Man and Nature through Photography 1081 - AS Unit 2 Exam
Statement Of Intent
My chosen theme is relationships; within that I’m especially interested in the relationships between nature and modern civilization, perhaps touching on ecology and the effect we have had on our planet. In terms of research, I plan to look into established photographers whose work demonstrates similar themes in order to broaden the scope of my ideas within this course, taking inspiration from them for an eventual final piece. First I’d like to set up a photo shoot exploring relationships in general, then another more closely interpreting a photographer’s work. Keeping these first two shoots in mind, I will then begin to target my work to a final outcome at the course’s end. An idea would be to shoot at a garden centre, making sure to focus on the way in which humanity has put a price on nature. Ed Ruscha is an artist and photographer who uses bold and clear text overlayed on top of his images - I’d like to employ text similarly in my final outcome. In terms of the theme overall, I look forward to exploring a more serious theme, the understanding of which is crucial to living alongside nature while we still can. Now that I’ve learned the basics of editing techniques in software like Adobe Photoshop, I’d like to use this course to further develop my skills with digital editing as well as exploring further manually-made pieces. In the process of completing the course, I’d like to take time to reflect on what went especially well or could be easily improved by creating an assessment page at a point towards the end of the work. This should give the work a sense of progress and improvement from beginning to end. In terms of the final outcome, I think it should be a three-dimensional piece of work involving elements of text produced digitally and arranged manually over a section made from some form of cardboard box using wire. With the final outcome, I’d like to develop ideas explored in the course itself and summarise much of my work in a single piece.
Contents Statement of Intent
Contents
Mind Map
Photographers Analysis
Photographers Interpretations
Contents Photo-shoot
So Far
Possible Ideas Evaluation
Main aim of photo shoot To explore the very basics of the theme given to me - “Relationships” - as well as to re-familiarise myself with using a camera for recorded schoolwork.
Date of photo shoot 05/02/2015
Shutter speed range (secs) 1/15-1/17
Light source Artificial light.
Aperture range(f numbers) f/2.8
ISO ISO-200 - ISO-800
Photo shoot ideas For this early photoshoot I’d like to choose some sort of theme for the subjects (a room in the house?) and take photos illustrating the relationships found in that context. The secondary purpose of this photoshoot is to reacquaint myself with the process of planning, executing and evaluating photography work for a class. Relationships between entrances and exits could be a valid idea, or perhaps I could look at food and utensils as a simple relationship.
Photo shoot evaluation I decided on food and things around the kitchen as the subject of this photoshoot, using a metal counter as a blank background that I think further drew the eye to the objects in the centre of the frame. Processes were the focus of this series of photos, as I thought it would be a clear way of showing the relationships between food and utensils - by showing the process in stages. The process of toasting bread was chosen, as was a series on an apple being cored. In my opinion, the latter worked better in general due to it’s brighter colours and expanding, flower-like shape, while the pictures based around bread and toast worked more in theory than in practice.
Main aim of re-shoot
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Own Photographs
Ed Ruscha (1937-)
Hans Christian Schink (1961-)
Ed Ruscha (1937-)
Ed Ruscha (1937-) Ed Ruscha is an American photographer and artist born in Omaha, NE and known for his association with the pop art movement and use of stark text on out-of-focus single colour backgrounds. Ruscha grew up as a Roman Catholic in Oklahoma City but currently lives and works in Southern California; the tone and manner of speaking popular in the area influences a lot of Ruscha’s work, as does his long-standing interest in graphic design and Western landscapes. It often incorporates common conceptions of America, which Ruscha dubs “American mythology”, as well as ideas of consumerism and life in the city. Another feature of Ruscha’s portfolio is the occasional use of mixed media - gunpowder, fruit, vegetables and blood are prominent examples. Later in his career, Ruscha began to experiment with the vague text over an original background which he would later become known for and still works with today. Ruscha has been exhibiting his work since the early 1960s, having graduated from Los Angeles’ Chouinard Art Institute in 1960 and teaching at the university of California for a number of years. He was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2001.
