Since I’ve finished my main piece, this is the secondary topic I’m focusing on.
LINKS TO ANTHROPOCENE
There are 2 ways to think how the galaxy and space relates to anthropocene :
The first way to think about it is that air pollution (as well as light pollution) is low in Jersey, so we are able to see the stars at night, compared to somewhere like China, where the sky is filled with smog clouds. So humans are polluting the air, which stared in 1760-1840 when the industry revolution happened, and has just kept increasing.
The second way is more dramatic and extreme, but in space the magnetic field surrounds Earth, which acts as a shield around the planet. The magnetic field is generated by electric currents due to the motion of convection currents of a mixture of molten iron and nickel in the Earth’s outer core, these convection currents are caused by heat escaping from the core, a natural process called a geodynamo. If we disrupt the process by causing global warming, and increasing global temperatures, then the magnetic field will break and crack, causing the Earth to be in danger to solar storms caused by the Sun.
First I selected my favourite images from both La Braye and Faulkner Fisheries photo shoots.
The top 2 are from the La Braye photo shoot, where as the bottom 2 are from the Faulkner Fisheries photo shoot.
Faulkner Fisheries image : ISO 200, f/3.5, 21 second shutter speed
Galaxy with lights : ISO 1600, f/3.5, 30 second shutter speed
Galaxy La Rocco Tower : ISO 6400, f/3.5, 25 second shutter speed
I took these into Photoshop, the top 2 I edited normally using the camera-raw filter, where as the bottom 2 I merged together, as 1 photo the building was light up and had a better sky, and the second photo had better foreground lights.
These were the edits I did for the Faulkner Fisheries, these are the screenshots in the camera raw filter. the top 2 were extremely similar adjustments.
The clarity/noise/texture really brought out the patterns in the constellations.
FINAL IMAGES
After editing the images in Photoshop, this is how they turned out :
Overall, all the images display star constellations, the first 2 were taken at the same time in the same place, where as the Faulkner Fisheries on was taken at around 10PM about a week later. Which is why they have different constellations. Although, I do like the constellations which you can see in the first images I took.
The foreground with the long exposure of the lights creates a contrast in colour with the dark night sky in the background. The tower in the middle image is a silhouette among the stars, which is a different approach but I still like it.
All 3 use the rule of thirds, as that technique helps focus on sky, or part of the image that fills up 2/3rds of the image.
Overall, my favourite part of all the images, is that you can actually see the constellations, and their patterns.
CRITIQUE
These images are not perfect, they can be so much better if I have better equipment. A crystal clear wide angle lens would produce a better image. A star tracking mount would work as well, and make it more clear.
DISPLAY
In Photoshop I edited my images into an empty art gallery, then added bevel and emboss and, drop shadow.
IN THE STYLE OF DILLON SAW
Saw uses image manipulation in his work, and oftenly space and galaxies are reoccurring themes. So I decided to make a piece in his style and inspired by him.
This is the work which inspired me to create my own. As you can see he makes the Moon a big part in his images.
PROCESS
I chose 3 images to use, then brought them into Photoshop and made a final piece on this topic.
These are the 3 raw images which I’m going to edit. I took a screenshot each time I did a substantial change.
First, I stared off by layering the 2 images over each other, then I removed the sky from the White House image. After I colour matched them using a colour balance adjustment layer, and increasing the purples and blues. Afterwards, I added in the Moon after removing its background. Continually, I used a layer mask to remove a part from the Moon to make it a crescent, as I felt that the pointed edges would contrast the other shapes in the images. Then I added glow behind the Moon. The finally added a camera raw filter using the setting below.
FINAL IMAGE
Overall, It turned out well. It has a nice flow to it, and all the colours match. It was very simple, but clean, which is why it has worked quite great.
I tried to keep it dark despite the foreground image being taken in the daytime, which actually kind of helped as it looks like the Moon has lit up the sky alongside the building.
The composition is decent, to an extent where the Moon isn’t dominating the sky, and the White House isn’t too big. It creates a contrast with the straight lines on the building compared to the moons curved edges and pointed lines. The Moons pointed, sharp edges could be a “threat in the sky” to puncture the Earths magnetic shield, and put everyone at risk.
The clear star constellations represent the clean air which allows us to see the stars shining at night, and can be shown as a warning to people if air pollution isn’t controlled, we’ll lose this incredible natural view.
CRITIQUE
If I could change on thing it would be the Moon. I would make it smaller, as it would make it more realistic, as in real life the moon isn’t that big when viewed from Earth.
EDITED VS RAW
The right image is my final image from Photoshop, compared to the left which is the raw images in the same layout as the final piece, with no adjustment layers or effects.
DISPLAY
I used an empty gallery and edited my image into it. I warped it to the angled wall, then added bevel/emboss and, shadow drop. This really helped me present my work. It being against plain walls has brought out the small details.
MY IMAGE VS SAW’S
Both are based along the same subject and concept. I like how Saw has used a mix of colours in his background, compared to my image which is a bit dull. Although, my image includes stars which helps identify its night time.
Saw’s use of the tree is really impactful in regards to nature and purity. Although, I feel that it is unbalance, and is only including nature. This is where my work thrives in displaying a balance of man-made buildings and natural planets and stars. This draws ties to humans, which is the main problem to all of the climate change going on around the world right now, that relates back to the idea of anthropocene.
Overall, I like my image more, despite being less colourful, as I feel that it relates to the topic more, and the goal that I set at the beginning, which was to create a piece which involved the White House with the moon above it, that symbolises anthropocene through space.