LANDSCAPE PROJECT!

Landscape Photography

Option Unit 2, Term 2

Jem Southam, 

The Pond at Upton-Pyne

Landscape Photography is finally here and I would love to share with you my experiences on this particular subject and one which I am going to find enjoyable as well as difficult!

So, we have been given a few words to associate our work with;

Industry

Edge-lands

Forest

Suburban

Tourism

I have already made a reference to a few photographer's, for example, Ori Gersht (The Clearing), Walter Niedermayr and his work on Man's involvement with the environment in terms of tourism, Peter Bialobrzeski and his beautiful images on 'change' and finding beauty in our rapidly industrializing world and of course Jem Southam. (Above)

I have also looked at 19th Century Landscape Paintings and the movement of 'Romanticism' with influences by Caspar David-Friedrich and John Constable.

Ori Gersht- The Clearing

Walter Niedermayr- 
Exploring the development in mass Tourism in mountainous environments

Peter Bialobrzeski- 
Finding the beauty in our rapidly industrializing world.



John Constable-  19th Century Landscape painter



Caspar David-Friedrich- 19th Century Landscape painting

So here is what I have produced so far and my idea around it;

Sherfield on Loddon

Old Basing, House and Ruins

So I am exploring the idea of Man's relationship with the environment and how we interact with the land positively rather than negatively in terms of looking after and protecting it. I am revisiting and exploring areas of Basingstoke that I feel are of interest and have history and meaning behind them.
We have a very strong connection with the environment as we have used the land for so many things throughout history which have supported our everyday lives. I have thought about the town that I have grown up in and would like photograph it in more picturesque way with references to the 19th century Romanticism paintings above. I have initially made the work in digital but I also plan to shoot in 5X4 large format film to get the most out of the landscape I am shooting.


I have also been featured in a new up and coming student showcase blog called Lost and Found please check it out!
http://www.lost-and-found-mag.com/2013/03/student-showcase-rosie-knightley.html


My next shoot will be with the 5X4 camera....

So since the last time I updated I have used the 5x4 field camera but having not used it before, had some difficulties fine focusing and ended up with two blurred films.
I am yet to shoot some more film, but planning to re-shoot tomorrow as it has become a challenge getting to the location. I have now learnt and after practicing at home looking through the viewfinder, that when you pull out the bellows of the camera, sometimes you can pull them out too far and then it prevents you from focus finding. I think it will be much more successful in my next shoot. Fingers crossed!!
Although I am experimenting with large format photography, it is still a working progress and if I am unsatisfied with the results I will continue with my digital images, as I know these have worked out fine.