What is a landscape photograph?
When I hear the word 'landscape' I instantly think of a rectangle and I often think of the countryside/rural areas. The real definition of 'landscape' is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features. .. landscape can be as varied as farmland, a landscape park or wilderness. There are three types of main landscapes, whether it's mountain landscapes, which concludes of mountains, with narrow rivers, forests, villages and steep roads. Another type of landscape is a flat landscape, which consists of flat land, wide rivers, farms, cities and motorways. Lastly, coastal landscapes, which is where we see flat land, wide rivers, farms, cities and motorways.
LANDSCAPES IN SCHOOL
These are a few photographs I have taken around school, that I consider to fit into the category of a 'typical landscape photograph'. Taking these photographs really helped me to widen my perspective on landscape photography and encouraged me to delve deeper into what really makes a 'landscape' photograph. While taking these images, I found myself pondering over what is considered to be a landscape photograph, and although to many the definition would be seen as fairly straightforward, I still felt that the definition was obscure. For example, I personally consider the top left image to fit into the category of landscape photography due to the surroundings however the more I thought about this, the more I started to question whether it could still fit into the category of a landscape considering the photograph subject is people.
Out of all of the photographs I captured in school, the large picture above is the one I consider to be my favourite. I particularly like the vibrant colours within this photograph and the ambiguity of the possible focus point within this image. I also appreciate the framing of this image as I think it fits well with the harmonious atmosphere created. I am fairly content with the way that this photograph turned out however if I was to retake this photograph I would aim to focus more on the
LANDSCAPES OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL
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This You Tube video breaks down landscapes whilst also mentioning how landscapes can be political. It also explains the history of land and the changes.
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LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHERS
HELENE BINET
Helene Binet is an architectural photographer, she is mostly known for her work with architects, she has worked with some very well known architects such as Zaha Hadid, I know a little of her work as she designed the Serpentine Gallery in London. I can see how this collaboration would work well Something that I find particularly pleasing about Binet's work is the way in which she uses framing within her work as her images are framed well, I particularly love the way that she has zoomed in, to me this creates a sense of abstraction within the images-she has the ability to make some of the images seem quite different. The way in which she photographs architecture is most impressive to me as the buildings look interesting as there is a play on the light and shadows. I feel as though Binet uses this in order to adapt to each photograph, which creates a welcoming feeling to me there is a familiarity within her work. I think the shadows created within her photography builds an almost enigmatic presence to her work.
This photograph is particularly engrossing to me. Everything from the lighting, the spacing and the framing fits so well with this image. Binet also seems to enjoy mixing lighter tones with darker tones which I think creates an almost absorbing atmosphere ands adds a sense of amplitude to this image. I think this photograph has an intense yet tempestuous feeling surrounding it. I think majority of Binet's work focuses primarily around framing however I think this photograph's focus surrounds more around the lighting which I especially appreciate as I think this adds depth to the photograph.
These are some photographs I have taken inspired by Hélene Binet. Although I like these images, I do not think they correlate to Binet as much as I would've like them to. In order to develop these photographs further, I would attempt to play around with framing and composition more as I think that would have an increasingly positive impact on these photographs. Something else I am not particularly content with to do with these image is the way in which I used lighting. I think that lighting is something that is so crucial to creating an intriguing photograph and I do not think I used lighting as fittingly as I could've.
This is my favourite image that I've taken out of them all. I particularly like this one as I think it resinates most with Binet's work. I think this photograph could perhaps be perceived as conceptual and also has an element of abstraction within this image. I took this while visiting an art gallery in Margate however this particular exhibition stood out to me the most as I found this especially fascinating.
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LUCIEN HERVÉ
Lucien Herve was a Hungarian-born French photographer. He was a world leading architectural photographer, who captured the forms of buildings, commonly featuring interactions between people and surfaces, as well as shadow play. His minimalistic approach to his compositions is abstract and elegant. Herve entered into architectural photographer due to his introduction to Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier in 1941. He continued to work for the architect, earning his worldwide title.
