I used Artsteps to create some virtual galleries to exabit my best images from my Anthropocene project. The Artsteps software allows the user to download pre made 3D virtual Galleries that the user can the import their photos into and place them wherever they wish.
Additionally i used Adobe Photoshop to display some of my images. I created white backgrounds and placed my images on them. This not only displayed my images virtually but allowed be to experiment on how to mount my images after they have been printed.
Naomi Whites photography consists of using light to transform a plastic bag image fluidly, such as a water current will do as it is a continuous movement which is being forced, so that it becomes organic instead of non-biodegradable that threatens nature. Naomi White states how there are endless possibilities with using plastic in photography as it allows to begin recognising the way it responds to touch, surface, its weight, etc and how it may cling to other elements and create the effect of something which can be seen as out of this world through what it creates. In my own work, I have focussed on using a plain background, consistent of Whites work, but I will also move into photoshop to experiment with different filters and techniques of editing to create different ways of showing the weird yet unique way plastic bag photography can be used to show how it is damaging nature.
Examples of
Whites work
Editing photo 1 –
Experiment 1)
For this edit, I wanted to start off by adjusting the photos brightness and vibrancy which helped the photos vibrancy of colours to stand out well so that they wouldn’t get lost when I adjusted the contrast and saturation because I wanted to get rid of the yellow hue at the bottom of the photo because I wanted it to be white. To help further this edit into having a white background I adjusted the hue and lightness slightly which began to control the yellow hue more then to make sure that it was gone I adjusted the colours of the photo such as the cyan and blues which helped to make the colours more vibrant, similar to Naomi Whites work. I really like how this edit turned out because I will use it further in my work as a basis when editing further because I think that this will make the photos appear as if they are stronger and finer in quality.
If I were to do this edit again, I would change the positioning of the photo through the use of flipping it upside down as I think that it could create an image of an iceberg or icy area as the darker parts of the plasti9c bag that have been layered on top of each other create darker areas which add dimension towards the photo to make it appear as if it is 3D and a mountainous landscape.
Experiment 2)
For this edit, I really liked how it turned out began by inverting the image on photoshop which gave it this effect of an X-Ray, I thought that this was really effective because it makes the creases of the plastic bag more defined and as if you are looking at an X-Ray of something peculiar which helps to create a story of what it could be. I then began adjusting the contrast because I wanted the highlights of the creases to be made easier to see but not be too harsh so to stop this from happening I brought down the contrast because it helped to control this effect. As there were colours which were still beneath the overlay of being inverted, I was able to adjust the hue and saturation because I was able to control the blue/cyan/white colours in the photo underneath which made the darker blues appear brighter when inverted whereas the cyan and whites became darker as it switches them around. If I were to do this edit agai9n, I would bring it back into photoshop and experiment with different ways of cropping the photo because I think that there are various creative ways which the image could be manipulated which could help to drastically change the emotions created by the image.
Experiment 3)
1
2
3
For these edits in photoshop, I think that edit 1 is my most successful because I used the ‘Colour balance’ where I selected ‘Mid tones’ which helped me to be able to adjust and transform the different colours and how strong they may be. I started off with the cyan which made the bottom of the photo brighter in colour but then I decided to change the magenta colour which created this effect of an Ombre throughout the photo which starts off as pink to purple then blue. I really like the way that edit 1 came out as I think that the white at the bottom, which I didn’t want to change, contrasts against the colours well and makes them stand out as it provides a bright white background for the colours to fall nicely against. Therefore I think that this is able to show Naomi Whites influence throughout my work because of the bright colours which I have chosen to use in an way where they fade into each other, which can be seen in some of her work and I like how this can manipulate the feelings created by the image as it makes it feel as if it is softer and the message of how Anthropocene is impacting the world is considered to a degree but not pushed onto you in a harsh way which can happen.
