Foundations such as the WWF federation aim to salvage nature and its resources to not only cater for a growing population but also to maintain the beauty of nature.

After opening each image into Adobe Photoshop, I experimented with tweaking the colours slightly to test whether to improve the vibrancy of the image, or enhance the melancholy and sombre mood  of the flowers. Eventually, I opted for a black and white approach for this project as I believe to follow the work of both Karl Blossfedlt and Zoe Leonard, sewing black and white images together would comply with their style whilst attaining my own stance upon the two. Personally, the black and white saturation allows the focus of the image to remain on the detail and craftsmanship of the artificial flower and leaves.

Vanitas is a category of symbolic works of art, especially those associated with the still life paintings of the 16th and 17th centuries

PHOTOGRAPHY

The incorporation of modern elements such as the Saran wrap, plastic, sugar packages etc, as well as the use of photography itself add an additional layer of nostalgia and irony when viewed within the historical framework of Vanitas painting. Both the decomposition of the natural (rotting fruit and wilting flowers) and the break down of the man-made objects, reference the physical body, life’s impermanence and the inevitability of death.

This idea of contrast between life and death implies a very deep and sincere meaning to photographs, a method that would be hard to recreate yet very effective if done so to a good standard. I shall try replicate this technique into some of my work in order to conquer this juxtaposition.

Portraiture of women with flowers is a very effective technique which exploits the elegance of both model and flower. The vibrancy of the flowers coincides with the gentle nature of the model.

An idea sparked to combine both humans and nature in a controlled photo-shoot to get a broader range of natural structures. Previously, I’ve attempted to display the destructive nature of the human race upon other elements of the natural environment but I’d prefer to maintain a more positive tone and shed light upon the positive aspects that humans do in order to aid nature. In this photo-shoot I’ve tried to capture humans, who are fundamentally at the top of the food chain, join forces with nature which is represented by flowers. The close proximity of the relationship will be portrayed through close-up portraits of a delicate flower and an elegant and gentle model.

Although short in terms of quantity, I believe these images are very strong. Both the model and flower are very complimentary of one another in this photo-shoot which establishes the close relationship between human and nature as they coincide with one another.

Once cropped, the rule of thirds is valid as primarily, the face and the flower are both in the centre of the nine-squared grid. The focus of the image is directly on the face of the model which allows the emission of the image’s colours. The vibrancy of the pink flower, the model’s brown eyes, pink lips and blonde hair contribute to form an organised array of colour. There is clear examples of linear in the photograph as the model’s strap, collarbones, hair parting, the flower’s stem and jawline give a portrayal of structure, coinciding with the rule of thirds scheme. The flash lighting in a dark, yet controlled setting helps bring out crucial elements of the two objects in question as the model;s crisp facial definition is exposed, as well as the petals of the flower.

The stem of the flower divides up the model’s face and leaves a shadow upon the upper sector of the face. The top of the flower reaches the same height as the model, portraying the two species as the same height and essentially promoting natural equality. I’ve attempted to show the close relationship between the sincere humans who comprehend the deficit of mankind upon the natural environment and try to alter the inconsiderate humans ways, with the beauty of the natural world and try to demonstrate why the considerate humans among us attempt to save it.

In order to explore the structure of flowers, I now think having a more well-rounded approach so the photographing of flowers in their natural environment would make my exploration more sufficient.

To gain some tips to reap the benefits of photographing flowers in nature, I used this website: https://digital-photography-school.com/photographing-flowers/

Prior to my studio session that I had booked, an opportunity occurred to go down to the site. Due to the late notice of the visit, I could only gather some artificial flowers and daisies but it gave me a chance to get in the studio and prepare for my planned session.

Despite a lack of preparation as it was only to understand a sense of surrounding and conditions for the studio, I feel this photo shoot is very effective. The contrast between vibrant coloured flowers and dull yet powerful black backgrounds really helps define the flower and maintain our attention on the flower. I feel this is a very strong photo shoot as I attained some quite impressive photographs.

The close-up nature of the selected photographs help focus solely on the object in question, this is furthered by the black background which allows the attention to remain on the object. Although these images were not taken during my booked studio session, I would consider using these photographs in a final in a unique combination of pictures. The images provided good studio experience for taking close-ups of flowers as I adjusted light(s) and camera angles to get the best outcome.

To gather some better and more rounded ideas, I walked around my house. I collected images to try and develop a feel for taking still-life photographs. I tried to capture images of flowers before I take them into the studio to ensure I think they’re the correct objects because I wouldn’t want to pick or damage the flowers/plants if I wasn’t to use them.

Although this defeats my concept of colour and nature coinciding but in this series of images, I thought it was best to alter the saturation each image to a black and white effect.

From this collection of images, this is my favourite. The black and white effect reflects the melancholy and somber feeling of the tree following segments being cut off and also the natural hardship of autumn. This struggle against the colder months of the year are reiterated within the image by the repetition of trees in the background that are without leaves. The reflection of the tree against the brook signifies nature has more than one dimension and establishes the struggle the tree is facing. The ends of trees have been stumped, showing how the structure has been cut short by man kind, acting as a prevention for allowing the tree to reach its full potential. If I was to pursue this image further, I’d edit a healthy version of this tree in the reflection and colour splash the water to play on this concept of the varied dimensions of nature.

After school, I walked into town and decided to take pictures of natural structures to stimulate some ideas and create an in depth concept of my task. The outcome was quite beneficial for understanding what I wanted to aim towards and strengthen my concept.

To ensure I am fully prepared for my studio session, I wanted to explore alternative techniques or at least gain some tips or technical advice in order to make my photographs as sufficient as I possibly can. Utilizing the internet to my advantage, I visited ‘YouTube’ to gain some knowledge upon still life images which is when I stumbled upon this video.

Although the video is based upon glasses, I thought the content of the video provided useful tips for my studio session. In order to gain the best results, I will need to attain the correct light sources, as well as reflectors and some sort of glass or mirror.

“Typology is the study of types, and a photographic typology is a suite of images or related forms, shot in a consistent, repetitive manner.”

Karl Blossfedlt (1865-1932) was a German artist and teacher who gathered photographs in close proximity to allow his art students to see the object in question from all sorts of angles, making creating the picture easier. He usually took close-up photographs of deceased plants. Having publish his work in 1929, fellow artists and photographers developed on the idea of typologies in photographs.

Typologies are a great technique for developing ideas closely and in detail as the close proximity of the photos forces you to see all angles of photographs. By utilizing the technique of typologies I can gather a series of photographs together in an attempt to alter the way the average man views nature around us, hopefully understanding the true beauty that the world posses.

Here are some examples of flower typologies…