Feedly Response #5

From the series The New Colonists, 2017 © Monica Alcazar Duarte

Ranch, from the series Precious, 2010 © Jane Hilton

Elephant feet turned foot stools, confiscated in the US © Britta Jaschinski

Photography continues to be a very male dominated in an ever progressing society.  The UK’s Royal Photographic Society compiled a list of 100 women photographers out of 1,300 who were recommended to the organization.  An exhibition and publication will follow from this titled Hundred Heroines.  Luxemburg stated “This final list reflects both the global expanse of female practice and the intergenerational input into contemporary photography. It reflects the wide range of methodologies, practices and diverse approaches of women working with the photographic medium. This is a moment of change and this list of heroines pays heed to it.” I was drawn to the compilation of established women photographers, inspired by their perseverance in the male dominated practice and the powerful images they take. I love seeing the diverse approaches the photographers take to a range in topics.

Feedly Response #4

Jose Pedro Cortes created the photo book A Necessary Realism after looking through his photos from 15 years of work. He states that “Reality is made of disjointed episodes that happen parallel to one another. It’s the way that you piece them together that makes the reading of reality something complex and specific,” Cortes explains. “On the whole, [the book] is a subjective and non-judgmental reading of the world.”  It’s an interesting take on the archival images because he is repurposing the images and giving them new context and light by putting them side by side. I’m drawn to the bright exposures and lines embedded in Cortes’ photos and his subtle depictions of environmental issues..

Feedly Response #3

https://www.aint-bad.com/article/2018/12/14/anastasia-davis/

Anastasia Davis is looking at the sensory and emotional experiences that form meanings and interpretations, thinking about making images that elicit emotional responses without enabling any interpretation. I was drawn to the ambiguity of the images and the dark treatment of the images. Though she is not thinking particularly about environmental issues, she creates images that make me indirectly think about what’s happening in the environment. Shooting portions of living spaces and nature, not providing the entire image is an engaging approach and something I have previously explored in my work

WIP 2

 What was/is the initial idea, how is it evolving?

At the end of the first WIP critique I was looking at the way water exists within ecosystems, thinking about water collecting after storms with the run off pollution and garbage accumulating as it moves. As I went to natural systems in South Florida I remembered how vital water is to the plants and animals that exist within ecosystem, nourishing life and greenery around it. I was drawn to the diversity growing in these systems. As I was thinking about the role of water bringing pollution into natural systems prior to this portion of photos, this idea was in the back of my mind. I noticed systems, like agriculture, in close proximity that use chemicals that have such impacts. While taking photos for this critique, I was also noticing human control of the natural systems, intrigued by our attempts to tame nature.

• Why do you feel the images you selected to print for this critique are your strongest, from among the group of new images? (i.e., what was your criteria for selection)

The images I selected for this critique either highlight the vibrant ecosystems depending on water, the human systems that impact water, or human attempts to control nature. I selected the first five because they most strongly depict the plants growing around and in water. Some show rain entering the system, giving it the nourishment it needs. I include several images of the reflection of water with the plants surrounding it appearing on the edges, getting a greater sense of the growth around the water in the reflection. I liked the ambiguity of some of these reflection images, thinking they would compliment images like the agricultural one as people could potentially make connections to agricultural runoff entering the water and impacting the system.

• What specific questions do you have about the work in terms of how someone other than yourself might interpret the imagery?

I am wondering if people will make that connection between agricultural production and its run off entering the ecosystems and having impacts when viewing the images of the ecosystem next to the agricultural production. I wonder if viewers will only contrast the two systems, noticing the linear fashion we produce things and the organic shaped growth that naturally occurs. I wonder if the viewers will respond to the natural images thinking about the role of water in the system as well. Does it accurately portray the role of water in ecosystems? Are you thinking about waters life giving properties when viewing these? I also wonder if the final image of man restricting the growth of nature is something worth pursuing, and if they see the flimsy barrier as something inhibiting growth.