Hans-Christian Schink (1961-)
Hans-Christian Schink (1961-) Hans-Christian Schink is a German photographer born in the town of Erfurt, Germany in 1961 who studied photography at the Academy of Visual Arts in Leipzig between 1986 and 1991. He is mostly known for his “1h” series, which focuses on high-exposure images of the sun at different times of day. These were created using a technique called solarisation - a process by which the darker sections of an image become the lightest points via a chemical effect applied to the original negative. Schink first began experimenting with this technique in the late 1990s. Much of Schink’s other work consists of almost minimalist pieces featuring elements of man-made transport structures like concrete bridges, railways and motorways. The focus of this work is to emphasise the contrast between the natural and the industrial as well as to demonstrate the washed-out, bland nature of the environment left behind. Schink has been presenting his work in personal exhibitions since 1991: although mainly well-known in German-speaking countries, his art has been displayed everywhere from the USA to Spain and Portugal. From left to right, starting at the top left, the pictures used are: A71, Brucke Schwarzbachtel, from Traffic Projects (1995-2003) A14, Saalebrucke Beesedau (3) from Traffic Projects (1995-2003) Antarctica (8) from Antarctica (2010) Toyomi (2) from Niigata (2009)
Contact Sheet
Main aim of photo shoot To take photos based on the two photographers I have chosen to study: Ed Ruscha and Hans Christian Schink.
Date of photo shoot 03/03/2015
Shutter speed range (secs) 1/2-1/400
Light source Natural light.
Aperture range(f numbers) f/10
ISO ISO-200
Photo shoot ideas I plan to take a series of photos around the school grounds that exhibit similar themes and ideas to the work of Ruscha and Schink. To ensure this, I will focus on elements of nature bordering more manmade sections of the school (the grassy area with paving stones could work well for this) as well as various buildings set against the sky, trying to form shapes or noticable frames with the rooves. I will then edit and present the best results.
Photo shoot evaluation This photoshoot had some of the best results of any so far in the course. I think the framing was done well - especially in the last few photos - and the borders between nature and stone worked for the most part as planned. To criticise my work, I think that many of the pictures inspired by Schink lacked the interesting contrast, either with physical objects or with colour, that is often present in his projects. I got the subjects right but not the composition.
Main aim of re-shoot
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Photographer Interpretations - Ed Ruscha Much of this edit was done digitally using a source photo taken of a hedgerow. I think this gave the background of my interpretation the same autumnal feel as in Ruscha’s piece. The focus was achieved with the manual setting on the lens, eliminating the details of the leaves in the same way Ruscha has. The font was chosen to be as similar to the one used in “Autumn” as possible in order to get the same sense of contrast as the original work. The piece to the left is “Autumn” from Ed Ruscha’s “Seasons” series created for the New York Times.
The letters used in this interpretation were taken from various road signs, graffiti and advertisements. The separate photographs were then cropped and edited together to form the entire word. I tried to replicate the streaked effect seen on the word “Scream” in Ruscha’s work by using a very thin horizontal selection tool in Photoshop. Ruscha only used the effect on part of the word in a sunburst pattern, but I felt that the concentrated horizontal effect gave it a look similar to scanlines on an old television that helps it stand out even more from the yellow background. The piece to the left is “Scream” from 1964.
Photographer Interpretations - Ed Ruscha Page 2
Seen here are examples of different techniques and filters applied to my interpretations of Ed Ruscha’s work. The far right column was produced with a simple black and white filter - I left the other settings unchanged as the monochrome effect is a striking change in itself. In the centre column I inverted the images, increasing the contrast and saturation where needed in order to emphasise the effect. I particularly like the solid blue colour of the bnackground as it combined with the lines through the word itself gives the look of malfunctioning camera equipment. Finally, the third column involves the posterisation of the images. The top right turned out very well - it almost looks like jungle camouflage.
Contact Sheet
Main aim of photo shoot To take photographs interpreting the work of Ed Ruscha on the theme of relationships
Shutter speed range (secs) 1/112-1/525
Aperture range(f numbers) f/2.8- f/7.8
Date of photo shoot 01/03/2015
ISO ISO-100 - ISO-200
Light source Natural light.