I appreciate Hervé's work as I love the ambition and creativity that I think is embedded within his photography. Something I find especially pleasing about Herve's work is the way in which he uses lighting. I think lighting is a tool in which Herve uses to create a feeling of ambiguity to his photographs. I really enjoy these types of landscapes as I think there far more intriguing to the 'typical' landscape. I also think his work explores the more 'urban' side of photography, which I typically find tends to fascinate me more .
I appreciate Hervé's work as I love the ambition and creativity that I think is embedded within his photography. Something I find especially pleasing about Herve's work is the way in which he uses lighting. I think lighting is a tool in which Herve uses to create a feeling of ambiguity to his photographs. I really enjoy these types of landscapes as I think there far more intriguing to the 'typical' landscape. I also think his work explores the more 'urban' side of photography, which I typically find tends to fascinate me more .
I chose this image with Le Corbusier, as my favourite of his photographs. One thing that I think makes this image so pleasing to the eye is the contrast between the lighter and darker surroundings as I think think this adds a sense of dimension to the photograph. I also like that their are multiple, possible focus points as I think this makes the photograph appear more compelling. This photographs been taken from an angle that has allowed him to play with the geometry of the image, and tended towards abstraction.
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MY RESPONSE TO LUCIEN HERVE
This is my response to Lucien Herve. When thinking about taking these photographs I tried to ensure I was focusing on creating shadows as I think this is something that is very relevant when thinking about Herve's works. I am fairly content with my results and I particularly like the lighting in these as I think they add a sense of depth to these photographs, I also enjoyed playing around with the zoom and focus setting on the camera as this helped me to create fascinating shadows and add volume to my images. However, If I was to re-take these I would try to focus more on attention to detail and trying to create a wider range of shades.
My favorite photograph from the 7 I took is the one above. I particularly appreciate the contrast between the darker surroundings and the light coming through the window as I think this adds depth to this photograph. I think the lighting within this image creates a sinister yet fascinating atmosphere.
My favorite photograph from the 7 I took is the one above. I particularly appreciate the contrast between the darker surroundings and the light coming through the window as I think this adds depth to this photograph. I think the lighting within this image creates a sinister yet fascinating atmosphere.
GUY TILLIM
Guy Tillim (born 1962) is a South African photographer known for his work focusing on troubled regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. A member of the country's white minority, Tillim was born in Johannesburg in 1962. He graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1983, and he also spent time at the Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg. His photographs and projects have been exhibited internationally and form the basis of several of Tillim's published books. I think that Tillim's work is particularly powerful as his work focuses on extremely current and significant topics like life in tough regions.
CONSTRUCTED LANDSCAPES
DAFNA TALMOR
"Constructed Landscapes transforms colour negatives of landscapes initially taken as mere keepsakes through the act of slicing and splicing. The resulting photographs allude to an imaginary place, idealised spaces or as Foucault states, “a virtual space that opens up behind the surface"
Dafna Talmor is an artist and lecturer based in London whose practice includes photography, spatial interventions, curation and collaborations. Her photographs are included in public collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, Deutsche Bank, Hiscox and in private collections internationally. Her work initially included interior spaces, however she later explored exterior spaces within her photographs. Talmor took images of places she visited and from what I know these held no meaning nor purpose. However, she started to feel as though her photographs needed some sort of purpose. Because of this reason, she felt as if the rolls of film were substandard and she decided to leave them as negatives. Nevertheless, she was lead to the idea of merging contrasting areas that held personal meanings to Talmor. These included, the place she lived, the place she was born, the place her sister lived and the place she was raised.
Talmor creates her work by beginning to remove all obvious traces of human intervention from her negatives. Her early works which bond two negative shots together in different locations, often retain the recognisable structure of landscape. The removal of some aspects can be seen as the destruction of land and nature. Constructed Landscapes transforms colour negatives of landscapes initially taken as mere keepsakes through the act of slicing and splicing. The resulting photographs allude to an imaginary place, idealised spaces or as Foucault states, “a virtual space that opens up behind the surface”. |
I think Dafna Talmor constructs her images in a creative, strategic way which I think helps the artist to create a enthralling and riveting specticle. What I find especially fascinating about Talmor's work is the way in which she uses to different tones within her work as I think this helps to create an almost utopian presence. Everything from the tones, the framing and the shadows created within Talmor's work begins to leave the audience with an almost unsettling sense of ambiguity.
