41. EMBODYING RELAXATION
TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHS THAT imply relaxation and serenity are some of the most frequently searched and coveted images out there. The images that invoke the greatest sense of relaxation will feature not only relaxation-related subject matter (think spa services, hammocks, or secluded gardens) but will employ a sense of visual balance in the way you shoot the scene.
Relaxing Subjects
A quick Google image search of the term “relaxation” will yield some predictable results—women in impossible yoga poses, cross-legged meditation sessions on the beach, rock cairns, peaceful water features or gardens, and a general juxtaposition with nature. The types of settings that make us feel relaxed seem fairly universal, but pay attention to the prominent colors and you’ll find a tendency toward blues, greens, whites, and grays—all natural and earthy colors that relate harmoniously to each other. Shooting along these trends is a great way to get started, but try to find the lesser photographed signs of relaxation as well. Hammocks, porch swings, and other places to recline can help represent a relaxed mood (Figure 41.1).
Many of the more obvious “relaxing” subject matter can begin to feel cliched, so try finding ways to photograph moods rather than objects. Something that always makes me feel at peace when I travel is the sense of antiquity and history hinting at all the people who visited before me. I find a sense of relaxation in crumbling and mossy walls (Figure 41.2), or places where stone has been eroded by water, wind, or the footsteps of my predecessors over time (Figures 41.3). If your travels take you to settings that feel particularly or unexpectedly relaxing, then endeavor to capture the way they make you feel in your images.
41.1 Aquamare Villas, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
ISO 640; 1/8000 sec.; f/3.5; 10mm
41.2 Finca el Cortinal, Cáceres, Spain
ISO 200; 1/60 sec.; f/2.5; 50mm
41.3 Relaxation comes easily in a place this peaceful. Finca Fitor, Catalonia, Spain
ISO 100; 1/80 sec.; f/4; 17mm
41.4 Formal gardens at Houmas House, Darrow, Louisiana
ISO 100; 1/800 sec.; f/1.8; 50mm
41.5 Olympic National Park, Port Angeles, Washington
ISO 2000; 1/50 sec.; f/5.6; 35mm
Relaxation Through Technique
Generally, the simpler the image, the more likely it is to provide a feeling of serenity. Crop scenes or subjects down to their simplest aspects through selective framing and zooming (Figure 41.4). Seek out visual balance through symmetry. Avoid busy or highly textured scenes that ask the viewer to work too hard when looking at the image. Play with longer exposures to make water soften and flow (Figure 41.5), or to show plants blowing in the wind.
Softer edges, colors, and atmosphere will help you capture a greater sense of calm. Consider photographing during blue hour or on overcast days when the light is soft (Figure 41.6). Slow things down. Take your time to feel a sense of calm and your images will show it.
41.6 Kankakee River State Park, Bourbonnais, Illinois
ISO 100; 2.5 sec.; f/22; 47mm