My topic in 3 words: Process of consumption
Topic described in a sentence: I will be exploring how consumption leads to a change in landscape and the process leading up to this change.
My topic described in a paragraph: I will be looking at the process of consumerism. Firstly exploring the areas which the consumerism starts and then looking at the effects which warp the landscape due to this consumerism. This will be specifically looking scarred landscapes and the inhabitants around the area of it, which I will compare with more scenic areas (where the products are produced), here I can observe the sheer size of waste hidden away in Jersey and how it is dealt with whilst forming new areas of land within it designated dumping grounds.
Design:
- Look and Feel: A Glossy/matte cover which produces a photographic paper feel would be great regarding the topic of consumerism and the process our products go through.
- Paper and Ink: Glossy paper used to bring out the colour in each image especially the plastics, with bold black ink to highlight certain photographs.
- Format, Size, Orientation: A landscape book could be used due to the majority of the photos being landscape themselves, I could also utilise the space buy having a large amount of negative area surrounding the photos.
- Binding and Cover: The cover would be the image that I think best sums up the entire project, probably an image of the dump and the piles of plastic with a large amount of negative space to fit the title in.
- Title: My title will be about the topic of consumerism, using probably one of the three topics: Producing, Consuming or Waste.
- Structure and Architecture: The structure will mostly consist of two images per double spread, with one image used for break pages. There will be the occasional double paged image which will probably be the photos I find the strongest and highlight the topic of consumerism best.
- Design and Layout: The design and layout will mostly consist of two images per spread, with the occasional singular image double spread.
- Editing and Sequencing: I will be trying to sequence the images in the order and process of our consumption. The first section of the book will be the process of making products, the second being the process of consuming the products, and the last section will be the outcome of our consumerism and the waste it causes.
- Images and Text: Between each section I would like to add an information page informing the reader of the new area of choice, I will probably have the essay at the beginning of the book to provide an insight into the book before the reader carries on.
This image reflects the source of consumerism, done through the presentation of a quarry I intend to present the viewer of the devastation caused by industrialization and its effects on the scarring of the surrounding landscape. The photo of the machinery present in the quarry to me creates an insight into the generally unseen process behind the creation of our products and its impact on our environment. Accompanied with this I will be using a variety of different images based around the quarry to compliment it and provide a broader perspective regarding the landscape used for its materials. When putting this into the book I will be making sure that the other images used consist of the same coloured imagery and representation, something I would like to do as it would set a theme throughout the section using a generalized presentation of area transformation.
The second stage of consumerism I photographed is the outcome of the industrialization, the product. Here I went into shops to explore how there was a huge change in presentation from the originally messy portrayal of the quarries, to a now more organized and aesthetic presentation of aisles of food on shelves. I put this as the second section to purposely contrast the previous topic, whilst making the viewer think of the completely different atmosphere used by companies to promote and hide the origins of products sources. When implementing the food images into the book I will be making sure there is a cold theme of organization, using colder colours compared to the warm browns and reds of the source, this hopefully will be impacting the viewer opinion regarding how we now see the process of out consumerism that consists of unseen impacts made by these global companies in order to sell their product.
This is the final representation and outcome of consumerism, the waste. Here I photographed the piles of rubbish careless thrown away after their initial uses had been completed, left to be transported or recycled in various other locations. When taking the images here I made sure to capture the sheer mass of the rubbish in such as small area, presenting it as a jumble or unorganized mess that grows more and more by the day. Finally when I implement them into my book I will be making sure to include images that portray the same viewpoint I possess regarding the use of the landscape, in which I will be using imagery taken of landfill and the piles of dirt created from them, all the while looking at how they as a result permanently scar our environment.
Regarding my work on political landscapes, I will be drawing most of my inspiration from straight photography, where I will be portraying my perspective concerning consumerism and the effects of it on our landscape, using as little photo manipulation as possible. The photographs which I will be comparing below from my shoots I have taken from various areas of Jersey that have been affected by consumerism and the consequent scarring of landscape around it, looking at both straight and modern photography as a guideline for my progress and intended results.
The photographers whose work I will be exploring (Edward Burtynsky and Henry J Fair) individually portray their photography in their own unique way. I have chosen both these photographs because of the link they have to my area of political landscapes, consumerism. With both using a form of straight photography to photograph industrialised areas polluting the landscape. Each photographer has taken on a rather different stance regarding how the matter at hand has progressed, using abstract and modernist styles of photography to do so. Exaggerating and influencing the perspective of the view through the enhancement of specific aspects within the image, such as saturation.
Chapter Two – Edward Burtynsky – Truth of The Camera
I’ve responded to Burtynsky’s work by exploring the resultant garbage collection of our ever-increasing consumerism at La Collette, especially the plastic waste which consists of mostly vividly coloured electronics.