CORINNE VIONNET
"We travel, we see a monument, we take a picture. Framing sites of mass tourism in our viewfinders, we create photographic souvenirs that are integral to the touristic experience. Conducting keyword searches of famous monuments in photo sharing web sites, Swiss /French artist Corinne Vionnet culled thousands of tourists’ snapshots for her series Photo Opportunities. Weaving together numerous photographic perspectives and experiences, the artist builds her own impressionistic interpretations – ethereal structures which float gently in a dream-like haze of blue sky."
I think Corinne Vionnet's work conveys the artistic and ambiguous lure of the internet, which seemingly promises freedom and the discovery of new worlds. In these images I can see famous monuments such as The Taj Mahal, The Big Ben, The Leaning Tower Of Pisa, The Pyramids Of Giza, The Colosseum and more. From what I can infer I think that the artist discovers photographs from different places and angles and the artist then combines both together. Vionnet may have done this in order to try and portray these images in a different way.
CHARLES WILKIN
Statement from Charles Wilkin
'My work is a loose collection of thoughts and observations in many ways and less about one specific theme. I see it as reflecting the world we live in, with all its ugliness and cruelty. But from that, I strive to extract the beauty and empathy hidden underneath and within us all, revealing the unknown, the unspoken and intangible things that make us truly human. For me, 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 my work the freedom to live creatively in the moment, and the ability to respond to current events, despite my imagery being derived primarily from vintage magazines’.
Charles Wilkin is a collage artist recognized for his emotive use of paper scraps and discarded ephemera. Influenced by Dada, Surrealism and pop culture, Wilkin’s work is a loose collection of thoughts and observations. Wilkin's enchanting use of layering , colour and texture simply reveals the beauty and togetherness within us all. Wilkin's work is obtained directly from the interweaving of these associations and the informality of his creative process. By using this approach it provides Wilkin the liberty to live freely and creatively in the present. Something I specifically appreciate about Wilkin's work is the way in which he creates an atmosphere of abstraction and obscurity. He depicts this through the use of vibrant colours and the way in which he creates ambiguity through the fascinating shapes created throughout his photography.
MY RESPONSE TO CHARLES WILKIN
This is my response to Wilkin's work. I particularly wanted to capture his use of layering and colour which I hope you can see in this response. I particularly like the contrast between the natural landscape and my image and the ambiguity this created. By imitating his approach I was trying not to focus on a single theme but keep the process informal which would then translate into a series of observations.
If I were to revise my image I would want to create another collage alongside this one with the intention of evoking further ambiguity. I would also build on my current collage, adding more vintage images to develop the layering.
If I were to revise my image I would want to create another collage alongside this one with the intention of evoking further ambiguity. I would also build on my current collage, adding more vintage images to develop the layering.
'bad landscapes'
Today we were tasked with taking 10 landscape photographs around the school, meaning I was slightly limited to where I could take these photographs. If I were to retake these photographs I would change the framing in order to create am going to take some more photographs when it is sunnier and outside of school and then use my favourites for the background of my work. I do not like these images, they are unfocused and seem rushed. To improve these images I would take more colourful photos with better lighting and with more variation to create a bit more life and interest in these photos. Taking these photos showed me that photography is all about trial and error.
INDEPENDENT LEARNING
Today we were tasked with creating 5 thought through landscapes which could only include nature. To create these I thought about contrast, composition, focusing on a particular subject, I think I've done this fairly successfully. However, In the future I would like to take more photographs with more meaning to me, whether it's me capturing a memory or just the photograph itself makes me happy. One photo in particular though does feel almost special to me as the contrast between the colours sort of brings me joy.
These are a series of photographs I took while walking to the Sabina Nessa memorial, outside of my school. I think these photographs hold significance and meaning as they almost mark a moment of despair yet almost beguiling. I really love the contrast between the sky and the trees as I think this captivates the eye and creates an intriguing dynamic.
