Michael Kenna: The Haiku of Landscape
Introduction
Michael Kenna (born 1953) is a British photographer widely regarded as the most influential landscape photographer of his generation. Famous for his ethereal, black-and-white long exposures, Kenna creates images that function more like haiku poetry than descriptive prose.
His work often features minimalist compositions—solitary trees, abandoned piers, and misty horizons—captured at dawn or deep in the night. Kenna’s practice is defined by patience and a meditative relationship with the land, frequently returning to the same locations for decades to observe the shifting interaction between nature and human-made structures.
Camera Gear Used by Michael Kenna
Cameras
Hasselblad 500CM – Kenna’s definitive tool for nearly 40 years. He typically carries two bodies in his backpack, favoring their mechanical reliability and the iconic 6x6 square format that has become his signature.
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| Hasselblad 500 C/M |
Holga 120 (GN/GFN) – Despite his mastery of the high-end Hasselblad, Kenna is a famous proponent of the plastic "toy" Holga. He values its unpredictability, light leaks, and vignettes, which he uses to add an extra layer of "mystery" to certain projects.
4x5 Large Format Camera – Occasionally used for specific projects where extreme detail or perspective control is required, though he finds it much more cumbersome than his medium format gear.
Nikkormat & Nikon 35mm – These were his primary tools for the first 15 years of his career before he transitioned exclusively to medium format in the mid-1980s.
Lenses
Hasselblad Lenses (40mm to 250mm) – Kenna typically travels with a set of five lenses. He uses the 40mm for wide, expansive vistas and the 250mm to isolate distant subjects or compress the landscape.
Distagon 50mm & Planar 80mm – Reported staples in his kit for general landscape and structural work.
Film & Printing
Kodak Tri-X 400 – His "old friend" and primary film stock. He prizes its flexibility, forgiving nature, and the distinct grain structure it provides during long night exposures.
Ilford Multigrade Paper – A "darkroom super-craftsman," Kenna prints his own work. He uses this paper to meticulously dodge and burn his images, often spending years refining a single negative.
Filters (ND & Red) – Essential for his style. He uses Neutral Density (ND) filters to achieve exposures lasting up to 10 hours, and Red/Orange filters to dramatically darken skies and increase tonal contrast.
Carbon Fiber Tripod – Given his long exposure times, a sturdy yet lightweight tripod is a permanent fixture in his kit.
Technique & Style
Michael Kenna’s style is defined by minimalism, symmetry, and long-exposure tonality. By photographing at night or in the pre-dawn mist, he removes the "chatter" of the world, allowing moving water to become a smooth fog and moving clouds to turn into ethereal streaks. He frequently places the horizon line at the "optical center"—roughly 10% above the true center—to create a sense of balance. His images are not about capturing a literal scene but about suggesting a feeling of silence, solitude, and the "unseen but present."
How to Imitate His Style in Post Production
You can use Pixlr, a really powerful and cost-effective software, to emulate Kenna’s signature look. Pixlr offers advanced editing tools, an intuitive interface, and cloud-based accessibility, making it ideal for both beginners and professionals. To recreate Kenna’s style:
Square Crop: The square format is essential. Crop your image into a perfect 1:1 ratio to simplify the composition.
Monochrome Conversion: Convert to black and white and push the contrast. Kenna’s work often features deep blacks and "fleecy" whites with fewer mid-tones.
Vignetting: Add a subtle vignette to focus the viewer's eye on the center of the frame and mimic the "fall-off" of his Holga or wide-angle lenses.
Blur for Long Exposure: Use the "Blur" or "Motion Blur" tools on water or clouds to simulate the effect of a multi-minute shutter speed.
Toning: Apply a very slight warm or sepia tint to the highlights to mimic the look of a traditional silver gelatin print.
How to Shoot Like Michael Kenna
Simplify the Frame – Look for a single subject (a tree, a post, a rock) and remove all distracting elements from the background.
Master the Long Exposure – Use a tripod and ND filters. Start experimenting with exposures of 30 seconds to several minutes to see how moving elements transform.
Shoot at the "Edges" of the Day – Most of Kenna’s work is done when others are sleeping. The soft, shadowless light of dawn provides the "glow" his images are known for.
Think in Shapes – Forget what the object is; look at it as a triangle, a line, or a circle. Kenna often emphasizes the graphic geometry of the landscape.
Embrace the Square – Practice composing your shots specifically for a square crop. It changes how you balance the weight of the sky versus the foreground.
Be Patient – Kenna often waits hours for the right light or fog. Treat the act of photography as a form of meditation.
Legacy
Michael Kenna’s legacy is the revival of the "pictorialist" tradition in a modern context. He has proven that landscape photography doesn't need to be loud or colorful to be powerful. With over 90 books and works held in permanent collections like the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Gallery of Art, he has inspired a global movement of minimalist landscape photography. In 2022, he was named an Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture, cementing his role as a master of the silver gelatin print.
Books Featuring Michael Kenna’s Work
Conclusion
Michael Kenna’s photography is a quiet protest against the speed of the modern world. By choosing ancient cameras, slow film, and hours-long exposures, he invites us to enter an "oasis of calm." His work reminds us that when we stop rushing and start truly looking, the most ordinary landscape can reveal a profound, haunting beauty. Kenna doesn't just take pictures of the world; he asks it for permission and waits for it to reveal its secrets.