Some Initial Questions
What is your relationship to the natural world? - I have always been fascinated by the natural world and I love spotting and identifying the several different species of birds and animals in my local area.
Where would you go to see a landscape? - Me and family go to greenwich park almost everyday and as such we come close to nature most of the time
Why do people take pictures of nature? - Nature is often photographed to provide freedom and change from the artificial world created by man.
Can photographs help us to change the way we see things? - I think that photographs can have a strong influence on someone's opinion and can make a person view a subject in a different light
The Idea of Landscape
The Valley of the Shadow of Death - Roger Fenton, 1855 (left)
In this photograph the artist has chosen to incorperate a dry and rocky landscape with a faint trail that slowly progresses up and out of the valley. Their are small signs of life dotted in the image that may be small bushes and plants, to reinforce the natural and rural elements of the photograph. The photographer likely wants to exclude much of the trail (if it even is that) to keep the viewer guessing and restrict any artificial or man made elements within the image, further presenting the landscape as rural. The vantage point is quite low down, to give the impression of a valley and this in turn gives the audience the idea that they are close and immersed in the landscape, so we feel a part of it. The monochrome and dull colouration of the image, as well as its composition, all help to create the idea of ruralness and isolation from the rest of the world. The dull colour of the landscape makes it seem old, and the beige/creamy-white sky further convays the sense of emptiness and loneliness, untouched by mankind, left as a barren, desolate land by nature. Due to the composition, an emotion of power is also present through the scale of the landscape, taking up most of the image, appearing large and imposing.
Cowboy - Richard Prince, 1989 (right)
In this photograph, only the bare essentials are featured in the image, with no other signs of life in the landscape, except for the man and his horse. The horse's face is half cut out of the photograph, which works to give the impression of movement and action along with the hazy and pixilated background which also could suggest the idea of a memory, or something in the past. The photographer may be familiar with this wild-west-like background, that could be a result of multiple western movies having been watched. The vantage point is straight on and in line with the rider and his horse, so we feel relatively close to the landscape, especially the clouds which feel extremely large and close-up for the image. The artist can be trying to communicate the ideas of the wild-west as a distant memory, far away now in one's mind, as the audience is focused on the rider and his horse, who's face is concealed with shadow, further making the image seem more mysterious and distant. The same goes for the landscape which is left in the past, and a result of a forgotten time, long ago. Overall senses of action, adventure, memory are presented through the landscape.
36 Landscape Images
Back to the Future - Constructed Seascapes
The Great Wave - Gustave Le Gray, 1857 / Constructed Landscape II Series - Dafna Talmor, 2014-2020
Both images depict elements of the sea and the coastal landscapes within the frames and have rocky highlights with natural beaches and pebbles. Both of the images are restricted to a dull colouration with grey, brown and dark accents. As mentioned both focus on the sea with the dynamics of the ocean portrayed in each photograph. These images have various differences that include the way in which the landscapes are presented; The Great Wave is an Albumen print from a collodion-on-glass negative, giving the seascape an almost historic vibe as it was taken 167 years ago, while the relatively modern Constructed Landscape II Series was composed of C-Type prints made of collaged coloured negatives, and presents a much more abstract feel. The first image is set in reality and strongly defined, opposing the confusing and jumbled mess of the second image with it being a collage. While the water is angry and strong, with torrent waves smashing the rocks in image one, image two has relatively calm and relaxed water, that is not disturbed and does not cause any harm to the environment as it has to coexist with other cut-out landscape pieces. The absence of a skyline in the second image is also a significant difference between the photos which helps to diverse the sense of scale and vastness depicted in the landscapes. The first image also contains a man made structure, which helps to differentiate the photos as only in The Great Wave can human presence be seen, while the Constructed Landscape II Series is devoid of man, alienating it further more. For The Great Wave I would describe it using words such as: "historic, fortified, wild, dangerous, vast, distant and isolated", while in the Constructed Landscape II Series I would refer to it with words like: "split, shattered,
Minimalistic Landscapes
Sobras - Geraldo de Barros, 1996 (left)
In this image I can see a monochrome collage of a tree, surrounded by negative and empty space that leaves a dark void in the absence of a proper background. This large empty presence helps to isolate the tree and removes any horizon or ground features from the image. The fact that the photographer has kept much of the photo around the tree in this image that includes the branches and the tree trunk is unusual. Rather than splitting the image half and half, he has decided to cut out large pockets of negative space between the branches, while he leaves other gaps in between the twigs unchanged, possibly due to the difficulty in cutting out the entire tree. The fact that the image is not perfect also helps to contrast the subject (tree) and the supposed background (negative space). This image makes me feel somewhat relaxed due to the natural tree shape but also presents a feeling of isolation from the rest of the world, such as is experienced by the tree.
This image is my favourite of the two
Gardening with You - Liz Nielsen, 2020 (right)
In this image I think that I can make out a bushy tree as well as possibly a road and a pole/signal box on the right side of the landscape. Many things can be pointed out as missing from this collage; there is no recognisable sky, no buildings or houses and no distinct signs of life (humans and animals). I think that the inclusion of the tree helps to rationalise the image and connect it to reality. I view this image in a much more negative light due the sharp and ragged shapes within the collage, which come across to me as quite threatening
- Describe what you can see
- Describe what you find surprising/unusual
- Explain how you feel
- Explain how you would make these images
- Suggest why the artist has removed parts of the landscape
- Explain which picture you prefer