Photo shoot ideas Photos featuring wide open spaces with a single object or point drawing the focus in, similar to Ruscha’s work with neon signs and open roads. If possible they should show large, clear text contrasting with the blank spaces to represent Ruscha’s digital additions of text like “That was then, This is now.” Good places to shoot would be outdoors with a cloudy sky, perhaps using shop signs against this background. This could be done in any main street or area with businesses, maybe later in the day to emphasise the feeling of emptiness. The relationship between the emptiness and block letters is central to Ruscha’s photography - it also shows a relationship between civilisation and nature in the same way.
Photo shoot evaluation This photoshoot turned out to be quite different to the way that I’d planned it. Rather than focusing on signage against a dark background, I opted for close-ups of specific letters in order to digitally produce re0interpretations of Ed Ruscha’s work (text on specific backgrounds) more accurately. Many of these photos were extreme close-ups, which meant this photoshoot was an exercise in stability and focus. For the most part this went well, although a few of the resultant images are slightly blurred.
Main aim of re-shoot
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Main aim of photo shoot To take a series of photos refining my specific sub-theme within “Relationships”.
Shutter speed range (secs) 1/60-1/819
Aperture range(f numbers) f/2.8-f/5.1
Date of photo shoot 19/04/2015
ISO ISO-100 - ISO-200
Light source Natural light, Fluorescent strip lights.
Photo shoot ideas My sub-theme, the relationship between humanity and nature, lends itself well to a photoshoot at a garden centre. With this shoot, I plan to illustrate the idea that we as a species have put a price on nature, despite it existing long before us. The plan is to utilise garden ornaments and fake, everlasting flowers to show the imitation of nature, then to contrast this with the real thing.
Photo shoot evaluation I think this shoot went quite well - all of the intended subjects detailed in the ideas section were photgraphed, as well as some close-up shots that I’m especially proud of. The use of signage and perspective (in the long shots of flowerbeds) are also features of this photoshoot that I thought worked well.
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Contact Sheets
Assignment 4 Photoshoot
These photos make up the major photoshoot in this course. The location I chose was a garden centre, which gave a great variety of backgrounds as well as two main different lighting conditions. It also allowed me to take pictures incorporating both organic elements and artificial imitations of nature, often in the same shot. Above, I have selected three of my favourite images from the shoot, using the frames to highlight specific sections that I think worked well or look good. The repetition of “REDUCED” on the sign can refer to both the reduced prices of the products for sale and the reduction of nature to an object for sale. This idea has stylistic links to Ed Ruscha’s use of text and repetition to make statements on consumerism. The middle section is a close-up of an imitation flower, aliased slightly to emphasise the rough, artificial edges. I also like the effect given to the colours, with the black in the foreground, moving to lighter yellow and finally white. Finally, the theme of imitations of nature is continued by the third image, a close-up on a plexiglass sheepdog. This close-up works particularly well because of the glass eyes - they make the constructed nature of the ornament stand out far more than if it were simply part of a wider shot containing more subjects.
Assignment 4 Photoshoot
These edits are examples of various monochrome filters, emphasising the colour-based contrast rather than the metaphorical contrast explained above. Particularly in the case of the sheepdog, the black and white distills the basics of the picture, giving it a completely separate, darker tone while still recognisably maintaining the original image. I also like the way the colours grow darker in the middle picture as the flower dips down in the centre - although a similar thing was present in the original shot, this series of filters makes the effect stand out by simplifying the gradient into two tones.
Section 1
My chosen theme (within relatioships) is the relationship between man and nature. To explore this, I’ve tried to ensure that much of the work I’ve produced for this course shows some form of contrast between these two elements. I chose this theme because I thought it would allow me to work with deeper meanings than in the previous unit, an idea that has proved at least somewhat true so far. In terms of research, I looked at various forms of art related to ecology and industrialism as well as some art and photography through which the artist has made some type of political statements. Schink was an example of the former, Ruscha the latter. This allowed me to appreciate the various aspects that could be explored in terms of my chosen theme and the medium of photography.
SO FAR... PAGE 1
Section 2 The two photographers that I chose to conduct research into were the German photographer Hans Christian Schink and the Californian artist Ed Ruscha. Schink’s work is more directly related to my specific sub-theme, as he often works with the results of industrialisation, particularly with his series focusing on examples German architecture and the previously-idyllic area around them. Ruscha was useful more for the ideological element of the theme, even specifically making statements on ecology on occasion. I also plan on employing his use of bold text in a future piece, as I think it’s a very clear and simple way of getting a message across. Other than these two major influences, I’ve also been looking for quotes on ecology and the poltics of the environment for use in my eventual final outcome.