When taking each image, I made sure to use a straight photography approach, here I would use a none zoom lens to photograph the objects as accurately as I’ve seen them, editing only the brightness which would have been available in darkrooms to enhance each photo. My main focus was to bring into light the amount we throw away and wanted to do so by presenting this issue to the viewers through size comparison. To accomplish this, I found the biggest assortment of plastic waste and photographed it next to a hangar wall, making sure to carefully crop out any suggestion of a decrease of its mass. Here I purposely gave my image a one-sided political perspective, by presenting only my own bias viewpoint it would allow for debate to occur regarding the topic, as I encouraged criticism towards the result of our greed. For me this was more effective as it limited the vision of the viewer to only one aspect of the area, opposed to the whole area. This also proved a challenge as I wanted to provoke opinions regarding the outcome of waste, and only using my composition to accomplish provided more difficultly than expected. Here I deliberately disagreed with the essay question, as I wanted to provide evidence of how perception could alter perspectives regarding any chosen topic, essentially using a snippet of evidence to build a claim. 
Chapter Three – Henry J Fair
Born 1959, Henry J Fair had a fascination for the scarring of landscapes caused by large industrial companies. As his photography developed he soon found himself based in both New York and Berlin, travelling the world in search of environmental pollution. His most influential project ‘Industrial Scars’ focuses on small range environmental issues such as coal ash and oil, to large-scale ones such as abandoned mining operations. Here Fair uses mostly aerial photography to accomplish his images as they provide a perspective not usually seen by the general public. Much like Burtynsky, Fair focuses on the effects of these consumerist industries, alternativly choosing to present them in an almost devastating and destructive beauty, using vivid and aesthetic colours as a means of portraying contrast within the landscape. Fair here seems to stray from the idea of straight photography, as instead he uses increased saturation and heavy cropping to produce the outcomes desired, the result of this is extremely exaggerated imagery, where the colours of the landscape seem too dreamlike and otherworldly to exist. By using a more modern approach consisting of photo-manipulation the image gives rise to political themes, this is due to how the layout of each image makes the earth’s landscape unrecognizable to the viewer, causing disbelief and uncertainty regarding the possible future of society if this carries on. Exaggeration becomes a key aspect in telling stories through this documentary style approach, as each photo needs to be hard hitting to assert a change in mind-set for people. If the pictures were not beautiful, the viewer would not stop to consider them, or cherish them, a technique not commonly seen in documentary styled photography. These vibrant results which use an abstract approach, can be interpreted as the anchor point for drawing in audiences, with colours acting as a motif for the overflowing consumerist effects warping our landscape.
Responding to this I then produced my own set of images based around 
Although both photographers share the same vision regarding their perspective over waste produced by the industrialisation of areas, the techniques and style used differ. The work of Burtynsky takes up a more literal and formal approach, using only composition of the camera to overwhelm viewers through the inclusion of one area of interest. This limits the audience’s perspective over the topic, as presenting a partial snippet of man’s creation only allows for the images produced to create a single-sided bias perspective concerning how the landscape may look. Contrasted to this Fair uses a broader take on the landscape to present his viewpoint, producing images looking at the entire landscape using aerial photography, choosing to push the boundaries of straight photography. This provides a larger view of the environment surrounding these industries and the effects of human scarring upon it, accompanied by Fair’s exaggerated vibrant imagery this appeals hugely to the audience whilst gaining a greater chance of drawing awareness to these global issues. However the method used by both photographs to depict the issues at hand do so aesthetically. Looking at their strongest projects, ‘Oil’ and ‘Industrial Scars’, there is an underlying sense of aestheticism beneath the abstract compositions, where each photographer uses intricate design as the major ‘go to’ in both structures and chemicals. I found that my work linked well with their style. I tried mostly to incorporate straight photography compliments with abstract aestheticism, depicting consumerism devastating the landscape
After I had finished producing the mood-board, I then decided to create a mind-map. This would allow me to physically write down my ideas and approach the shoot with clear intentions for what I wish to achieve. My ideas can be seen below:
Once I was happy with the ideas for the shoot I then proceeded to go out and photograph the chosen area. I had asked certain shops to photograph their aisles in the local area to capture the aestheticism of the rows. Here are my responses:
After I had finished the shoot I went on to pick ten images that I thought best reflected the entire shoot, looking at how the related to the topic of consumerism and their overall look. By doing this it would make it easier to pick out the best image of the shoot whilst ridding me of any images that I thought were not up to scratch. These are my choices for the top ten image of the shoot:
I selected this image because of the bright colours brought in by the chocolate wrappers. I found that this contrasted against the black backdrop made by decreasing the brightness making the shelves become more aesthetic as a result. I really like how the composition of the shelves shifting from different heights, this to me added differentiation into the piece through its depth. The neatness of the chocolate bars in the centre of the image provided a sense of organisation compared to the rest of the image which seemed to be more messy due to the placement of the items. Finally I thought that this image best reflected one of the most consumed items world-wide, the sugar industry, and especially with the news regarding the destruction of landscapes to produce chocolate products I found that the implicit meaning behind the photo really complimented the topic. 
