Administrators and posters associated with a photography website I often visit recently spent quite a lot of time defining how to classify and group Nature Photographs based on content. In this case, a classification based on the subjective amount of 'hand of man' that was included in the photograph. For example, if there is no visible human content, the photo goes in one gallery, if there's a small amount, it goes in another. If the human content is significant, it's to be posted in a completely different gallery on a completely different(but affiliated website)... In my opinion, this exercise was unnecessary and more than a little stupid. Still, it did cause me to wonder "whatinhell is a Nature Photograph anyway?".

Well, I guess there's an easy answer - a Nature Photograph is a photograph of Nature! Oh, wait a sec... "whatinhell is Nature anyway?". When in doubt, pull up Dictionary.com:
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na·ture Pronunciation Key (nchr) n.
1. The material world and its phenomena.
2. The forces and processes that produce and control all the phenomena of the material world: the laws of nature.
3. The world of living things and the outdoors: the beauties of nature.
4. A primitive state of existence, untouched and uninfluenced by civilization or artificiality: couldn't tolerate city life anymore and went back to nature.
5. Theology. Humankind's natural state as distinguished from the state of grace.
6. A kind or sort: confidences of a personal nature.
7. The essential characteristics and qualities of a person or thing: “She was only strong and sweet and in her nature when she was really deep in trouble” (Gertrude Stein).
8. The fundamental character or disposition of a person; temperament: “Strange natures made a brotherhood of ill” (Percy Bysshe Shelley).
9. The natural or real aspect of a person, place, or thing. See Synonyms at disposition.
10. The processes and functions of the body.
[Middle English, essential properties of a thing, from Old French, from Latin ntra, from ntus, past participle of nsc, to be born. See gen- in Indo-European Roots.]
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Hmmm...

While my photographs do often resemble certain noxious 'processes and functions of the body' as noted in #10, it seems most Nature Photographers are very concerned with #4, often focusing on it completely and exclusively. I wonder why? Capturing #7 seems so much more compelling (and difficult) and is what I've been attempting, albeit with little success, all along.

Hot Damn! I guess I AM a Nature Photographer working to make Nature Photographs even though I spend 90% of my Nature Photography time in downtown Seattle... Soto Voce - I must admit, it was a rigged game. I was going to use definition #1 if all else failed.

Please see one of my failed attempts at making a Nature Photograph above. While it obviously captures some of Nature definition #3 and some people will certainly classify it as belonging to #10, ie a pile of shite, I don't think it works for #4 so wouldn't be classified as a Nature Photograph on the website in question. Much, much worse to my eye, it does not fulfill my own definition of a Nature Photograph as it does not capture the essential character or quality of the asshole who visited this pristine site before me and left this plastic chair and garbage bag full of beer cans that stank up the back of my car on the way home.

Hold the presses! This spot required a 45 minute drive and a short hike. So it must be 'Travel Photography'. Problem Solved!

***Post-script - Since I first uploaded this entry earlier this evening, I've been trying to think of some really good Nature Photographers. The first that came to mind was Helmut Newton. That's one guy who could capture some really kickin' #7 Nature in his photos although he was prone to a different sort of #10, too...