Section 3
So far, I’ve conducted photoshoots covering the basics of the theme, interpreting my chosen artists, reworking some of Ed Ruscha’s pieces and finally a major photoshoot working on my chosen sub-theme. I’ve produced photos using both natural and artificial light as well as a combination of the two, inocorporating various camera techniques such as macro focus and changes to the aperture and shutter speed. I did this to a degree in some of my work so far, but I think the use of over or underexposure to emphasise the contrast between the artificial and the natural within a given photo. I’d also like to work more with manual techniques, experimenting with expressing the ideas of my chosen theme through a different medium.
Section 4
SO FAR... PAGE 2
I think I could use the contrast evident in Schink’s pieces in combination with the hard lines and clear text which features in much of Ruscha’s work to produce some form of three-dimensional piece, which should help with the display positioning as the final outcome should stand unsupported. I’d also like to find a method of adding text to the work that is more elaborate than simply pasting individual letters to a background - perhaps the text itself could be three-dimensional.
TECHNIQUES Cropping
What does cropping do to the image? Cropping removes a selected section of an image, making it appear very different, and in some cases unrecognisable when compared to the original. Which is your favourite and why? My favourite image is the landscape oriented one on the right as it looks fairly abstract.
TECHNIQUES Rotation
What does rotation do to the image? The rotation technique turns the image so that it’s facing different orientations. This results in a mirror-like effect.
Which is your favourite and why? My favourite of these images is the one furthest left - I like the symmetry that’s created as well as the small sections of apple at the junction of two sections.
Rotation
TECHNIQUES Repetition Repetition Repetition Repetition
What does repetition do to the image? Repetition involves using the same image multiple times. The image could be manipulated in various ways, but repetition most commonly applies to the simple act of reusing an image for emphasis. Which is your favourite and why? My favourite of the three repetition techniques shown below is the second - the use of the ellipse tool to create concentric circles of decreasing size. I like the way in which this idea changes the viewer’s perspective on an image, as if it were moving into the page.
EVALUATION
Based on the theme and sub-theme I chose, my final outcome was very much about the contrast between humanity and nature. A three-dimensional piece made to appear as a chimney using photos selected from throughout the course, with a quote from the American biologist and politician Barry Commoner rising from it on wire rather than smoke. In this way, I subverted the expectations of harmful emissions by replacing them with a manifesto for the opposing point of view. This piece links to Ed Ruscha’s work in that it uses text against a simple background to convey a message. Juxtaposition (in this case a quote on environmentalism rising from a chimney) is also a prominent feature in Ruscha’s pieces. Throughout this course I made use of various techniques - from manual techniques such as simple image manipulation with craft knife and glue to digital techniques like the creation of an e-magazine within Adobe InDesign, a previously unknown piece of software. In addition, the course allowed me to explore more complex techniques involving the camera itself, including an entire photoshoot of extreme close-up shots and macro work which I feel improved my skill with the equipment considerably. I chose to pursue Ed Ruscha’s work further than that of Hans Christian Schink because Ruscha’s sharp lines and clear text is something I can successfully reproduce and continue into my own work, while I found Schink’s use of framing and composition to make his points on industrialisation inspiring but difficult to emulate. In the process of completing this assignment, I learned much more about ecology and the prominent figures within the movement as well as methods of expressing social or political opinions through photography. I feel that the sub-theme I chose allowed me to appreciate entirely different points of view and reflect them in my work. As mentioned previously, the two photographers I chose to research were Hans Christian Schink and Ed Ruscha. I did this using information from official biographies posted on the internet as well as a book on contemporary photography from a nearby library - although the book was a useful resource, I found the internet biographies slightly more helpful. In terms of reflection upon past work, I created a “So Far” page which looks back on much of the work I’ve done as well as forward towards potential improvements. It was through this page that I decided on the idea for my final outcome, as I saw potential in the artist interpretations using text. This page also shows the way in which the work I did earlier in the course influenced my final outcome.