Commission Unit 1 Environment Summative Assessment

Jade Gordon-Brown

Introduction My Concept
My concept is on isolation of trees. Initial Idea: My first idea was on buildings I wanted to show how, they are being rebuilt from an old complex to something new, but that idea was dismissed after talking with Steffi. Overall Idea After talking with Steffi in my tutorial I came up with the idea of an isolation of a tree. I wanted to show how people cutting down trees/forest and them building on top of this. Using the area that I live in I was able to do some research on why they had begun to cut down the trees. I had to think if I wanted to document the effects of the trees/ forest being cut down or show the isolation and loneliness of the trees, eventually I decided to look at the isolation of the trees and barks that have been left behind like remains of a dead body.

Introduction To My Work
I chose three images that told a story of an isolated tree in the middle of a grassy area. The first image was a full image of the tree in focus showing the full effects of a man made destruction, showing the strength even though parts have been cut down. The second image was focusing more on a particular part of the tree the part I felt had been damaged the most. The final image was of branches that had been left behind like the remainders of a dead body.

Research

Introduction: Research
I looked at the history of the area that I had chosen and I looked at three photographers that were recommended to me that was thought would fit my concept. -! Research: St Mary Cray -! Photographers Research: Robert Adams, Edgar Martins & Hatakeyama. (Looking at series relevant to my concept)

Area Research

St Mary Cray
I went to the council of my area and ask them the reason why they felt it was right to cut down nature to just rebuild. They explained to me that the demand in the Bromley/Kent area for homes and increased over the last 5 years which in there eyes is a short period time and the only thing they could do was create space for these people to live. I realised that I have been living in the area for almost 7 years and I too have realised that the areas that used to be open and green are now in fact being built on. I still didnt think the reason they gave me was valid enough to do what theyve been doing. With this in mind I wanted to try capture what's left of what they have started to destroy and try capture that isolation and vulnerability of the area.

Photographers Research

Hatakeyama
Series: Blast "Hatakeyama began photographing Blast in 1995. The series was shown in the exhibition Aspects of Contemporary Photography another reality held during the same year at the Kawasaki City Museum." http://www.takaishiigallery.com/en/archives/10231/ 2003-2013 Taka Ishii Gallery

Looking at these images I don't feel they are relevant to my idea but I do like how he has captured the blast in the second image, with these images even though they are in colour you can still get the message that he is trying to get across showing that would come across as a negative thing can also be something beautiful so he's trying to create a message behind something so serious. I think the only thing I could from this would be how he was able to capture things in the moment, so maybe catching the forest being burnt or cut down would give the image more of an effect.

Edgar Martins
Series: The Diminishing Present

http://www.prixpictet.com/portfolios/earth-shortlist/edgar-martins/

In this images I really like how he has captured the problem at hand being able to show how forest are destroyed in order for man made things to be made. (Next Page)

Edgar Martins Part 2

It doesn't really relate to my own idea but I do like the isolation of the thin tree trunks in the second image how the fog is in the mist, its like its overtaking the trees like smoke as if its on fire. Another thing that I want to be able to take from his images is how he was able to capture the problem at hand without reading about his series I was able to have an idea of what and why he was shooting and I want my images to do the same.

Robert Adams #1
"Remains of old growth forest, Washington 1990" I like how Robert Adams has captured the isolation in a forest that was once full of trees and living things, the tree isn't just a tree is a dying tree which could come across as symbolic of the forest dying around him. The fact that the image is in a dull soft colour brings more emotion to the image, at the back on the main cut down tree you can see some trees at the back, which makes the image even more dramatic because its like those trees are looking at the remains of what's left of the old growth forest.

Robert Adams #2
This image was taken from his series 'Turning Back'. The reason why I chose this particular image from this series is again the isolation of this one tall tree lost in the mist of these small trees. "Clear-cutting is a controversial forestry practice in which most or all trees in an area are uniformly cut down. More than 90 per cent of the original forest in the American Northwest has been clear-cut at least once." http://www.prixpictet.com/portfolios/ power-shortlist/robert-adams/bio/ Also this image is in black and white normally when an image is in black and white it would suggest something sad or dull, I feel that if this image was in colour it would say something totally different.

Robert Adams #3

Another three images from 'Turning Back'. The first image was taken in 'Clatsop County, Oregon, 19992003' the second image was shot in 'Coos County, Oregon, 19992003' & the last image was taken in 'Pacific County, Washington, 1999 2003'. I like how he has shot in different areas to show the same problem thats what I would have liked to do with mine. I don't actually want to shoot in one area I want search for other forest to compare the different areas together.

Robert Adams #4
Linking To My Own Idea Looking at Robert Adams, I think I could use the idea of isolation and how he was able to find the same devastation going on in multiple areas. Also how he's taken these images using B/W film. I believe that if these images weren't taken in black and white his idea wouldn't have come across as strong because usually when you think of colour its something happy but his images have a weary sense to it which I would like to be able to show through my own images.

