With the term “wanderlust” becoming somewhat of a buzzword, we often forget that our hometowns can host some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. People in the rolling hills of Ireland long to see the Manhattan skyline, people in Manhattan travel thousands of miles to see the French Riviera, and locals in Marseille want nothing more than to dip their feet in the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean.
It seems as though everyone yearns to see all the beauty this planet has to offer without noticing the incredible sights that they pass by every day. That’s exactly why Canadian photographer Trevor Pottelberg challenged himself to capture the beauty of his homeland in an eye-opening new series.
This visually stunning project was born from a sense of frustration.
“At times,” he writes, “I find myself frustrated when I see landscape photographers from various places around the globe posting beautiful imagery of snow-capped mountains towering over shimmering emerald lakes…all captured from the comfort of their own backyards.”
While he pined for the ability to find that type of beauty outside his front door, Pottelberg challenged himself to find beauty in the expansive farmlands that surround his home in Ontario, Canada.
According to the artist, “After a few weeks of searching various backroads and hiking off beaten paths, I was able to find a number of hidden gems that were within a stone’s throw of my home.”
All of this searching actually helped Pottelberg gain a new appreciation for his home. These incredible images bring the understated beauty of this rustic locale to life.
In fact, the photographs are so astoundingly beautiful that Pottelberg’s work has attracted attention from naysayers who claim that the images are totally manipulated.
But the skilled photographer wants viewers to rest assured that his artistry starts and ends behind the lens, and any digital retouching is minimal. Nothing is added or taken away from the images. He merely adjusts elements that are already there to fit his vision.
“I am an artist,” he writes. “I paint with light, not a brush.” And Pottelberg feels no need to defend basic retouches. “We use the tools of the trade to help us achieve the desired effects in our finished pieces, just like photographers did back in the darkroom days.”
Without incredible focus and technical skill, no amount of digital retouching in the world could possibly help someone achieve images like these. First and foremost, his talent is what shines through.
“My hope is to be respected and recognized as a true artist,” he writes. Based on this collection, there’s no possible way that Trevor Pottelberg could be seen as anything but a master of his craft.
(via BoredPanda)
Nothing about these photographs is in any way lesser than scenic images of the world’s most iconic landscapes. That’s the magic of this series. Great art leaves viewers with room to think, and it allows people to draw comparisons between the work and their lived experiences. By all means, continue to travel and take in everything that the world has to offer. Just don’t forget to drink in the beauty that lives all around you.
To see more of Pottelberg’s stunning work, be sure to check out his website. If you still can’t get enough, follow him on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates.