Landscapes
The natural world comes with many notions of abstract and still life treasures. My relationship to the natural world consists of curiosity towards what lies behind the part hidden from the eye. Personally, I love to capture the moment of nature wherever I see it. Through creativity, nature photography can visualise aspects the human eye may not pick up. When I think of landscapes, I believe they can be seen anywhere you consider a landscape; visiting these places create a serene atmosphere for photographs and I refer to the views I saw in Spain. Photographs of nature, focusing on a more composed aspect, show the sublime beauty of nature in its element from beyond the plain human eye. The portrayal of nature in these, can in fact change the way places are viewed through the true state of the subject.
Similarly to this image, a place full of colour close to some water. However this is just one form of a landscape. words that correspond to this genre are; vibrant, serene, tranquil, reassuring, horizon, views, the ocean, sublime, bliss and soundless. In my minds eye, when I think of a landscape I imagine a place surrounded by nature. There can be different types of landscape which can contrast in a sense. For example, a skyline of the city relates, however in a different way to sunsets and the greenery, which can also be in the genre of landscapes too. Local landscapes, I see more frequently such as out of the window are hills and plants which are just as intriguing.
These are the landscapes I took around school which show the trees and sky aspect of the natural world. I think it portrays the greenery in a tranquil and thereputic manner due to the aesthetic it creates and the effect it leaves within these images. It can create lingering thoughts emerging from this collection. It gives the impression of simple and alludes a quiet
This ongoing body of work consists of staged landscapes made of collaged and montaged colour negatives shot across different locations, merged and transformed through the act of slicing and splicing. The resulting photographs are a conflation, 'real' yet virtual and imaginary. This stems from the concept of infinite possibilities in correspondence to the landscape and techniques of manipulating the photograph. She explores the theme of utopia which inspires a sense of individuality.
The artist has chosen to include in the composition, clouds in the background. The cowboy is the main subject of the image and the photographer may have a close relation to this scene. It gives a sense of serenity and silence. The vantage point from this image is straight on and creates a good perspective without obstructions. There is an average distance between the camera and subject, indicating this scenery being within reach/ eye-line. This photograph communicates a therapeutic mood and the choices this artist has chosen to made. This gives the impression of a staged image. The aesthetic of the colours add another aspect to the image.
|
The artist used a mundane aesthetic of colours however the link to the world war indicates a close relationship to this scene and his personal experience. The lack of anything in the photograph proves the personal sanctuary similarly to the artist. It depicts a sense of tranquility contrasting however to the other image. The element of the artistic individuality adds another notion to the image. Additionally theres a great distance between the perspective and the landscape, including the sense of space.
|
In this photograph, a cut out landscape is against the school background. I would describe this image as natural. It incorporates a lot of still life and greenery. I recognise the area in which this is taken as it is a familiar school settings. I used the sunlight as the light and it accentuates the colour, making the tones stand out more. In reality the patterns are neutral. However, it doesn't include much of a range and I would overall want to add more images, including a. bigger scale of colours in this.
This pair of images have very similar themes however also differ in several aspects. The limited colour palette and sections of monochrome relate to both images. Additionally, there is a lack of focus towards the colour due to the documentary yet organic style to this. In image 2, it is visually shown that it has been a constructed image placement which is the main thing individualising the pair. In image one, texture is conveyed in such detail such as within the ripples of the water, comparing to the other image which is quite flat and more staged almost. It creates structure contradictory with other points like shown through the lines and burnt edges which gravitate away, in a sense from the lifeless theme. Personally I see image 1 as more of what I expect landscape images to be whereas the other is a more abstract image. They could both be described as vintage and lacklustre which is what they share, in. addition to symbolic &. The complexity is portrayed through the composition which goes against the simplicity factor which I also see. The fact they both have a subject of water also develops the link between them. Personally I would prefer in a place like image 2 because it indicates a utopia as it doesn't exist and left to your imagination in a sense.
Introduction- Dionne Lee's 'Drafts'
Drafts from Dionne Lee on Vimeo. |
Dione Lee work was different because as she was making the collages she didn't stick anything down and was continuously moving the images. She was exploring different placements while folding and ripping as she went along. This style of art by making a long video is intruiging as it is very different to what we normally analyse. I found her chosen way of portraying it very spontaneous and she was discovering which style suited it most. The film was an example of a constructed landscape because she gathers the photographs into a landscape while actively moving and reconstructing. It contrasts however, as it differs from a conventional image as it is an ongoing piece of work and doesn't include still frames.
|
Bill Armstrong
Bill Armstrong is a New York based artist who is known for his blurred coloured images. He grew up in Massacheusetss and has been shooting in colour for over 30 years. His work always have a sense of vibrancy and shadowing within, vaguely allowing a portrayal of the clear image.. He zooms in to a beautiful aspect of photography, intriguing the viewer. His work has been recognised and is displayed in many places. For example, his portfolio appears in The New Photographic Portrait and Exploring Colour Photography among many other books. In addition, he carries out a unique process of contracting his photographs; he appropriated images and subjects them to a series of manipulations. This contributes as to why his work is so aesthetically appealing. The images appear to be seamless by extreme blurring making the outlines disappear.
Uta Barth is a contemporary German photographer. She focuses on the translation of photographic perception to human perception. Barth often chooses ethereal or elusive subject matter such as white curtains interspersed by strains of sunlight which, no matter the fidelity to the real world becomes abstracted or distorted when seen as a photographed. She was born in 1958. Her early work emerged in the late 1980s and 90s. Her signature is inverting the background of foreground and background. Barth says "The question for me always is how can I make you aware of your own looking , instead of losing your attention to thoughts about what it is that you are looking at." This indicates she wants her work to be perceived in a certain light and for it to centre on the vision as well as the failure of vision.
The task for this was to take a series of photographs out of focus. This process uses a phone on AE/AF lock for this effect. It differed with our regular work because we had a more abstract outlook on the landscapes. Personally, i found this difficult in a sense; this was due to the camera repeatedly focusing however with resilience it eventually turned how i wanted. It required several attempts before a successful image which was frustrating at times. The results followed the criteria and had an intriguing aspect. It focused on typical things found in landscapes and the construction was the act of taking it out of focus. The construction consists of the productional outcome. To improve and refine, I could explore different angles and a different area to zoom into. Additionally I could create more of a range in collection and expand this series of images.
Ray Metzker
- Ray Metkers series of Pictus Interruptus was made between 1976 and 1981 and presents images in a conceptual style and creates a unique composition within the use of a myriad effects
- This series features landscapes and cityscapes disrupted by abstract forms that compliment the image. I like the incorporation of the black and white and the eerie theme illustrated.
- The notion of contrast with the background is similarly intriguing and adds an aesthetic setting of a sinister mood.
- The subject placement of the object additionally contributes to the complexity of the light depth, highlighting the shadows within, portraying complexity in the photograph.
- The focal point of each image is contrasting as it is uncertain whether to look at the background or the object itself
- He exaggerates the properties of a still image which is engaging to perceive.
- Also, he suggests an insight into the images story which could drive curiosity to the viewer.
This is my interpretation of Ray Metzers work and I used light depth similar to his series. of Pictus Interruptus Also, I used objects to create an abstract shadowing reflecting within the image. The blurred effect displayed in the background further develops on the composition depicting the interruption element. Similarly, I changed the images to black and white to represent his. The black and white effect highlights the complexity of the object and the details portrayed in the landscape.
To create these images, I used props to add an a conceptual element to the image. This changed the focus of the photograph while also incorporating a blurred effect. This task was specifically interesting due to the pleasant outcome. I enjoyed experimenting with the camera and attempting new styles. Linking with this, the texture presented through the image, develops the composition. The focal point being the object depicts the colour patterns presented in the background.
- John Divola is an American contemporary visual artist and was born 1949
- He explores the landscape by looking for the edge between abstract and specific.
- His work is known for its distinct view.
- He uses deserted houses
- His main project is called Zuma Beach
- He spray paints to add more of an interesting element.
CHARLES WILKIN
- Charles Wilkins work consists of a loose collection of thoughts and observations.
- This was his passion since his was young due to the ability to manipulate collages which are unique and 'dont make sense'
- His collage as a medium replicates this frenetic and inherent collision of people, culture, and emotions we all experience. I believe the true meaning of my work is derived directly from the intertwining of these associations, and the spontaneity of my creative process.
- This gives the work the freedom to live creatively in the moment, and the ability to respond to current events, despite the imagery being derived primarily from vintage magazines.
- His work on landscapes are particularly interesting due to the abstract aspect of the originalism.
- It can be seen as being a reflection of the world we live in, with all its ugliness and cruelty
- . But from that, he strives to extract the beauty and empathy hidden underneath and within us all, revealing the unknown, the unspoken and intangible things that he view make us truly human.
- Charles Wilkin takes photographs with a vintage feel and adds layers of colour and shape to create eerie artworks.
- His pieces evoke a sense of decomposition and decay, and his distortion and reconstruction of facial features through collage almost references Picasso’s famous modernist works.
- Collages have become extremely popular in the past few years, and collage artists often incorporate pop culture references and high fashion images to create interesting compositions.
- Wilkin sets his apart by focusing on the altering of faces and bodies, and the result is both disturbing and captivating.
In class, i created a piece inspired by Charles Wilkin. I used his aspect of obstructions within the landscape and incorporated my own additions. With this task, I made 4 photographs, constructing a creative piece whilst remaining collage style. Similarly,
Sarah Ann Johnson
Sarah Ann Johnson is a landscape photographer who uses her photographs as a base to manipulate the way it's perceived, inducing the emphasis of colour. For instance, the style she uses encompasses materials such as paint and cellophane, embodying a unique twist to the image, illustrating the concept of her perspective, intriguing the regard of aesthetic. My opening impressions on her piece was the visual appeal and the distinctive range of tones. Personally, I really like this image and the concept behind it. The composition is also a key notion entailed within; the visual elements are interesting. She opposes classical photography by spinning in her own twist.
This photo is a collage due to its use of other materials and natural aspect. Most of the images portray dense stands of trees, their uniformity countered by bright colours filling spaces between the twigs and branches. She most usually takes her pictures locally however often travels and focuses on Utopian Woodlands. The concept of a utopia indicates her images are taken from her point of view and edited how she portrays it, correlating to the same characteristics of a utopia in her control. Her depiction relates to her individual truth of the nature and achieves entirely the purpose she intended. It imposes the effect of individuality and its an impactful collection.
This photo is a collage due to its use of other materials and natural aspect. Most of the images portray dense stands of trees, their uniformity countered by bright colours filling spaces between the twigs and branches. She most usually takes her pictures locally however often travels and focuses on Utopian Woodlands. The concept of a utopia indicates her images are taken from her point of view and edited how she portrays it, correlating to the same characteristics of a utopia in her control. Her depiction relates to her individual truth of the nature and achieves entirely the purpose she intended. It imposes the effect of individuality and its an impactful collection.
Kate Wilson
My first impressions of Wilson's work was that it is a creative style and an aesthetically pleasing piece of work. Kate’s photography draws inspiration from human connections and capturing the of daily life in New Zealand, where she has lived her whole life. Her work as a visual journalist centres around the arts and adjusting the nature she views regularly around her. She factors in her fundamental skills on the space around her and incorporates it within her pieces.
Her work mostly is photographed in New Zealand, she lives there and has access to the landscapes that surround her. Her images focal point is the colour palette she uses and the background behind the cutout.
Her art works cater to everyone and she doesn't have a specific audience. She emphasises freeness and serenity to the viewers interpretation. Her work falls under the genre landscapes .The reflective and steam-like qualities as represented in her images provide evidence of the bodily forms direct presence in relationship with the landscape. The photographʼs relationship to the real is confirmed at the same time that it is subverted. These first clues draw the viewer in as they begin to question the space., Woodsʼ images question the permanence of landscape, sculpture, the photograph, and finally our experience of all three. When light is reflected from her sculptural forms, Woods captures a single moment for the viewer to experience a sculpture that only exists in another form. The viewer can only ever reach the landscape through the image, further increasing the appeal. Wood captures the moment vividly, enabling the direct presence to be experienced through the viewers perspective.
Her work mostly is photographed in New Zealand, she lives there and has access to the landscapes that surround her. Her images focal point is the colour palette she uses and the background behind the cutout.
Her art works cater to everyone and she doesn't have a specific audience. She emphasises freeness and serenity to the viewers interpretation. Her work falls under the genre landscapes .The reflective and steam-like qualities as represented in her images provide evidence of the bodily forms direct presence in relationship with the landscape. The photographʼs relationship to the real is confirmed at the same time that it is subverted. These first clues draw the viewer in as they begin to question the space., Woodsʼ images question the permanence of landscape, sculpture, the photograph, and finally our experience of all three. When light is reflected from her sculptural forms, Woods captures a single moment for the viewer to experience a sculpture that only exists in another form. The viewer can only ever reach the landscape through the image, further increasing the appeal. Wood captures the moment vividly, enabling the direct presence to be experienced through the viewers perspective.
I created a piece inspired by both Kate Woods and Sarah Ann Johnson. I made use of Johnsons ideology of adding a unique outcome of a regular landscape, altering the outlook it creates entirely by countering the ordinariness. Whilst using this perspective, I manipulated the cellophane material placing it over the trees. Alongside this, I included Woods style of cutting out some of the paper and adding another landscape obstructing the background.
|
- I decided to take some more images of landscapes so that I can do more experimentation inspired by the artist took this landscapes at school with the limited places of images to take
- I attempted to cover the buildings obstructing the horizon by zooming in an taking from different perspectives
- The focal point for these collections was the trees
Landscape Homework
Inspired Photographs
I created work inspired by Kate Woods and Sarah Ann Johnson because initially I was really engaged which encouraged me to create a similar piece. I was impressed with the concept of Woods because she wanted a unique approach to a standard landscape which I decided to adopt. She also relates to Johnson who follows these similar notions and out of the ordinary ideals.
I decided to experiment with creating negatives and developing them further in the dark room; I began with inverting this photograph I took before changing it to black and white. This enabled me to convert it into the acetate, following the altercations in the dark room. I had fun with this experiment and it has been my favourite so far because of the successful result. I decided to take risks by adding a background border of different colours and decided to evaluate which one was most aesthetically pleasing
Here are some pieces I have created, incorporating the original image which I took in school; I decided to change the colours using the photocopier and realigning the same photograph but upside down to add a sense of depth. The colour contrast of the green and red, similarly structured an aspect of variation. I chose to get a scalpel and cut out certain areas in the branches as it is aesthetically pleasing. In addition to the this, I put the other image I developed behind it, allowing an outlook of the opposite side to seep through. By the end of this process, the photograph was almost entirely different and altered completely. It was an interesting piece to construct and work with.
Final Evaluation
The themes Ive explored throughout this genre of constructed landscapes have been intriguing as it centres around the concept of new aspects and a notion of individuality. This subverts the norms of traditional photography because the process of the construction is exciting and my thoughts about the piece vary within its development: arguably, the final outcome isn't of the most significance. For instance, personally, I gain inspiration through the creativity and series of Dafna Talmor, a photographer known for her out of the ordinary work. The risks she takes with her artistic decisions spark engagement because she challenges 'normal' ideals of what photography should be and completely twists them to be her original. This links to the concepts of Threshold Concept 1, referring to the ambiguous theme of photography.
With the experiments Ive been developing, Ive carried it out with a range of materials.
With the experiments Ive been developing, Ive carried it out with a range of materials.