My least successful experimentation of these coloured images of plastic bags is edit 3 and this is because the pink tones of the photo which I have created in photoshop when using the channel mixer as I brought the red tones of saturation up which made the pink become more distinct in areas such as the left where there are darker parts of the photo, which can be seen to add dimension, but can also merge together and create a large area of colour where there may be no distinct way of determining if the creases of the photo have been brought to life through them as well, which I have wanted to achieve and keep constant throughout my work. If I were to do this edit again, I would make sure to bring in another colour plastic bag when taking the photo through taking photos of them or editing in through photoshop because I think that it would help to bring in a diverse range of colours instead to the photo so that they don’t end up merging and getting lost in itself.
Editing photo 2 –
Experiment 1)
For this edit which I will use as a basis when editing further I wanted to keep Naomi Whites influence fluent throughout my work which I think that I have done successfully as I have been able to control the brightness of the blue plastic bag while making the vibrancy of the blue stand out well and contrast against the lighter colours and the white which surrounds the image which makes it look as if it is floating, which can also be seen in Naomi Whites work. I also cropped the photo because I felt as if there was a lot of excess space from the plastic bag which wasn’t as solid or dark in colour which I would have liked as I can distract the eye from the handle of the blue plastic bag which I really like as it adds this curve to the photo which contrasts well with the other shapes as it gets darker due to the contrast and brightness of the photos against layering of each other.
Experiment 2)
For this image I began by inverting the colours from the blue which made them transform into the opposite ones such as orange/different shades of yellow and orange when it is darker or lighter. To further this effect, I added a tint to the photo which I decided I wanted to be yellow because it would help to soften and smoothen out where there may be a block of darker colours being created such as in the back where the colour falls to a darker orange due to layering of plastic bags which I think helps to create a rustic feel towards the image such as when something has been burnt. I also like how the blue background is constant and solid throughout the back of the photo as it can make the photo appear as if it is floating through an area, which I believe makes this image successful through the way I have edited it because it makes it seem unnatural and strange.
I also wanted to experiment with bringing the image into photoshop and transforming it into black and white because I think that it helps to create the impact of an X-Ray towards the photo and to help create this feeling, I further transformed it through bringing the brightness down in photoshop which made the darker areas contrast heavily against the white which I used to brightness to create this effect by adjusting it. I also decided that I think that cropping this image would make it appear to be more effective as an X-Ray of a plastic bag, I decided that this section of the photo would be most effective to crop to create this effect as it is where the plastic bag is most in focus and makes it appear to be the centre of the photo which could symbolise how dangerous it is due to what it is made out of.
Experiment 3)
For this edit, I experimented with the ‘Posturise’ effect in photoshop which manipulates the photo into appearing to be cartoon like as the blocks of colour become solid, making it look 2D instead of 3D which I have done previously throughout my work. To control the colours of the shades of blue I adjusted the ‘blue’ on channel mixers in photoshop and the ‘green/yellow’ as it neutralises them to an extent where they don’t become too overpowering, which I don’t want to happen in the photo as it begins to have the colours in the photo merge together in to one instead of having a controlled individual block of colour. didn’t like using this effect as I don’t think it was successful in showing the beauty of plastic bags which is what I have wanted to keep fluent throughout my work so I would not use this technique when editing photos again in my work for the theme of ‘Anthropocene’.
My final shoot will be inspired by the work of Marco Mori I will take images a model surrounded by clothing and plastic bags that are used in the fashion industry I would also like to play around with the angles from above and straight on to create a meaningful selection of images. I will shoot these on my camera using natural lighting and flash indoors.
editing thought process and explanation:
For this shoot I decided to keep some images in colour as it creates a better more meaningful selection of photographs due to the contrasting colours in the images I also like how they are more eye-catching due to this aspect as it shows how fashion is fun but has its down side when it comes to the planet. However the black and white images create an even better texture and contrast but I think the coloured images next to the black and white ones will create a nice contrasting composition.
