All photos by Philipp Apler. Used with Creative Commons permission.
Itching to shoot the great outdoors? Scotland is a favorite location of many landscape photographers for its rugged coastlines, mountains, stunning vistas, and other natural wonders. If it’s on your list of dream destinations, we think this monochrome series from Philipp Apler will push you to making that shoot happen!
Last time we placed the spotlight on Berlin-based Apler and his work, we had a peek at his impressive selection of abstract black and white landscapes in Dark Sand. This time, we look at one of his more straightforward landscape photos showcasing the natural beauty of Scotland. Instead of the more popular route of shooting in color, he presents a dramatic mood through black and white photography. If you haven’t tried shooting landscapes in monochrome or are yet to get some great results out of it, these snaps should give you some ideas.
A lot of these photos place emphasis on the various textures often emphasized in black and white photography. Without color, you are forced to focus on the composition and look closer at the shapes, lines, and textures. Scotland’s rugged terrain and coastline prove perfect for this approach. As with Apler’s Dark Sand series, you can even give these sweeping vistas an abstract or minimalist treatment.
Since black and white photography also lends a drastically dramatic mood, it’s a great way to make scenes extra emotive. It can be a stroll on the beach, some sheep grazing on a seaside cliff, or a broken boat washed up on the shore, as we can see in this series.
Want more black and white landscape photography inspiration? We also recommend checking out Hengki Koentjoro, Vassilis Tangoulis, Damien Guiot, and Andreas Urscheler.
Don’t forget to visit Philipp Apler’s website and Behance portfolio as well if you want to stay updated with his work.
