Assignment 5 - Photography and the Environment

Assignment 5 - Photography and the Environment

"When you go out there you don't get away from it all, you get back to it all. You come home to what's important. You come home to yourself." - Peter Dombrovskis

Photography has the ability to initiate change in many situations. It brings visual imagery to the public of situations that are otherwise not seen by the public. This is a very useful tool as imagery is so powerful. In the case Olegas Truchanas and Peter Dombrovskis there photographs initiated a great change that resulted in saving the Franklin River.

This is just one example in which environmental activism has caused significant change but there are still many issues at hand all over the world and there are many photographers passionately working to rectify the wrong doing on our environment. This assignment has got me thinking more on another assignment we are doing this year which is the UN Photography competition dealing with deforestation and the heroes working to save it. The imagery captured particularly by the above mentioned photographers has given me some inspiration to tackle this assignment from a new perspective.

And now back to the task at hand!! Tim Bonyhady in his article ‘When a Picture Packs a Punch’ describes how he believes some photographs are actually having a negative effect. He talks about the images captured by bush walkers and how they do not have the powerful imagery that has been captured by photographers such as Dombrovskis who is a master in landscape photography. The general public gets bombarded by imagery every day from the news to the posters on the sidewalk. To really make a difference images need to have strong context, composition and to initiate change they must be truly powerful photographs with passion for the issue mixed in them.

Bonyhady speaks strongly of the campaign to safeguard the Styx in which the imagery is not strong nor taken by photographers with the skills to really capture the enormity of the project. Bonyhandy states that “the campaign has forgotten the lessons of the Franklin: that it takes the best photographers to produce images that galvanise the public.”

He raises an excellent point in this. That it does take images that can capture the scenery in a way that depicts a viewpoint in order to portray a clear message to the public. I consider myself to be a very active person and have spent a lot of time with my family bushwalking and camping and would hate to see the damage that can be done to the environment in these areas.

People like to see photographs that are aesthetically pleasing so often when they are not, we do not take as much notice of them unless they are powerful and captivating in another way. When there is a part of nature that needs saving that is not pretty then the photographer needs to be smart and capture an angle that is strong in portraying the viewpoint needed to initiate that reaction.

I have decided to include some images from my favourite exhibition that I have been to in Sydney for the last four years since we went on a school excursion in year 11 to see it. It is the Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Each year I am astonished by the beautiful imagery that is on display many of which how influential context behind the image. There is even a specific award given called the Gerald Durell Award for Endangered Wildlife.

Gerald Durell is a conservationist and TV presenter and someone who has helped in prevention of loss of endangered species.




The Look of a Jaguar
Tom Schandy
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/wpy/photo.do?photo=2454&category=45&group=3

I find this to be such a captivating photograph with the Jaguar having such an intense yet calm gaze. To capture a photograph like this would take so much time, patience, knowledge and passion.




The Lone Fir
Thomas Haney
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/wpy/photo.do?photo=2459&category=52&group=3

This image was taken by Thomas Haney while he was documenting the logging of old-growth forest in the Pacific Northwest. A single Fir tree stands alone amidst the devastation left in the cleared land. Such a powerful image is particularly present in the gloomy and misty atmosphere with the tyre tracks giving an unforgiving attitude to the environment. The reflection in the puddle just adds the demonstrate what used to be and Haney has captured this scene beautifully.

It is photographs like these that have the ability to cause change to such important issues. Campaigns need to include powerful and influential imagery if they wish to have the desired effect on the targeted viewers.

Assignment 4 - Narrative & Photography

Assignment 4 - Narrative & Photography – Tamara Weatherburn

Choose two photographers that you find interesting from the examples she cites. Find some images (2-3) from these photographers that are different to the ones shown by Cotton. Then, write a couple of paragraphs comparing & contrasting your two chosen photographers in terms of their strategies and approach to narrative/storytelling. Include the images in your blog post with the appropriate links and references to the images.

After reading through Chapter 2 of 'The Photograph as Contemporary Art" by Charlotte Cotton and searching through the many amazing photographers she mentioned I still can't seem to stray from Gregory Crewdson. Not only are his images just visually so powerful but I really enjoyed watching his thought process and hearing how he creates his photographs in the Gregory Crewdson documentary. Charlotte Cotton refers to influences in paintings and this element of developing images from life to create a fantasy.

Photographs are such a powerful medium and as the saying goes 'a photograph tells a thousand words' but the photographs Crewdson captures seem to tell a million yet at the same time often leave you extremely curious. Crewdson is fascinated by what's beneath the surface and in many of his images it almost appears as if there is something missing from the scene. Sometimes his subjects are gazing at something out of reach, of their is an absurd moment captured that you wonder how it came to be and what could of happened just before the scene was captured.