To edit these images I went into develop mode in Lightroom and began my editing process by cropping them and using the spot removal tool to remove any dust that could of effected the camera lens during the shoot then I adjusted the WB and tone in each image before deciding whether to keep it in colour or make it black and white
Final images after Lightroom
Most successful image from this shoot
This is my best image from this shoot as I feel like it resembles Marcos work the most I like how even in black and white this image managed to create depth and a contras in textures and it shows a wide range of materials that were used in the shoot I also like how it was shot at a cantered angle which allows for a more appealing visual feel while still tackling my theme effectively. Finally I like how the models posed in more of an interesting position as it shows how the weight of the effect of this industry’s impact on the world.
Tobias Kruse was born in 1979 in Mecklenburg, Northeast Germany. He studied photography at “Ostkreuzschule für Fotografie”. Tobias Kruses work has been published in numerous magazines. Also , publishing his photographs in books by Steidl and Hatje Cantz. His first monograph was published by Kerber in 2019. He works and lives in Berlin.
His first monograph was published by Kerber in 2019. He works and lives in Berlin. In these quietly disturbing black-and-white photographs, Tobias Kruse confronts the unsettling first decade of East Germany after the fall of the Wall, including its Nazi past and present.
Examples of his work
Sara Cuce
Sara Cucè is a London-based photographer and Fine Art printing specialist. Her work explores questions of identity, representation, perception, memory, and the environment; it unravels identity and subjectivity as something that is never complete. Her work has been included in numerous exhibitions throughout UK and Italy.
Her work explores questions of identity, representation, perception, memory, and the environment; it unravels identity and subjectivity as something that is never complete, but always in process, and invariably formed from within.
Examples of her work
Comparison
Both artists use black and white for their final outcomes of photographs, however Kruse uses portrait more often than not and Cuce uses landscape for a wider effect of photo.
Cuce mainly captures up close shots of landscapes whereas Kruse focuses on distanced shots.
For my second photoshoot inspired by Vilde Rolfsen I will take plastic bags and take landscape photos of the inside of them ill probably do this shoot inside and use mostly white and blue plastic bags as they allow the most light to go through them I will take some images with white cold lighting and a more warm yellow lighting and then experiment with coloured lighting such as pink and lastly 2 point lighting to create more depth and contrast in the images. These will also be shot on my camera.
Black and white
For my black and white images I first adjusted the WB settings to ensure I was happy with the images before making them black and white then I adjusted the tone settings to create more contrast and depth in the images to ensure I wasn’t losing the details in the original images.
Colour edits
For my edits in colour I adjusted the WB to allow for a softer colour pallet through my images as I didn’t quite like the harshness of the blue against the white background, when I was happy with the WB I then went on to adjusting the tone and contrast of these images to create a horizon and a main focal point to each image. I decided to keep most of the images from this shoot in colour as it creates a stronger message about how even if pollution is seen in a beautiful sense it is still just as bad for the environment as other factors such as oil spills, natural disasters, global warming and more.
I am pleased with the images I have selected as I think they are a good representation of my artists work Vield Rolfsen I also like how they are in a similar style but not the exact same which allows for my own interpretation of her work to be shown. I think I managed to achieve a good variety of depth in my images and show good use of lighting and a variety of camera handling skills to ensure I came out with a good array of images
Final images after Lightroom
My most successful image from this shoot:
This is my best image from this shoot as its the one that resembles Vilde’s work the most it also shows the most texture which I like as it has an essence of the ocean and almost resembles a cave I also like the depth and the variety of colours in this image as the light reflecting off the blue creates this purple glow in the foreground of the image. Over all I think was successful in capturing the essence of her work through this photoshoot and especially this particular image.
My first photoshoot will be inspired by the work of Craig McDean I will take portraits of a model with and without fabrics and plastics to attempt to show how fashion effects the environment I will use a darker background maybe a cobble wall or a plain black background during the morning to afternoon to create softer lighting. I will use my camera to take the images for this shoot as it will allow me to take the best contrast images. Materials I will use plastic and some fabric maybe black tool as it is sheer enough that you can still see the models features through it.