Awoiska Van Molen
Awoiska Van Molen studied architecture and design, later on, in 2003 she gained a MFA in photography at Academy Of Art and then became a landscape photographer. Funnily enough, she didn't actually enjoy taking landscapes. However, this particular place in which these photographs have been taken, has meaning to her and brings her peace. Van Molen doesn't actually disclose where her photographs are taken as she has the perception that this would change the way her audience would view her work. I think that Van Molen's work has a feeling of mystery and ambiguity, I think this makes her work even more fascinating. Something that I think is particularly significant in Van Molen's photography is the way in which she uses lighting to create these almost distinctive shadows that are visible in her images. I feel as though she uses this in order to create a reverence of abstraction and authenticity.
LUKE SAXON
'Luke Saxon is a photographer based in Rochdale, England. Often taken while exploring small towns, Saxon's photographs find beauty in the quoditation. With humour, warmth and an eye for bright colours and quirky compositions. he points his camera at the people and places around him, allowing us a glimpse of the world from his perspective.
With a degree in photography from the University of Central Lancashire, Saxon’s work has been shown widely, including at Touchstones Rochdale, the Whitworth in Manchester, The Fishing Quarter Gallery in Brighton, The Photographer’s Gallery in London and Manchester Contemporary.'
With a degree in photography from the University of Central Lancashire, Saxon’s work has been shown widely, including at Touchstones Rochdale, the Whitworth in Manchester, The Fishing Quarter Gallery in Brighton, The Photographer’s Gallery in London and Manchester Contemporary.'
Out of all the photographers I've researched within Constructed landscapes, Luke Saxon's work stands out to me the most . I think his work comes across as having more depth and meaning in comparison to other photographer's I've researched. However, one thing I did acknowledge and have a slight issue with is that Luke Saxon seems to mention several times on his website is 'exploring diversity' within his photographs. But unfortunately I think his photography lacks diversity to a degree and if I was to give him feedback I would ask to see more diversity that he claims to explore throughout his work.
DIGITAL COLLAGE
I took photographs around the school particularly focusing on buildings. I like these photographs however if I were to retake these images I would include a variation of angles and I would attempt taking more photographs with a closer frame as I think this would allow the photograph to capture closer details within these photographs.
my idea 1
This idea is inspired by a mixture of things, one of them being Daphna Talmor, however my idea is very roughly based off her work. I tried to mix both landscape and abstraction to create my idea and I think I overall successfully did this however if I was to do this again I would overlap certain objects in the photographs. I created this by printing out these series of photographs that practically look the same but have small details that are different, I then cut the car in each image and then cut coloured pieces of card and layered the different coloured card on top of eachother, I then stuck the cut out car onto the coloured card and then stuck this onto the photograph. I am fairly happy with this work and I like the contrast between colours and . If I developed this idea I would try to base it more around other photographers.
DEVELOPED IDEA: CONSTRUCTED LANDSCAPE SLIDES
After researching Dafna Talmor I decided to look further into the process into how she creates her work. Following this I decided to attempt to a recreation of a similar process in order to have a better understanding of the artists process. I created the slides above using a number of materials and skills. The main materials I used to create the distortion and colour of these slides were coloured acetone paper. I use this paper in a number of ways. For example, I created the small shapes using cut outs from the material and to create varied effects within these slides. I started off with using my slide as my base. And then, using a scalpel and a cutting board, I cut up smaller pieces of coloured acetone paper. I used the paper to create the ideal composition of my slide by creating varied shapes. A material that was essential in creating the distorted effect to my slide was clear tape. I placed the clear tape in different positions and sizes in order to help differentiate each slide from another.
After making these slides and developing them into the way I wanted them to appear, I then projected them in my classroom.
After making these slides and developing them into the way I wanted them to appear, I then projected them in my classroom.
MAKING DAY
For one of my final pieces for constructive landscapes I decided to take two slightly different photographs but with the exact same focus points, which I took earlier in the day, and create these two collages based around the current theme. If I am being completely truthful I am not completely content with this piece as I think it lacks character and purpose. However I did attempt to experiment with creating a piece that I wasn't quite sure was going to end up looking like. To create the piece on the left hand side I decided to cut out circles from different types of landscape images, some of them being a similar image to the one I used and cutting out parts of that that I thought would look interesting and then sticking them onto the photograph. Then with the right hand collage I looked at slightly abstract patterns from magazines and and stuck them onto this photograph. With this collage in particular, I tried to experiment with fusing two different types of photography together, abstraction and landscapes.
