the mortal, recently there was a huge drop on number of people we reach. I'm not a professional, I don't work with photography, so I don't invest too much on IG. However, I use to have a mean number of likes around 120 likes. Thousand of visualization. Now many times I got 30 to 50 likes. I tested posting older but very high (300 likes for my profile) and got this 30-50 likes. Social media doesn't reflect people, they influence people.
My first thought is that I, for example, don't remember the last time I searched for 'landscape photography' on TH-cam or Google proper. I did when I first decided to get serious about landscapes; I found the YT channels that I liked, and I subscribed to those 4, yours included. Now, YT's algorithm occasionally feeds me another new landscape channel, so I don't need to search. I have added one additional channel in the last year or two from the random feeds. So, in my case, my initial search gave me what I needed, and the YT algorithms do the rest.
There are really good photographers whose work I admire that I haven't subscribed to because they didn't click with me, but I catch them once in a while. I'm in the US (East Coast megalopolis), but subscribe to only 1 other US photographer because he shoots a lot in the western US national parks, which I don't get to often. The others are 1 Brit, 2 Welsh, and 1 Dane. What all 5 have in common are good delivery, good information, and access to landscapes that am so jealous of I could just scream--your forests are more interesting and the mountains look better because they aren't all covered trees, as ours are.
I might be wrong with my theory. My other thought is that people might have been searching in the past as they got into digital photography and landscapes and were looking for information about what cameras and lenses to use. Now they've made their purchasing decision and are set with one brand and have moved on. That also might explain the uptick in street photography searches in the last few years--people who were caught up in learning and buying the small, pocketable Fujifilm X100V and VI (or similar) that have been so in demand for the last few years.
Or, maybe they turned off their computers and got out of the house to do some photography, finally. Does that allay your fears?
Add Film Photography to the graph and see if it replaces the landscape graph? I feel like 2015ish and the boom of landscape photography on instagram as a trend has turned into film photography over the last 4 years?
Percent of searches does not necessarily mean less searches. There may be a greater number of searches due to smart phones in the hands of more people and especially the younger population doing more searches. Their searches are likely not in the area of photography. The real number of actual searches might give better information on the trend of photography.
When I first got into photography more seriously I was interested in landscape and followed yourself and quite a few others on YT. I have just about photographed to death my local area (which although it’s beautiful in places) it becomes a bit tiresome, you tend to photograph the same places but in different conditions and different seasons. I have been to Iceland twice and visit the Scottish highlands and Orkney as often as possible and that rekindles my interest in Landscape for obvious reasons. I have now become more interested in Wildlife photography because of the infinite variation within my local area, I don’t have to travel any distance to get different shots. I also get huge satisfaction when I nail a shot of wildlife due to its difficulty. I still enjoy all genres of photography but wildlife has got me hooked. I only get back into landscape mode when I travel and that’s not often enough. I’m only an amateur of three years and only share my work on social media (FB) and enter a few competitions.
Maybe it is the search criteria? If I am looking for anything landscape related I will do a very specific search on TH-cam for subjects like focus or exposure bracketing. Widening the search criteria to include subjects that are landscape related might give you a better picture. It took me around 3 years to learn the basics of photography. After that I was not really interested in watching tutorial videos and I narrowed down who I subscribed to. Personally I love the videos you do when you are in the field. I hope you have great Christmas and a happy New Year.
Interesting topic. I personally love the images you sculpt and what your post techniques can enhance. Watching someone on site is of less importance to me… as I want my own adventure lol. I’ve never overly enjoyed watching sports I play on the tele (or TH-cam), I want to be on the field personally. Not trying to express ANYTHING negative about your content, love it. Just psychoanalyzing my own response to photography channel content. If the video has a good balance between getting the shot and the process of achieving the result (if it’s good), I’ll always glean something… and it’s entertaining. Then there are just people I’ll watch because I enjoy their personality and respect their opinions (You, Hudson Henry, Dustin Abbott, Christopher Frost, James Popsys etc.). Landscape photography is still my favorite genre... I love God’s creation. Also the rise of online content has created a decrease in outdoor activity… and then there was Cov!d and it’s aftermath. Edit: A wonderful Merry Christmas to you there across the pond!
