How Our Art Retreat Photography Workshop Will Change How You See Your Photos Forever

Most of us believe that the way to get better at photography is to add more, more shooting, more gear, more trips to new locations. It feels logical, right? But here’s the truth: the breakthrough you’re waiting for probably won’t come from your next lens or epic destination. It comes from learning the language of visual art.

That might sound surprising. And we get it, when photographers hear “art principles,” the knee-jerk reaction is, that’s for painters, not me. We’ve heard it a hundred times. But then something happens: people sit in our workshop, and all those principles suddenly click. Their photography changes in front of their eyes.

Why? Because the foundations of art are the foundations of every powerful image. It can be a Renaissance painting, a Rembrandt portrait or the kind of photo that stops someone mid-scroll. Once you understand how artists have been guiding the eye for centuries, you can use the same tools the next time you’re in the field or editing at home.

My presentation at B&H Optic, focusing on in-field techniques for using color theory in landscape photography. A sneak peek into just one of the principles we use to create epic landscape photos.

Photography and Art Share the Same Foundations

It’s easy to think art principles belong to painters, sculptors and architects. After all, they’re the ones trained to sketch, mix colors and design on canvas. But the truth is that the same principles: balance, rhythm, harmony, tonal contrast and visual flow, shape every powerful photograph.

When you look at a Rembrandt painting or a Renaissance fresco, your eye doesn’t wander randomly. The artist has built invisible pathways that guide your attention exactly where they want it to go. Photography, at its best, does the same thing. Learning these principles means you’re no longer hoping a scene “works out”, you’re building images with intention.

Left: My photo from the Utah Badlands / Right: Inspiration from 'Isle of the Dead' by Arnold Bocklin

Why Photographers Feel Stuck

Many photographers eventually run into the same frustrations. Their images start to look repetitive. An epic location doesn’t translate on camera the way it felt in person. Or even when everything is technically correct, the exposure, the focus, the sharpness, the photograph still lacks energy and intention. These struggles are almost always connected to design rather than gear or editing tricks. What is missing is the foundation of art principles that turn raw scenes into images with structure, mood, and story.

Left: My photo from Goblin Valley / Right: The inspiration 'Landscape with the rest on the flight to Egypt' by Rembrandt

Key Art Principles for Photographers:

• Balance: Referring to the distribution of visual weight in an image. There are three main types of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical and radial

• Contrast: This enhances visual impact by emphasizing differences in light, color, texture or shape.

• Emphasis: This is your focal point and is the primary subject of an image, drawing the viewer's attention and we guide the viewer's eye using shape, line and balance.

• Movement: This doesn't refer to physical motion, but rather how the viewer's eye travels through the image.

• Pattern and Repetition: Patterns create rhythm and harmony, while breaking a pattern can add interest. Finding patterns can bring structure to a scene.

• Unity and Harmony: A well composed image should feel cohesive, where all elements work together to create a unified scene.

• Variety: This keeps and image interesting by introducing different elements. This can be a mix of textures, colors and focal point to create a dynamic image.

• Proportion and Scale: Playing with scale can enhance story telling by showing vastness or intimacy in a scene.

• Space (Positive and Negative): This refers to the areas within the image. Positive space is where the subject is and negative space provides breathing room.

• Color Theory: Learning how colors come into harmony with each other is an important part of landscape photography, but even more that is learning how colors combine if infinitely helpful in the post processing stage of photo creation.

Bonus:

• Concept Development and Visual Storytelling: Not really and art principle, but the singular most important part of creating memorable images. Developing the idea and story behind the image far before entering the field and determining the process for capturing those images are what will set your photography apart.

These concepts help you move from snapshots to images that hold attention and this is exactly what we teach and apply during our Art Retreat Photography Workshops.

Left: My photo from Arizona Cactus Garden / Right: 'The inspiration 'Market by Candlelight' by Petrus Van Schendel

How This Will Transform Your Work

When photographers start applying art principles, scenes begin to organize themselves. Forests no longer feel chaotic, light makes sense even on flat days and editing becomes finishing rather than fixing. The process turns overwhelming locations into opportunities for storytelling.

Left: My photo from The Cascades in Washington / Right: 'The inspiration 'Parasol Girl' by Claude Monet

Why It Matters In Today's World

With so many images flooding our feeds, a photo that only documents a place gets scrolled past quickly. What makes people stop and feel something are the same artistic foundations that painters, sculptors and architects have relied on for centuries. Learning them elevates your photography from documentation to design.

Going out with a developed concept in mind for your photographs will truly make the difference between a pretty picture and a work of art. It all starts with a strong foundation and understand of the visual language. Learning how these principles combine together to create a cohesive image. An image that makes you feel something.

Left: My photo from The Canadian Rockies / Right: 'The inspiration 'Impression, Sunrise' by Claude Monet

The Takeaway

Photography is more than settings and equipment. The images that last are those built on art. By learning composition, light, color, and flow the way artists have for centuries, you can create photographs that are not just seen but remembered.

If you’re ready to explore these principles in depth and apply them directly to your own work, check out our upcoming Art-Driven Photography Workshops where we bring these ideas to life in the field and in the editing room.