Landscape documentary photographer Sydney Smolla (@sydneysmolla_art) has been carrying a camera around for a decade, but it’s only recently that she decided to quit her job and make it as a working freelancer.
In the latest episode of AdoramaTV’s Picture America, Sydney invites viewers on a whistle-stop tour of Durango, Colorado, and its surrounding landscapes, a place that the semi-nomadic photographer currently calls home.
ABOVE: Watch the full episode right now
Sydney visited the city frequently when she lived in New Mexico and cites “the mountains, flowing rivers, alpine lakes, green grass and the smell of pine trees… farmers’ markets, people riding their bikes around town,” as what attracted her to the former railroad town’s southwest culture.
Having nature on her doorstep is another huge draw, as well as the nearby Utah, providing her with an incredibly diverse collection of landscapes. During the video, Sydney photographs a steam train at Silverton, takes viewers to the gorgeous Mineral Creek and talks about an incredibly interesting astronaut-themed project.
But she also talks about the documentary aspect of her photography, using it to build a narrative, commenting on the relationship between land and people, and conveying the history of the places she visits.
I found this particularly interesting, because very often we talk about landscape photography in terms of capturing a single, ‘perfect’ image, but shooting in series is a fantastic way to use your landscape photography to build a narrative.
So, to find out about the Durango landscape’s link to the Manhattan Project, how Sydney incorporates portraits into her work, and all of the gear she uses alongside her Sony A7 IV and Sony A7R IV cameras, make sure you check out the full video. Oh, and you’ll get to meet Sydney’s handsome Belgian Malinois, Max!
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To get the most out of your outdoor shots, check out the best cameras for landscape photography and the best lenses for landscapes. Want more from Picture America? Creative and former DJ Pat Cray photographs his home city of Buffalo. Learn how a commercial fisherman became a documentary and wildlife photographer. And stroll around Nashville with photographer Tony Shepard.