Interesting data from one source. Comparing different data bases and providers will provide a more accurate trend rate. I have found using different search engines has resulted in a wider range of results. Yes, if I specifically want to see a video of a specific topic I would search TH-cam. I tend to follow photographers, such as yourself, as I have found that their content matches my photographic interest. Saturation of the same topic and with little to no variety can result in less interest in a topic. Impacting all of this is the worldwide social unrest that impacts one's attitude and mental state. Thank you for your channel and Happy New Year!
For landscape photography I basically only use TH-cam and my viewing habits hasn't changed much, if at all. But I never search for content. I have some channels in my favorites that I watch regularly, but I rarely have to click on my favorites as TH-cam put new videos on my feed anyway. Same with new channels that might interest me. No search needed as TH-cam keep giving me more videos from my areas of interest than I could possibly watch.
As for content - I'm watch some gear review videos, but for landscapes I'm mostly interested in seeing videos of (new) interesting places although I of course enjoy seeing some images too.
I think it's difficult to draw clear conclusions from the statistics in your video as there are so many variables we don't know anything about.
My photography interest has shifted from landscape to street because street more accessible and can require less travel. With the difficulty in airline travel/weight restrictions and costs I tend to stick closer to home where car travel is more possible. It’s therefore harder to find subjects to pique my interest in landscape. I am going to try some more landscape soon, we will see how it goes.
Very interesting statistics...I'm sure there's LOTS of contributing factors in the general decline. What I would have really been curious to see, and I will probably have a look, myself, but it would be interesting to see the statistics for "astrophotography", which has seemed to have exploded since 2020. It was actually my reason for getting into photography, and in turn, getting interested in landscape photography, and finding channels such as yours & Nigel Danson's. Oh, and Merry Christmas, Mads!
Many people in the comments don't recognize that this is a global trend, not just a TH-cam thing.
I thought about your question, Mads, and I think one reason why it's hard to answer is, because we don't even know what the main reasons are for people to search "landscape photography". Are they looking for wallpapers? Are they looking for advice on gear or advice on processing or philosophy?... Each of those areas might have a different answer to your question why the search term is used less often.
When cameras weren't in the hand of every person on earth, fewer photos were in the realm and as such the photos available were often places/things not seen by the public
I think part of this is cyclical, interest ebbs and flows with time for various reasons. It probably is bit of oversaturation with certain genres; changing tastes of the public and whatever is hot today. This has been something I have seen over the years. But great work is still being done by you and others. I think also there is a tendency for some to overemphasize 'bucket list' locations over one's own 'backyard' by some. The 'unobtanium' locations might discourage some as they can't afford the trip while someone who works primarily in their own 'backyard' shows that there is beauty around us if we learn to look. Mads, working as Dane primarily in Denmark helps beginners to understand there are beautiful locations near them and they don't have to travel to somewhere that is 'unobtanium'.
What I'm seeing from the charts you showed is not that Landscape is in decline but other genres are becoming more popular and balancing out the available 'market' of photographers. Probably due to social media/TH-cam exposure - personally I had no idea Street Photography was a thing until I saw it on TH-cam. More likely a reason for certain videos performing badly is that Vlogging is dead. The interest and attention span for it is no longer there, whereas in the early days of TH-cam it was a cool novelty that we got to see into the daily lives and routines of other people. If anything though, photography in general is becoming more popular again - ever since the pandemic there has been an explosion of interest which the camera companies pat themselves on the back for, as if it was all down to the Mirrorless revolution, but that's not true. The covid years simply pushed people into exploring new hobbies.
Very interesting. I think the decline is simply over saturation both in content and new things to say. Videos showing exotic locations simply do not have the same appeal. Similarly people are fed up with constant input of how they can improve. I get the feeling that more and more people just want to do their own thing.
I have always enjoyed your channel, seeing the process and what you accomplish, even though into wildlife, flowers, and some macro myself. In a sense, I guess this can be said for any genre, but for me watching landscape photos, I just feel like I can't be sure if I'm looking at the ”real” thing or a computer miracle. Having seen on other channels how much is changed in editing sometimes - beatiful light perfectly hitting a valley was just a mask done in post processing etc. Tricky and some ppl probably don't even care, but for me personally I'd prefer photos to be fairly close to what was actually seen with the eye.
Might be also because we see all the "perfect" locations for landscape photography and a lot of us do not think that we could do something "near home". I am in this situation, I like landscape photography but it feels hard to find an image that maybe in the back of my mind I compare with an Iceland photo.... I dont know...I like landscape but feels hard to compete...
