Environment unit Self-Appraisal

I started my environment unit by researching particular photographers & articles in response to workshops, lectures and seminars all of which I posted in blogs.

My initial photographer was William Eggleston looking at how out of place objects like rusty signs ruin the idealistic landscape in his ‘Southern Suite’ series;

 Mitch Epstein documented the way humans have cut through the landscape, living side-by-side one another like in the photograph ‘Hoover Dam bypass project, Nevada, 2007’.

I began to think about how artists can make something that should be looked upon as unattractive look appealing; I became very interested by the work of Joel Sternfeld especially ‘The high Line’ series.

When first built, the rail was seen as ugly but now it is portrayed as a hidden beauty above the industrial town captured by Sternfeld. I also looked at Robert Adams while researching for my pastiche whose work also related to my developing theme.

After watching the programme ‘Panorama: Britain’s Dirty Beaches’ commenting on the ignorance we have towards pollution specifically caused by Combined Sewage Overflow pipes. I was intrigued by the different effects it has on nature, humans and wildlife both aesthetically and well-being. I also looked a little at the techniques of Bernd & Hilla Becher, the way they obsessed over ugly man-made structures making them look pleasing like gas tanks;

 repetitively photographing them however I wanted my subject matter, sewage pipes to be less of the main focus to highlight human ignorance. I finally began to look at ‘Swamp & Pipeline’ by Richard Misrach and Andy Hughes work who both photograph ugly subject matter (sewage pipes & litter) in an attractive manner which fools the audience into believing it is something pretty and positive, leaving them to realise their ignorance towards the issue.

All of my research has led to my theme of human ignorance towards pollution & the destruction we as humans are having on the planet due to the effects of environmental contamination.

Like Andy Hughes, I used the beach as a backdrop to create a striking, attractive scene; I took 7 images of different compositions to create varying levels of ignorance. It is possible that people will still look at the images without realising what is in the frame; in most shots in pipes sit under lit in the foreground jutting out from the smooth beach. In the background there are different subjects which highlight the ignorance towards pollution- a play park, beach huts, wind surfers, hotel & apartments with supposedly perfect beach views.

I shot most of my images from a low angle along the beach to create a beautiful scene with the reflections in the water; they are also composed off centre which makes the viewer’s attention move across the scene making them notice everything in the frame. I chose a sunny day to create a positive atmosphere inspired by Hughes and Eggleston; the bright sunlight highlights the background but leaves the foreground shadowed giving an ominous feel to the subject.

I took the image in colour to highlight the vibrancy of the sky in contrast with the dirty tones of the sewage and rust around the pipes. I chose the backdrops carefully by walking along the beach and choosing sewage pipes with backgrounds which would support my theme of human’s being oblivious of their immediate surroundings.