I chose this image because of how I thought the contrast between the meats and the lady in the red jacket really brought the image together. What can be seen as a predominantly dull piece is brought to life through the implementation of red, giving life to what would typically be seen as a cold section of the shop. This is really complimented through her composition and placement in the bottom right corner, as it adds room to view the rest of the aisle presenting a comparison within. I made sure to add the beers on the left to add a sense of depth into the piece and provide a broader sense of the shop as if you were there. Overall I found this image to be effective through its representation of someone buying the products, showing a mid-point between producing and the waste. 
What made me choose this image was the assortment of colours present through the stacked cans on the shelf. This variation every can or two for me added a huge sense of aestheticism to the photo, with the occasional tin missing adding a much-needed bit of depth into the photo. By including the tags dangling off the edges and the sides of the shelf it breaks up the otherwise symmetrical piece, preventing it from becoming too eye sore for the viewer and instead separates the focus of the audience. Overall I found this piece really represented the intended topic of consumerism as it provided a sense of order, something that I made sure not to make present in any other of the shoots. 
Finally I selected this image because I found it to be the best representation of straight photography out of the entire shoot, bringing through bleak colours and an ultimately dull image. For me this image was a great representation of how a typical local store would be laid out, with a look of organisation on the shelves and empty spaces. I really liked how the right side of the photo emerges from a crisp packet which for me adds depth to the piece as if you were walking down the aisle and this what you would see.
Image taken by J Henry Fair: Industrial scars
Burtynsky is a photographer who specialises in photographing industrial landscapes altering the area through mines and quarries. He provides a very one-sided perspective regarding the treatment of our natural environments, presenting them in an aesthetic but negative light in order to draw in the audience’s attention. Motifs are a clear indication of his work through colours, where the duller greys and browns represent the influence of man’s structures on the area and the vibrant greens and reds represent the beauty of nature as its being intervened by our industrialisation. The presentation of his images are key, as they usually resemble cuts and slashes on the surface of the landscape as a constant reminder of what we have destroyed, usually seen through deforestation and slash and burn techniques. The main focus of his work tends to be based around quarries where he presents the huge impact on our environment through composing them in a menacing way, that almost makes them seem unrecognisable and alien like, portraying his perspective regarding how we have invaded and disrupted our Earth. The the purpose of much of Burtynsky’s work seem to be a plea at raising awareness for how we treat our planet, and does so through the implementation of vibrant and aesthetic imagery which even from a distance draws the viewer in, question what it could be and how it ended up like that. From these images a huge political theme arises, as by only presenting a single sided perspective around a topic it raises viewpoints that could disagree and debate, however by allowing this negativity it draws in attention to the concern and therefore presents itself to others who may not have been aware.
Much like Burtynsky, Fair focuses on the impact of industrialisation on the landscape. Presenting once again a predominantly negative light upon the issue of consumerism, Fair chooses to instead focus on the more chemical effect of industrial impact of the natural world. Photographing toxic waste and leaked chemicals in a beautiful and aesthetic way, capturing this devastating beauty clearly intends to inform the viewer of how we have chosen to lead our ever-growing needs in the world, disregarding the consequences of our choices. However Fair chooses to use a contrasting motif to that of Burtynsky, instead using the opposite of him, where vibrant colours represent the toxicity of the waste and its destructiveness, and the dull colours being the landscape in its natural state. Fair sees that the only way to make aware the impacts of industrialisation are through its exaggeration, making colours and scenes that aren’t really there a typical portrayal of his vision. This perspective he possesses create mainly one-sided view that disregards the efforts made to help these issues, instead choosing to over-exaggerate.
recognized as a form of art, committing their lives to photographic manipulation exploration, leading many to find new techniques not previously used or seen before.
Artists Associated: Henry Peach Robinson, Julia Margaret Cameron, Peter Henry Emerson, The Vienna Camera Clud (Group), The Brotherhood of the Linked Ring (Group), Photo-Secession (Group).
Key Works: Morning (1908 - Clarence H.White), Pond in Winter (1888, Peter Henry Emerson), I wait (1972, Rachel Gurney), The Steerage (1907, Alfred Stieglitz).
Methods/Techniques/Processes: The style of work was created by manipulating images in the darkroom, scratching and marking their prints so that they imitate the texture of a canvas, using soft focus, blurred and fuzzy imagery based on allegorical and spiritual subject matter, including religious scenes.
Artists Associated: Alfred Stieglitz, Paul Strand, Walker Evans, Lewis W Hine, Jacob Riis, Dorothea Lange, Ansel Adams.
Key Works: Porch Shadows (1916, Paul Strand), Blind Woman New York (1916, Paul Strand), The Tetons and the Snake River (1942, Ansel Adams).
Methods/Techniques/Processes: The process is generally not manipulated but instead sharply depicts the image as someone sees it. Straight photographers visualize the image before taking it, stated by Ansel Adams "Get your lighting and exposure correct at the start and both the developing and printing can be practically automatic".