I still enjoy taking landscape photos as a process and a way of spending time in nature, but I consume landscape photography less and less. After a while I just started seeing it all as just a bunch of pretty pictures, which is no longer enough to keep my attention. With landscapes I often miss the storytelling aspect of photography, the narrative, some sort of a message - something more than just a postcard. Instead of individual pretty pictures, I very much enjoy landscapes as a part of a photography projects conveying some sort of a message, which is why I love the works of photographers such as James Popsys or Kyle McDougall.
My thoughts when I saw the stats are that whilst nothing will replace the joy of landscape photography for photographers, phone cameras have now made it so anyone can grab a snap of a moment they've witnessed or a place they've visited. Compare that to wildlife and street photography where you need more expensive equipment to achieve the results you want, anyone who just uses a phone probably won't be able to capture those kinds of shots so they have to search for them.
What I'm not saying is that phones have replaced DSLRs and mirrorless but people connect to places they recognise or have been to before. I can go out and photograph an amazing location at the perfect time but if it's largely unknown, it'll never perform as well as an okay photo of a popular spot. Key locations are now easier to reach than ever so more people are able to visit, queue and get a photo of their own, which will mean more to them than one taken by someone else.
All this could explain the decline in searches but I don't feel like there's a decline in the joy of landscape photography, both in terms of capturing the moment or being inspired by someone else's work.
Glædelig Jul Mads elsker dine videoer fra ude i marken og især fra Danmark meget inspirerende og lærerige.
I think wildlife and landscape are type of photographies requires us to travel away, where we who work 9-5 can't afford due to time, family or money. Meanwhile street photography is just at our doorstep.
From a personal perspective I find that for wildlife photography I can pop out for a couple of hours to photograph birds (and sometimes mammals) whereas for landscapes the weather is more critical and I have to travel further. The same would also be true for street photography, although it's not something I do. Also in the last few years, with improved auto focus and mirrorless cameras wildlife photography has become far more accessible.
However I have found that from a sales point of view my landscape images are far more popular, so although I enjoy wildlife photography more, and will continue to spend more time doing that, I will look for opportunities to take landscapes when the conditions are most conducive.
An interesting analysis Mads. From a personal perspective, I would normally look to TH-cam for photography related material first and then use the web if there was something specific I wanted to find out. I would also think there is perhaps an element of saturation in the Landscape genre and the 5 things, 6 mistakes, 7 tricks type videos, may also have a negative impact in some instances. I get why it's done but again the risk is saturation if everyone is doing it.
Again from a personal perspective, I do love the out in the field videos as to me, it's vicarious living, seeing places through the eyes of others. One question I would have for you, is how has your channel grown in the same period as being a long time follower of your work, the time taken to get to 200k followers seemed quicker than the time to get to 100K followers. It may be an misconception on my part but it would be interesting to hear more about your channel growth from a subscriber perspective. I suspect generational shifts in terms of genres of interest combined with equipment costs, mobile phone technology may also have a bearing as well. Also wondering if podcasts have an influence too as the preference might be more audio as opposed to more video. As I said, interesting to hear your thoughts on the subject and suspect it is one that could be revisited again some time in the future
The fact that every person has a great camera (that also makes calls) in their pocket, that takes great photos without much instruction, and the fact that most people are satisfied with what they get from these devices... The need for instruction and or buying advice is declining... so much easier to use, for what is mainly social media interaction... who cares about back button focus ;-) Wildlife need bigger better equipment and hence teaching... imo.
I switched from landscape to wildlife. Not as in a decision but it just happened. For me getting into wildlife became a possibilty since the long lenses became affordable and widely available. In 2004 a 600mm lens was very expensive so not within reach for most people while now you can get an amazng camera lens combination suitable for wildlife for about 2000 euros. I noticed more people i know gradually left landscape for wildlife probably because of personal taste.
Landscape photography is sooo god for my mental health
Merry Christmas bro 🎈
For me, I rarely use the search function to find content unless I'm looking for gear reviews. I'm subscribed to maybe 10 photogrtaphy-related channels and the content from those sources more than fills-up the time I have available to watch TH-cam. I therefore don't think the stats you're referring to quatify the interest in landscape photography. Instead, I think peopIe have decided the 'brands' they're interested in, and aren't searching for content as much - although there are lots of photography channels out there, there aren't that many people producing top-level productions. I can't comment on the differing trends in other sub-genres of photography because I'm less familiar with them.