This was my unfinished failed collage. Although I didn't mind this piece it had no correlation to the landscape theme which I realised half way through creating this piece. Although, this piece was very much a fail it helped me plan out what would connect with the given theme. My intention with this collage was to again mix constructed landscapes with abstraction however I think it ended up becoming fairly irrelevant to the theme.
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CHRIS ENGMAN
"Chris Engman’s work takes the human condition as its central theme and calls attention to our misperceptions: the gulf that exists between how we see and how we think we see—the inconstant and constructed nature of memory. It is a meditation on impermanence and the fact that not only existence but even the features of the physical world are temporal and will come to an end. Engman’s photographs are documentations of sculptures and installations but they are also records of actions and elaborate processes."
SUSTAINABLE PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT
Today we were fortunate enough to take part in a workshop, The Sustainable Darkroom. The Sustainable Darkroom is an artist run research, mutual learning programme who advocate doing photography sustainably .Given the current moment we are in, I think sustainable photography is as relevant as ever considering bow badly we treat our planet, and I think it's so crucial that we are doing all that we can in order to reverse our mistakes. The photographs that I have attached above is the work in which I created during this workshop called chemigrams, chemigrams are photographic images made by painting on light sensitive paper. The process, which uses simple household ingredients and darkroom chemistry, is easy to do. The resulting images have a watercolour like appearance, and the opportunities to experiment are limitless. Whether you want to incorporate chemigrams into you regular photographic practice or just want to have some fun, the experience of working freely and experimentally is sure to enhance your primary body of work whatever it is.
We as a class were given the objective to refine and add to a slide that we were all given. I am not overly delighted with the outcome as I feel as though I could've done more with this. For example, if I were to re-do this I would have liked to play around more with framing and shadows. However I enjoyed this task as I felt the second part of the task felt very collaborative, as the whole class helped each person to create photographs of our slides.
MAKING DAY PROJECT
For one of my final projects I decided to base my idea around Tom Lovelace's work and how he manipulates landscapes by cutting out shapes using card. I really appreciate this specific work as I love the contrast involved between the darker card and the sky, as I think this particularly make these photograph's visually pleasing. I also think this work has element of abstraction which is one of the main reasons I decided to use this work. |
FINAL MAKING DAY PROJECT
I began by taking photographs of landscapes around the school but incorporating objects like different shaped frames, chairs, colored glass and a broom and taking the photographs in different locations around the school. I took these photographs using a bridge camera, majority of these photographs were taken from a far angle and I then zoomed in and tried to focus the camera to the subject of my photograph. I decided to use these specific objects and locations in order to get the best outcome. I am fairly happy with these images, particularly the image in bottom right hand corner, as I love the shadow created on the models face and I think this photograph includes a more abstract take which I really appreciate. Although, my work has not resulted in looking particularly similar to Lovelace's, I think I have added the element of abstraction to my work, which was something that I found especially intriguing about his work.
MY FINAL OUTCOME
Above was my final result for my project.
THE PROCESS
The process in which I created these photographs concluded of
My Final Evaluation
Throughout this entire unit I have researched a number of artists who have helped me to develop my approach to the way in which I take photographs and have also had an influence on me exploring different styles and genres. These artists include Helene Binet, Lucien Herve, Dafna Talmor and Chris Engman. I think that each of these artists have not only helped me to widen my knowledge and understanding of Constructed Landscapes, but they have also helped encourage me to explore the different ways in which photography can be perceived and interpreted. Thinking about the concept of Constructive Landscapes has allowed me to explore varied techniques within photography and has prompted me to delve deeper into the relationship between landscapes and photography and how the concept holds a fair amount of ambiguity.