Crewdson seems a bit of a perfectionist and this is something that has really paid of in his photographs. Every detail is thought out carefully and critically. All of the decisions he makes such as camera angle, time of day, lights down to the small details especially notable in his inside photographs. Another aspect he captures excellently is emotions and expressions he often uses actors which allows him to have subjects that can portray the particular mood of the shoot but as seen in the documentary he also gives perfect directions to his subjects. He helps to explain and create the required mood for them to visually display and in turn gets the most appropriate and powerful gaze and emotions from the subject.

Crewdson’s images are not only aesthetically beautiful but he creates images that have a lot of depth. His images tell a story of something that has just passed, or is about to. His highly elaborate set ups are developed with a large team all working together to allow Crewdson’s visions to come to life. The complexity of his vision is what brings this team together. These set ups are often so extravagant that they can take days to set up.

The story behind the photograph often has a deep undercurrent of psychological themes and aspects of wonder and danger. He has an interest in the dark side and the uncanniness of a particular moment. His beautiful use of cinematic lighting helps to develop this sense and he often uses light to display the narrative.

This is a photograph that displays Crewdson’s fascination of what exists beneath the surface. There are themes of anxiety and a lonely experience of some event that has just passed that is commonly present in his work. This photograph allows the viewer to almost venture into another world and for every answer the viewer may gain from this scene another question seems to arise. His photographs have a cinematic feel to them which feel as though a movie is playing right before you.



Gregory Crewdson Image 1
http://www.skateboard.com.au/forum/forumgallery.cfm?thread=51943&forum=20



Gregory Crewdson 2
http://www.paranaiv.no/inspiration/2008/12/gregory-crewdson



Gregory Crewdson 3
http://www.paranaiv.no/inspiration/2008/12/gregory-crewdson



Gregory Crewdson 4
http://www.paranaiv.no/inspiration/2008/12/gregory-crewdson

I think I could probably spend hours looking through his photographs and talking about his work but I believe it is time to move onto another photographer whom also has strong use of story and narrative in their work but displays it in a very different way to Crewdson.

Wendy McMurdo is another photographer who has grabbed my attention. Her photographs are very unique with strong use of lighting in unusual circumstances. She photographs mostly children and looks at themes revolving around early exploration of self. She has a strong interest in the relationship and differences between film and the digital age.

Wendy McMurdo doesn’t create scenes that are as elaborate as Crewdson’s but they are full of symbolism and creativity with an original perspective on children and the way they view themselves and the world. I find that there is often a sort of sadness or longing present in her photographs. There is an element of the unknown and how children will have to one day be apart of the adult world.

She has developed many series of photographs that all work together and with the use of digital manipulation she has created interesting photographs that evoke questions and emotions. With the use of digital manipulation as well as reflections she explores themes of a double or a different self.

This photograph has been a standout image for me. She has captured an image that displays a highly intense emotion within the child showing a longing for something maybe a bit deeper than just the lack of an instrument. This image is from a series called ‘Young Musicians’ in which McMurdo photographed children playing there instruments. She has removed the violin, using digital manipulation. This is a main aspect that changes this image from just a view of a child playing an instrument to a photograph with a different depth, meaning and strangeness. The use of shadow and light assist to create a dark scene different to which the way children are often displayed in the light.




Wendy McMurdo Image 1
http://www.wendymcmurdo.com/



Wendy McMurdo Image 2
http://www.wendymcmurdo.com/




Wendy McMurdo Image 3
http://todayfavorite.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html

Assignment 3 - The Issue of Girl Models

Assignment 3 - The Issue of Girl Models

This week we will continue to look at the issue of ethics - in the context of using children as models in photography. Please look at the discussion threads and ASSIGNMENT #3 on the blog: http://2011citvisualculture3.blogspot.com/

The issues raised by David Marr and Melinda Tankard Reist are all strong points that are being brought up time and time again with still no standard to what can be considered tasteful or exploitive. This is because photography as a medium can be interpreted in so many different ways by each individual based on beliefs and personal experiences.

I have a big belief in intent. I believe in life in general intent counts for a lot and particularly in photography. I personally view photography as an art from which has been developed through my years in college where art and photography were incorporated into the same class. The intent of Bill Henson's work in comparison to that of Vogue's publication are very different and have both been interpreted in many individual ways.

Bill Henson has taken images that are strikingly and technically beautiful. The context of these images I believe are to create art but art that displays a theme. The theme in much of Henson's work is dealing with young adolescents and the sexuality that comes with that age. 'The mad times we are living' is how David Marr describes his dissapointment in the reaction given to Bill Hensons work. He describes how Bill Henson has been demonised. It is understandable to see how people can react this way but it is also a shame that the public is not more understanding and open to others wiewpoints.

Another issue to be considered is what if these photographs were taken by a female not a man. Would there not be so much publicity surrounding the photographs? Would it be an issue at all?





http://www.roslynoxley9.com.au/artists/18/Bill_Henson/1222/43276/


Bill Henson's photographs bring up issues of agency and exploitation. Henson gained consent from both the parents as well as the young girls within his photographs and there fore did what is legally required. The uproar came from wether the young girl really understood the themes within the photograph and if she would later regret the photograph. It does raise issues of if someone did wish to retract a photograph it is a lot harder in this digital age with everything being distributed on the internet rather than just destorying a negative.