I was surprised to hear that the 'in the field' content is least popular as that's what I prefer unless, like I say, I'm looking for gear. Has there been a change since you started to focus more on local photography? This isn't a criticism, but my favourite content on any channel combines travel and photography. I guess this means that any searches I do are for photography in a specific location.
That’s a shame because my favorite videos of yours are when you travel and go places I might never make it to and seeing what you capture there.
Very interesting and timely. The declining general interest in landscape photography follows my own path over the last short several months since I got into it seriously with new Fuji medium format gear . Before that, I had been taking landscape "snapshots" for 50 years, around the world on mountain climbs. My first real landscape photo trip was to Iceland in Winter, last month. Many (for me) epic shots, made easily in an epic landscape at locations designated by the guide, likely many (hundreds?) of times before. When I showed the shots to friends, I started by saying, "This is real color, very little processing". If you look at the "before" and "after" samples in countless TH-cam videos, you'll know what I mean. In landscape photography, what is real in the image? Objects can be put in (even entire skies) or taken out (content-aware fill is your friend). The public is now used to much more pixel manipulation via CGI, difficult to compete with those visuals. I'm not giving up just yet, because I like traveling to dramatic scenery, and the excuse of photography is a handy one for my family. And I know that what I show is the way it was - more or less, depending on how aggressive I am with the processing sliders. It's the epic images from pros like you, captured under difficult condition that I can relate to, that keeps me engaged. I don't know if those behind-the-scenes efforts resonate with the general public. As others have said, the effort is mostly for personal satisfaction - not a very marketable position.
Hopefully this will not lead to a decrease in the number of the out in the field videos, these are the ones that are the most interesting to me!
I don’t know what you’re doing Mads but you’re looking younger!
Interesting topic. I've read a few posts and some authors have complained that the videos are either too technical or the resulting photos too expected. Some prefer the feel-good style of shooting, which is generally lacking in the videos. Perhaps the content has really shifted towards how to take a good photo for beginners who don't have much experience. However, this target group is gradually losing interest as they find that making a "snap" is not as easy as having an experienced photographer come in and create a great photo with ease.
Part of the viewers want to achieve great results quickly and easily, and for them there is no point in creating videos about composition or preparation. Rather, they would appreciate content focused on the journey and discovery - something like a story, not just an instructional video. I think the viewership data for videos focused on wildlife photography bears this out. Viewers are attracted to the "we're going somewhere, we don't know where, and let's see what we shoot" approach. But the preparation behind it all often remains hidden.
Maybe the huge rise in video trains people to be entertained by movement, sound and being led and told more directly what look at. Also endless memes and singing dancing videos hav lots of immediate interest if you hav a short attention span. All that flashyness competing with a static image is maybe just overwhelming, no matter how beautiful the images is.
Hey Mads I'm still here and am watching! I think it's been a good trend for you to show more local photography proving that you don't have to go to Iceland to take great photos. I also think though that there is social media fatigue going on a lot across the board. People are sick of the Zuckerbergs and Musks feeding us what they want instead of letting us follow what our friends are doing. I'm almost to the point of not bothering with Meta bc even my friends and family aren't going on there anymore to see my photography. As for youtube, I don't know who's pulling the strings. I watch a ton of it and happily pay for Premium, it's what I watch far more than anything else. I can't figure out why landscape channels are struggling. Other than maybe some reinvention needs to happen. I used to watch a lot more landscape vlogs but now it's pretty much you and Shainbloom. The format is maybe too much the same and is repetitive. Maybe you've overachieved and anyone interested in landscape composition feels like they've seen enough and know what they want to know. The takeover of technology has certainly made photography easier and for me takes the fun out of it some. I miss metering and overcoming the technical challenges. My passion is certainly less than what it used to be. Possibly some are jaded by your use of the newest and greatest gear and software. You know that great photos can come from any camera. It's just a tool. It would be interesting to see what happens if you pull out a dslr or maybe a film camera or a phone and show that you don't need a epic gear anymore than an epic location. I wish you luck and hope your channel keeps going
You talk mostly about search. I subscribe to a number of TH-cam channels on landscape photography and don't do a lot of searching. I look at the content of interest as it becomes available. I'm still very involved in landscape photography as a hobby. I find these videos to be a source of ideas that I can put to use while in the field.