At the very beginning of this unit I had misconceptions around the theme landscapes and assumed that I would find this unit tedious and predictable. However as I began exploring and understanding this topic better, I started to realise that landscapes include a number of different and fascinating aspects of photography and that this theme included far less 'stereotypical' landscapes and rather, included a range of different styles and techniques. At the start of this unit I began exploring the concept of landscapes and what actually fits into this category. I began concentrating solely around typical landscapes, and the rules surrounding this. Furthermore, I actually learnt that 'typical' landscapes include of a number of rules and focus on far more traditional concepts. However, one artist who had a huge effect on the way in which I viewed this concept was Luke Saxon. He used contrasting elements to distort typical landscapes which resulted in adding a sense of comedy and allurement to his work. Another thing that I discovered whilst researching Saxon's work was the way in which he explores abstraction and this had an influence on my whole view on photography.
Throughout many of my projects within Constructed Landscapes, I explored the different resources provided through this GCSE course such as the dark room, slides, projectors and pinhole cameras. Having these resources enabled me to refine and further develop my ideas throughout my journey of constructed landscapes and has also encouraged me to enjoy this topic further. Due to the resources provided, I often photocopied or projected my work which enabled me to experiment with different techniques and styles. Something I started to do later on in this unit was analyse the ways in which I could develop my work and instead of deciding that I just didn't like it, this encouraged me to widen my understanding of the ways in which photography can be developed and changed.
My final work included many varying techniques and processes that I hadn't used previously. This was definitely challenging at times as I had little knowledge on how to use these processes effectively. However, exploring these processes and being able to see my ideas come to life was truly enthralling and also helped me to become less inhibited in using different apps and processes I had less knowledge of. My project also helped me to become far more familiar with trial and error as this project involved me relying on the unknown and I was able to feel comfortable in not knowing if something was going to turn out the way I necessarily wanted it to. This has helped me to find excitement in the unknown of the work I have created.
Overall, the theme 'Constructed Landscapes' has been an extremely different and fascinating experience and has taught me to challenge my preconceptions. I think that each and every one of my photographs on my website has some kind of meaning and sentiment to me, which connects to my every day life.
At the very beginning of this unit I had misconceptions around the theme landscapes and assumed that I would find this unit tedious and predictable. However as I began exploring and understanding this topic better, I started to realise that landscapes include a number of different and fascinating aspects of photography and that this theme included far less 'stereotypical' landscapes and rather, included a range of different styles and techniques. At the start of this unit I began exploring the concept of landscapes and what actually fits into this category. I began concentrating solely around typical landscapes, and the rules surrounding this. Furthermore, I actually learnt that 'typical' landscapes include of a number of rules and focus on far more traditional concepts. However, one artist who had a huge effect on the way in which I viewed this concept was Luke Saxon. He used contrasting elements to distort typical landscapes which resulted in adding a sense of comedy and allurement to his work. Another thing that I discovered whilst researching Saxon's work was the way in which he explores abstraction and this had an influence on my whole view on photography.
Throughout many of my projects within Constructed Landscapes, I explored the different resources provided through this GCSE course such as the dark room, slides, projectors and pinhole cameras. Having these resources enabled me to refine and further develop my ideas throughout my journey of constructed landscapes and has also encouraged me to enjoy this topic further. Due to the resources provided, I often photocopied or projected my work which enabled me to experiment with different techniques and styles. Something I started to do later on in this unit was analyse the ways in which I could develop my work and instead of deciding that I just didn't like it, this encouraged me to widen my understanding of the ways in which photography can be developed and changed.
My final work included many varying techniques and processes that I hadn't used previously. This was definitely challenging at times as I had little knowledge on how to use these processes effectively. However, exploring these processes and being able to see my ideas come to life was truly enthralling and also helped me to become less inhibited in using different apps and processes I had less knowledge of. My project also helped me to become far more familiar with trial and error as this project involved me relying on the unknown and I was able to feel comfortable in not knowing if something was going to turn out the way I necessarily wanted it to. This has helped me to find excitement in the unknown of the work I have created.
Overall, the theme 'Constructed Landscapes' has been an extremely different and fascinating experience and has taught me to challenge my preconceptions. I think that each and every one of my photographs on my website has some kind of meaning and sentiment to me, which connects to my every day life.