While continuing to experiment within emotion mimicked by the power of nature caused by self emotions of politics I wanted to look more into the photographers who are able to tell a story with their images, this being seen within who they photograph, where they do so and what nature effects they add to the composition.

TERJE ABUSDAL

Link to Abusdal’s  website Visit website <– here.

Abusdal  is a visual storyteller from Norway working mainly works on independent projects in the intersection between fact and fiction. In 2017, his story on the Forest Finns – Slash & Burn. I was intrigued with his work due to the clear emotion he has successfully conveyed and how the clear cut conduct was strong in the composition and colouring of his work. Abusdal decided to take many photos alongside the coast of the Swedish boarder, where farming families from Finland settled in the early 1600s. The immigrants – called Forest Finns  were slash and burn farmers. This was an interesting perspective as it focused on the the ancient agricultural bountiful crops which required large areas of land and so soil and grounds were too quickly exhausted. other political influences were the population overgrowth which led to many wars, terrorism and migration where he lived.

Because I do not live in an areas with these issues, although I think they are important and an interesting concepts I decided I will create a demonstration through more conceptual tablo photography in order to exaggerate the effect I desire. This will be further looked into when experimenting within what the photographer does with his work too to communicate these ideologies. His understanding of nature was rooted within his culture of eastern shamanistic tradition, and so associated with mystery. To my mind this comes across very clearly within his works the rituals, spell symbols as a practical tool for daily life. I think it is interesting the way in which a suffering due to the government and political issues should deem it acceptable for people to live in poor conditions and how this becomes their daily life. Additionally I wish to expand on this concept later too. The photographer has said that ‘This photographic project draws on these beliefs while investigating what it means to be a Forest Finn today, in a time when the 17th century way of life is long gone, and their language is no longer spoken’

The photography I am most keenly interested towards is called ‘slash and burn’ this uses many fires and warm and cold tones contrasting to create a harsh reality for daily lives of people who are submitted to feeling down and living in poverty due to politics.The two images that clearly demonstrate an angle of emotion that I am fascinated with are the following;

I believe this image is successful due to where it lies conceptually, the fire could connote many feeling and attitudes to which the women is trying to express. I believe this image is sublime as there is a clear personification through the flame of destruction to this persons life and mind. The burning could symbolises a stress and tiredness of overpopulation and the suffering to which she has faced. Additionally I like this image as it looks as though she is a real person and not just edited or shown as a photo burning. I think the contrasting tones between the flames and the complete black background drives the image forward as it develops the light and expresses the whole pieces through her face and also surrounding her.

I believe that this image is fascinating as it has an interesting aspect of editing to the image itself. I think instead of the environment of landscape being seen surrounding the person it has been shown as a self reflection over the person itself. The silver coat also insinuates the space theme and cultivates its purpose to be more profound in the landscape it is trying to mimic. I believe it would be an interesting concept to try and recreate landscape that people are not actually in themselves.