Sensing Place: Landscape Photography as Environmental Inquiry

How do we document the loss, transition, and evolution of the spaces around us? When landscapes shift due to urban planning, climate change, or development, photography becomes a powerful method of inquiry and preservation. This course teaches you how to read a landscape, understand its historical context, and use structured photographic projects to analyze environmental change. You will learn how to turn a camera into a tool for research, storytelling, and civic inquiry. Through structured reading and practical exercises, you will explore how to document the tension between natural habitats and human development. What you'll learn: Understand the foundational concepts of environmental photography and place-based inquiry; Analyze how suburban sprawl, industrial shifts, and climate change alter physical landscapes; Plan and execute structured photographic survey projects to document local environmental transitions; Apply visual analysis techniques to interpret historical and modern landscape photographs; Develop a cohesive visual narrative that communicates ecological loss or transformation. The course begins with foundational concepts of visual literacy and environmental history before guiding you through fieldwork methodologies, ethical considerations in documentary work, and narrative structuring. This course is designed for beginners in photography, urban planning, or environmental studies, requiring only a basic camera or smartphone and no prior technical experience. Start reading today to uncover and document the hidden stories of the changing landscapes around you.