 

Feedly #12

There is Gas Under the Tundra is a series of images by Charles Xelot addressing the far reaching impact of our dependence on natural gasses in considering the extraction of gas on the Yamal Peninsula in the Russian Arctic and the communities this impacts. Xelot creates stark images of the contrast of the icy tundra and the fiery extraction process, as well as the contrast of the vast tundra and industrial structures imposed on the land. Xelot takes a wholistic approach to the series presenting the process of extracting gas, processing it, shipping it and the people that are impacted and relocated because of this process. As the construction of his series shows both the industry and the indigenous community, the viewers gain a better understanding of the implications of the process, which is something I hope to accomplish in my series. Comparing the photos of the communities and the photos of the industry is interesting because it shows the difference in how communities rely on and live with the land opposed to manipulating and extracting from the land. The images from a higher vantage point give the viewers a sense of the imposing presence of industry on the wider landscape, while demonstrating the indigenous communities harmony with it. The coloring of the images also speaks to the difference between the two opposing sides of the series.

https://www.lensculture.com/articles/charles-xelot-there-is-gas-under-the-tundra

Feedly #11

https://www.lensculture.com/articles/hashem-shakeri-an-elegy-for-the-death-of-hamun

This week I was looking at the work of Hashem Shakeri who photographs Hamun Lake, one of the largest lakes that is now mostly dried up due to massive droughts stemming from the changing climate. His photos have a desaturated quality whihch speak to the arid atmosphere and lack of water They appear to be almost sandy in their coloring and desaturation, speaking to the desertification of the area. He captures the drying out lake, the impacts of this, and the way humans are impacted by these changing, capturing instances of everyday life. Overall, his work approaches the issue from all angels, something i am interested doing in my own practice.

Wip #4

 

 

-What was/is the initial idea, how is it evolving?

Last critique I was thinking a lot about the way man manipulates nature in order to suit our lifestyle and development. For this critique I continued to think about this, but within the suburban context. I was drawn to manmade bodies of water, whether they were manmade drainage canals or manmade lakes for golf courses. I was thinking about their different reasons for existing, how they act in an ecosystem, and how their accumulation of runoff impacts the water quality of that system and larger natural systems.   I was thinking more about the presence of water in a manmade environment, rather than thinking about the control of natural systems.

• Why do you feel the images you selected to print for this critique are your strongest, from among the group of new images? (i.e., what was your criteria for selection)

I chose these images because each shows an element of our control of water to suit our needs. Each waterway is confined by sharp lines, whether from the dredged land it fills or by the pipes and tunnels that contain it. Each image also includes a trace of human existence so it is obvious that we are an element of these bodies of water. I wanted to indicate the proximity of these systems to their sources of pollution such as the golf courses while subtly suggesting that these are only there for human benefit. I thought it was interesting how the bodies of water were bordered by steep hills and sharp edges so I looked to include these as well.

• What specific questions do you have about the work in terms of how someone other than yourself might interpret the imagery?

I am wondering if people connect the drainage system to runoff and pollution from the suburban neighborhoods. I am wondering if it is clear that these are man made water ways meant for drainage. Do people interpret these as manipulated water ways for our existence? Do people connect the controlled waterways to past controlled water ways I have taken photos of? How do people think of the environmental consequences of this?  I am wondering if the tunnel shot is too dark to interact with and respond to. Is it worth going back at a different time and trying again?

– Why do you feel the selected images most strongly convey your conceptual content?

Both images present linear canals with steep hills of grass neighboring them and human development above and surrounding them.  The human control of water for our own benefit is present in these, ultimately leads to pollution as our lifestyles consume chemicals to keep our lawns green and our cars moving. I think they both convey a sense of run off with the steep hills and a prioritization of the human world as they sit above the natural systems. The waterways seem fairly trivial in comparison to the development surrounding them, but still point to our manufacturing it and the taking over it.

– How do you hope the formal treatment and scale impacts the interpretation?

I enhanced the greens surrounding the water ways, saturating them to give them a slightly unnatural green, indicating their unnatural growth in that area. This extends to the artificiality of the water way as well. I desaturated the trees slightly so the natural greens of the tree contrasted greatly with the grass to further push this idea. All of the man made formations were lightened and given more contrast in order to make them emerge more from the background, hopefully giving them a little more dominance over the natural system. I also lightened the waterways to point out its straight length, hoping to further the idea that these are manmade systems.