Overall
Out of all the photographers that I looked at I feel that I was able to link my idea more to Robert Adams pieces. Reason is because he was able to highlight the lost forest the isolation of the tree, especially the second of his that was shown on my previous slide. From looking at his work I was able to look back at mine and tweak things that I thought would make my idea more prominent. Especially chosen just one tree to focus on I felt put my idea across more because previously I was looking forest as a collective and my idea wasnt being backed up by what I was actually shooting. I think the most important thing that I have learnt about the research is how the photographers were able to photograph a simple tree but create a story and problem from this.

Tests

Test Shooting

This is my only test because money was very limited for me but I was very sure of my idea by this time when I did this first test. But I was presented with many problems one of them being the time I was shooting and that the shoot wasnt planned so I didnt exactly know what I was shooting which did waste film.

Test Shoot Contact Sheets #1

Test Shoot Contact Sheet #2

Contact Sheet 1 These were taken on a Mamiya Rz, I used a light meter to try measure the light but I believe I didnt get it right on top that the images did come out clear on these negatives. There were some images that I thought I could work with so I began to use those in the darkroom but as I printing I was being presented with the was the fact that the part of the tree I wanted in focus wasnt and it seemed that when shooting I had focused on the sky and the background and the tree hence why there wasnt any detail and it came up dark even with trying to play around with the grades no sense of detail was appearing. On the next page you can see on of the full prints from my test shoot and you will be able to see what I have been talking about.

Test Print

Final Images
Process Final Product

Final Shoot
This only being my second shoot but my final shoot I felt a lot more organised because I had planned it and I knew exactly what I was looking for, I left out just after 1pm and it was very breezy but I was still able to set up my tripod taking shots of one tree in particular which was of the isolated tree trunk that had branches sticking out of it at the top but no leaves. I was interested in this one because of how it stood in the middle of the green area and the distance you could just about see a collective of other trees. I was able to cover the areas that I wanted to using two films which was 20 shots in total. I didn't just choose that particular one because of that i also looked at the shape of the tree, it was like it was trying to tell me that the trees around them are sad because of what is going on. So I began to closely at the type of trees I was photographing.

Contact Sheet #1
This was one of the contact sheets from my final shoot from this one I chose two images from here the 4th and 9th image. Just by looking at these contact sheets you can see that I got the light reading a lot more accurate compare to my test shoot, there is also a lot more detail on the trees which is what I was going for.

Contact Sheet #2
This was the second contact sheet made from the second film, with this one I was focusing more on the remains of what they have cut like the branches, leaves things like that. Also with this film I did go a little bit off topic I began to look at trees as a whole just a little experiment but none of these were used. Personal I think I did get more results from my first film but in did choose the 3rd image as my final image to my series.

Choosing My Final Three

When choosing my three images I wanted them to link and coordinate. I looked very carefully at all the images looking at which ones were in focused and focused on what I want it to be on once that was done I had 5 images that I wanted to use but I didnt want to be tedious so I narrowed it down to just three. I did find it hard chosen because there were a few that I was fond that I couldn't include because it didnt go with my idea.

The Final Three Break Down

First Image The Birth
The first image is of a zoomed in cut down bark the reason why I have chosen this image to be first is, I wanted to try show how something starts of as an innocent chop of the tree trunk. I like how there is branches sticking out, its like even though its isolated its trying re-grow into something.

The Final Three Break Down

Second Image - The Isolated
The second image is of the whole isolated tree. The reason why I chose the is image is one because of the shape its not just straight and plain theres things sticking out. Looking at the image its like three trunks combined in one its so interesting how it was just in the middle of nowhere and it looks like its trying to make a statement.

The Final Three Break Down

Third Image The Remains
The final image is of the branches that have been cut down and left lying on the floor. The reason why I chose this is because is because its like the end of the isolated cycle, and I think that was captured through this image being at the end.

Evaluation
I found it really being behind once but I did because I think in future hard at the beginning to feel motivated, which resulted in to me I got my act together I was worried that I was too behind to catch up I knew what my concept was I just needed to execute that. ways of presenting this from happening would me time keeping. Ive learnt a lot regarding the environment when I first started I thought there was only one thing to the environment like any trees etc. I believe with this in mind I was able to come up with the idea of the isolated tree being alone in the middle of nowhere like life to be honest. I used the Mamiya RZ and 110mm lens, I found using this fairly easy compared to the Bronica hence why I didnt use it. The only thing I would say that I found hard was the light meter during my test shoot I was way off because I didnt understand it properly. One of my biggest issues is not having enough money to buy film which resulted in me only shooting three roles, I believe if I shot more I could have been able to broaden my idea nether the less I was still able to get the shots that I needed to print. When it came to printing I was very hard on myself because I wanted to get it right and I was rushing which then caused me to make many mistake, but I rectified that by calming down and doing things step by step. The reason why I decided to print in B/W is because I feel that my concept would come across more. Also looking at Robert Adams work he has also done his series in B/W and I think the idea comes across. When you think of isolation you would think of someone being lost and in my eyes colour is cheerful and black & white is more serious saddening. In regards to my final prints I would change these because I feel my concept has been shown through these images even without much explanation you should be able to get that feeling of isolation.