Essay Question: 

Previous examples: 

How does people control, interact and construct the environment in which they live?

How can photography bear witness to the ways of life and events of the world?

Voyeurism and the nature of observation and intervention in documentary photography.

Is it possible for photography to capture moments in time objectively and truthfully?

In what way do photographers Edwards Burtynsky and Henry J Fair present their perspectives regarding consumerism.

CHOSEN QUESTION: 

In what way do photographers Edwards Burtynsky and Henry J Fair present their perspectives regarding consumerism.

Planning my essay:

Introduction.

• Introduction (250-500 words): What is your area study? Which artists will you be analyzing and why? How will you be responding to their work and essay question?

Regarding the essay question I have written and chosen, I will be looking specifically at the photographic areas of composition and using it to manipulate a perspective and opinion from viewers. The thought process behind these ideas are down to my interest in documentary photography, and how it's able to become a major factor in the influencing of people worldwide. By switching between what can be seen as conventional and unconventional photography, I found that by changing the way you portrayed specific scenes (such as abstract or realism) it would create a certain impression of the photo, placing the viewers in the same mind-set as you. What particularly attracted me to this style of photography was that by using a documentary stance I could incorporate political viewpoints underlying what is seen, thus creating a political landscape with the piece which only with an understanding of the area can be understood. Photographers that I found to be predominantly inspiring are J Henry Fair, a photographer who explores the scarring of landscapes caused by our societies every increasing consumerism, and Edward Burtynsky, a landscape photographer who captures the scarring results of industrialization through aesthetic and almost abstract imagery. What appealed to me through the works of J Henry Fair was his way approach towards scarred landscapes, using symmetry and vivid colours to portray his vision in aesthetic but devastating ways, with his main focuses consisting of industrial areas and how the area is effected. By presenting landscapes this way, it can not only influence the viewer, but also create particular feelings towards the events photographed, especially with the knowledge behind the image of why it occurred and how the use of higher saturation creates a more drastic and effective response. Edward Burtynsky however influences me with his stance on abstract documentary style photography, here Burtynsky uses symmetry and patterns to break conventions to create results that look to beautiful to be real. However his work has an underlying meaning from how all aesthetic patterns are created through the destruction of the natural environments, and thus is the result of destroying our landscape, implicitly contrasted to Fair who tends to photograph the industrial sites rather than the area around them like Burtynsky does. Overall for me this presents evidence to how the processes and outcomes to consumerism can be heavily defined by the angle of the photographer, who can choose the perspective that we take regarding the meaning and message of the photographed landscapes.

• Pg 1 (500 words): Historical/ theoretical context within art, photography and visual culture relevant to your area of study. Make links to art movements/ isms and some of the methods employed by critics and historian. Link to power points about isms and movements M:\Departments\Photography\Students\Resources\Personal Study
• Pg 2 (500 words): Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
• Pg 3 (500 words): Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
• Conclusion (250-500 words): Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced
• Bibliography: List all relevant sources used