This then brings me to the 15 page spread of young girls that was featured in french Vogue. It is stated that the intent was to be a parody and I guess that raises a point as to the standard age of models these days. They just keep getting younger! It is all well and good to raise an issue such as this and to make a point through visual imagery the only issue is that instead of condoning it the meaning and intent is changed as soon as it was published with a fashion magazine. The audience is also then entirily different when published withihn this magazine and those whom are more likely to appreciate the beautiful clothes and perfection of the young girls as apposed to the otehr issues of how would the girls be trully able to understand this at such a young age.








http://faire-delamode.blogspot.com/2010/12/vogue-features-6-year-old-models-in.html

Being a photographer I can definatly see that there is a unique view and that the photographs are aesthetically beautifully constructed but it is hard to look past the age. I guess this can be similar to compassion fatigue in the way that there are so many sad images out there that the impact isn't as great, we have become desensitised in a way to the use of young girls because we see young females spread across the covers of magazines everyday.

Assignment 2 - Ethics and Photojournalism

Assignment 2 - Ethics and Photojournalism

The first topic is Photojournalism and ethics. We talked a fair bit about it in History of Photography in relation to the Hurley composites and after the DVD of James Nachtwey. This week I want you to read pages 446-452 of the chapter "Contemporary Issues" and then complete assignment #2


Assignment 2
Read the excerpt from "Contemporary Issues" (only pages 446-452) about "Ethical Photojournalism" and write a one paragraph reflection on what you consider the most important issues raised in this text. Include an example of a photograph (properly labelled, of course) that you think illustrates these issues.


Upon reading the article Contemporary Issues I kept thinking back to year 11 when my much respected art and photography teacher showed me the Pulitzer Prize photography book. These documentary images had such truth and sadness behind them that they have had a lasting impact on me.

The article raises many questions. Such as ethics, exploitation, manipulation and truth. Manipulation in photography is a time long debate. Every choice that is made by the photographer effects the way an image is viewed, from the exposure of an image to complete rendering of a photograph. The simple act of creating a dark image can portray a scene as sad and gloomy where as a bright image is usually displayed as happy and hopeful. It is important for all photographers especially photojournalists to have and maintain their own code of ethics in order to produce images that are not exploitative or misleading. "Such
gains were made by advocacy of honest picture taking and the resulting integrity that it brought." - John Kaplan

Particularly in this digital age we are seeing more and more manipulation of images which in photojournalism is false and misleading. There is a certain beauty behind the truth within images. The below examples are both cases of what the photographer saw, is what the viewer gets. These Pulitzer prize winning photographs are not aesthetically pleasing, nor beautiful. They are not constructed in a way to catch attention; it just does because it is as real as the human life in the photograph. I guess the hard task in photojournalism is to be able to catch those eye catching images that are still truthful.



http://rogerhollander.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/wounded-knee-to-vietnam-to-today/




http://pulitzerprize.org/photography/kevin-carter-1994/

"Kevin Carter’s Pulitzer Prize winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudane famine. the picture depicts a famine stricken child being stalked by a vulture. The child is moving towards a United nations food camp, located a kilometer away.

Three months later, and only weeks after being bestowed with the Pulitzer prize, Kevin Carter committed suicide. " - Extract from: http://pulitzerprize.org/photography/kevin-carter-1994/

Assignment 1 - Favourite Photograph

Assignment 1 - Favourite Photograph

Your first post: Choose a single contemporary photograph that has really moved you/inspired you recently. Upload the image with appropriate credits and write one paragraph about the image. What is it that you find so interesting?

Aaron Nace

Website: http://www.aaron-nace.com/

Photo By: Aaron Nace (http://www.aaron-nace.com/)

Aaron Nace has been a full time professional photographer and digital retoucher for over ten years and considers himself an artist. He graduated with a degree in Industrial Design from the college of design at NC State University. Aaron often constructs quite heavily manipulated images that create a magical/fantasy atmosphere. A lot of his editing is very realistic which is a focus of his although many of his photographs are greatly photoshopped and therefore appear artificial. The above image I find to be very inspiring. It has a beautiful natural feel to it but still with an element of enchantment. I am really interested in the work of Annie Leibovitz and Alexia Sinclair who both set the bench mark in beautiful and magical photographs and Aaron Nace is another photographer who captures these concepts through his work.

I love a photograph that has a hint of a story behind it. It creates an interesting conceptual narrative which adds a certain depth within a photograph. The image has striking warm tones and colours with stunning directional lighting and a dreamlike setting. The over sized teddy and women with a childlike persona add to the dreamy feel of the photograph. I draw a lot of inspiration from images like this and try to include the same qualities within my own work.