Feedly #10

This week, the work of Scott Alberg stood out to me as I could see the relation between his photographs to the work of Robert Adams, the photographer I am presenting on. His work in Summaville is looking at Post-Recession Las Vegas, specifically through the suburban and desert landscape. He feels that the two can “be both seductive and repellant at the same time,” a dichotomy similar to Adam’s feelings of the suburbs meeting the mountains and deserts in Colorado. The work of Alberg is abstract in its imbedding of human elements in the natural world, as well as nature in the human world. The entirety of Summaville creates a space that rely on the desert light to illuminate the features of the landscape, while also highlighting features of the man-made world.

https://www.aint-bad.com/article/2018/11/06/scott-alberg/

Feedly response #9

This week I found the work of Kiera Reese on LensCratch and was drawn into her digital manipulations and collages of photos that seem as if they could exist in real space in some, but seem unreal in others. The blending of images is fluid and natural and I am drawn to that natural overlap and flux between organic transitions and more abrupt apparent ones. I am interested in her process of filtering through her image library, finding a theme and creating a long, cohesive composition. More recently she has been focusing on architectural forms, but I am more drawn to her natural scenes that merge with architecture, bringing the two different worlds together, while they exist separately. It was interesting to experience these pieces on technology because I had to scroll down to see all the pieces of it, rather than seeing it all at once. This speaks to her interest in the way digital technology impacts our perception of time and space.

http://lenscratch.com/2018/10/the-states-project-new-hampshire-kiera-reese/

 

WIP 3

-What was/is the initial idea, how is it evolving?

I began the project wanting to explore the way water exists within the Florida landscapes, following the way human activity impacts the various ecosystems, mostly considering the impact of chemicals and fertilizers we introduced. As my work for my Senior Capstone project has progressed I have become more focused on the ways we manage and control the flow of water and how that impacts the existing ecosystems. While in the Everglades this past weekend, I was incredibly drawn to the system of canals and levees that exist North or the park, restricting the natural water flow to the water permeated ecosystems. I want to continue to look at how we control water in order to enable humans to exist in areas they may have been unable to without manipulating nature.

• Why do you feel the images you selected to print for this critique are your strongest, from among the group of new images? (i.e., what was your criteria for selection)

I wanted to encompass the different elements of water control as well as the way water exists in the ecosystems. I selected these images because they show varying levels of controlling the water, the use of water, pollution of water, with several images of the natural ecosystems to compliment them. In several of the shots of the natural ecosystems I made sure to include elements of human presence, such as a drainage pipe or a water depth meter. I also included multiple images that were solely natural, highlighting the presence of water in it. I feel that these are the strongest based on their compositions, lighting, and the way it addressed the content I am interested in. I had a lot of photos to sift through, but the most prominent ones were those of the human involvement in the land, thus why the majority of the photos are of the levees and canals or agriculture, rather than the natural system.

• What specific questions do you have about the work in terms of how someone other than yourself might interpret the imagery?

I am wondering if people will connect the levees and canals controlling the water with the natural ecosystems and if they connect the control of water with its impact on the land. I am also curious if people will connect all of the separate images, understanding that they are all connected and working together in the ecosystem. I am wondering how people will respond to the images of the canals and if they will understand that they are dredged, unnatural waterways.  I have many images of the levees and canals so I am wondering if people are able to think about our control of the water with the majority of the photos representing it. I am also wondering if I should have added more images of the natural systems and the different flora that exist within it.

– Why do you feel the selected image most strongly conveys your conceptual content?

I chose this image because it directly shows the human involvement in landscape while also showing environmental impact of those actions in the water. It shows the natural plant life surrounding this body of water, that can be assumed to be unnatural with the rocky shores and pipes emptying into the pond. The pipes highlight our role manipulating the water, while the unnatural, algae and poor water quality highlight the impacts of these controls. The gate in the background further suggests the unnatural elements of the system depicted as it is another human introduction into the ecosystem. Though this piece does not highlight the role of water in natural ecosystems, it does highlight our control of it and the impacts that creates.

– How do you hope the formal treatment of each image impacts the interpretation?

I am hoping that the formal treatment of these images will emphasize the natural elements of the scene that are impacted by human involvement. In the highly edited version I wanted to emphasize the unnatural algae that has grown in the retention pond that was fed by the pipe. I wanted it to be clear that the way the water entered the system was unnatural and thus producing unnatural consequences, such as the production of this algae and the murky water. I hope that the formal treatment further highlights the ideas I am engaging in, forcing the viewers to consider our role in nature.