For this project we were required to produce a set of three images that effectively displayed an understanding of an issue or aspect within the natural environment.
There are many things that affect the environment such as the burning of fossil fuels which in turn have been accused of aiding the process of global warming, the human intervention within the landscape, fuel shortages and deforestation. The aforementioned issues are only a very small proportion of elements that introduce problems to the natural environment.
1. My first idea focused on the subject of oil and mining fossil fuels. I began to look for photographers that had explored the subject for themselves. The first photographer I came across was Edward Burtynsky. Burtynsky focuses on how the natural landscape has been transformed through industry. Although I liked this idea I did not feel that I could proceed further with it as I did not have strong enough ideas to create a successful scheme of work.
2. My second idea was similar to the first. I considered looking at the impact manmade structures has had on the impact and how they 'disrupt' the beauty of the nature around them. To begin with I could not find any photographers to research for my cause. However I did consider taking another look at Burtynsky's work as it had some similarities to what I was trying to achieve.
Final Ideas
After carefully considering both of my ideas I decided to continue forward with my idea of man's industrial intrusion into otherwise picturesque landscape around it. I had a good idea of places I could go to take the images I desired but, however, I still lacked a photographer from which to draw influence. From here I went into my tutorial with my idea and hoped the feedback wold be both positive and constructive.
Tutorial and Development
In my tutorial I presented my initial idea and was told that I needed to have a clearer idea about how I wanted to portray the industrial parts of the landscape in relation to the natural parts. Before this I had considered introducing wind farms and electrical pylons into my photographs but, after my tutorial, I decided that they were not appropriate for the message I wanted to portray and decided to carry forward the idea of factories and big industrial plants within the landscape instead.
A photographer was also suggested for me to research. His name was John Davis.
From this tutorial I was able to continue my research and develop my ideas more.
Research
My first area to research was that of the work of John Davis. One of his bodies of work focuses on the area around the Durham Coal Mine and displays one of industry's effects on the landscape. Davis has many times been referred to as a narrative landscape photographer. This work in particular was commissioned as part of a 1983 exhibition from Amber and Side depicting their response to upcoming conflict between miners and the British government over the future of the coal industry.
I also looked into his 1979-2009 series called the British Isles. These photos gave me the inspiration for my first attempt at the series of photos. The image on the left and right show industrial buildings in the natural landscape. In my opinion they seem to disrupt the flow of the natural spaces around them.
This is the type of composition I wanted to achieve within my final series of environment photographs.
Review
I presented my initial results in a review in November. They were not as good as I has first hoped they would be as I had not had enough experience using the camera or in the process of printing. I also knew that my composition needed some improvement as there was no consistency in the distancing from the subjects and the lighting conditions in which they were taken. Many of my original negatives were either overexposed or underexposed causing the prints to fall below the expectations I, and others, had for them. From this I decided that reshooting my project again would be my best chance to improve upon the previous results.
Re-Shoots
I first travelled to Aylesford to retake the photos of the newsprint that is situated behind a large expanse of farmers land.
Then I travelled to Brooklands Lake to take images of the paper mill next to a peaceful fishing lake.
I struggled for a while with a third industrial building to photograph. My boyfriend and I took a day trip to the Isle of Sheppey to photograph some of the factories there. However these were situated within an industrial estate and were therefore not really what I needed to photograph.
For the time being, I made do with the images of the two factories I had found and concentrated on printing them. However, when I came to print I was not happy with the composition or the appropriate sharpness of the images so I decided to reshoot again.
My next reshoot came at the start of December with a Bronica ETRS that I had been bought as a present. To begin with I got on well with the camera and managed to redo the shoots I was initially unhappy with. However, when it came to printing again I was still not satisfied with the results and therefore has to wait until after the Christmas holidays to shoot again due to lack of equipment.
My final reshoot came on the 10th of January. I returned again to Aylesford and Brooklands Lake to reshoot the factories, and managed to find a third factory to shoot in Burham Court. When it came to processing and printing this set of images I was much happier with the results and was therefore able to print some satisfactory prints.
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