Editing thought process and explanation:
For this shoot I decided to change all the images into black and white as it creates a good contrast between the materials and the background I think it also helps portray the darkness of the topic and how humans are so quick to brush over the topic of plastic pollution and how it effects multiple industries the planet and it’s population.
For my editing I went into develop mode on Lightroom and cropped any parts of the images I wanted to take out and then used the transform tool to insure the images were straight. Then I proceeded to adjust the WB for each image and the tone. Finally I turned them into monochrome images using the black and white setting in Lightroom and by adjusting any tones that needed to be lighter or darker such as highlights and contrasts to ensure I was happy with the final outcome of each photograph.
Final images after Lightroom
Most successful image from this shoot
This is my best image from this shoot as it is the most thought provoking out of the set I also really like the contrast between the bubble wrap and the models features against the texture of the cobble wall this image represents how clothing we wear is made from plastics and chemicals as the bubble wrap almost resembles a cable knit jumper and the tool a scarf. Furthermore this image can also be seen as effects the fashion industry has on global warming as the materials resemble a warm coat and scarf and the cool tone of black and white helps give the image a cold dark feel to it.
Dafna Talmor is a London based artist who tends to focus on photography and spatial interventions. She ‘s well known for her constructed landscapes which she creates by experimenting with her photographs in the darkroom after taking analogue photos and splicing them together to create new landscapes. Her process often involves removing man-made “interruptions” so she can use the leftover negatives to create her own, using much thought and care so her work isn’t “arbitrary”
“The thing that tends to be cut out initially is anything that is very obviously man-made, things like roads, structures, bridges; anything that is somehow interrupting the so-called ‘purity’ of the landscape…I realised I was creating my own man-made interruptions through the negative space that was left behind…I wanted a specific reason behind my cutting these negatives” – Dafna Talmor
Image Analysis:
In this image, Talmor has carefully spliced together different parts of landscapes. She’s made sure to line up the different textures and tones in the image in a way so it’s not obvious what each section was pre-splicing yet has also managed to combine the different textures, creating a fluid pathway between each section of the image, managing to make an abstract yet naturalistic image simply from her deliberate and attentive arrangement of each section.
The contrast between the darker areas of the image and the pale orange tones adds to the abstractedness of the image as it embraces how the landscape we’ve been presented with isn’t a real place rather than trying to perfectly line up every jagged edge to create a ‘perfect’ end product. The negative spaces also add depth to the landscape, stopping the image from looking flat and builds the illusion that there are hills in the image, making the piece as a whole more visually interesting to look at.
I was able to fully complete 2 photoshoots in preparation for this exam, I followed the plan I made for the exam by taking photos of buildings as well as industrial sites to portray the theme and topic of Anthropocene.
Shoot 1
I was able to capture a total of 200 photos in shoot 1 which is more than enough to work with to produce final outcomes to the best of my ability. For shoot 1 I took photos in and around the la Collette industrial site .
I used the flagging technique to select the best photos from this shoot to use for manipulation and editing. After using the flagging technique, I had 60 photos to once again choose from to use for editing and manipulation. To narrow down these photos, I used the rating system to select the best photos from these 60 photos. Using this technique I came up with 20 photos to use for editing and manipulation.
flagged photos
Shoot 2
For shoot 2 I captured a total of 260 photos to work with and narrow down to select for manipulation I also used the flagging technique for this photoshoot. For this shoot I took photos around gorey aswell as some from town
After using the flagging technique, I came up with 44 photos as a lot of the photos were blurry or too dark or too light to be able to use. I then used the rating technique to once again narrow down the photos to use for editing and manipulation. After using the rating technique, I had 13 photos to edit and manipulate to create final images.
flagged photos
Review of photoshoots
Although I aimed to take 4 photoshoots with at least 75 photos in each, I managed to get 2 photoshoots. Even though I only did 2 photoshoots I was able to get 200 photos in shoot 1 and 260 photos in shoot 2 which was well above the amount of photos I aimed to take. With a total of 460 photos I believe I have more than enough photos for me to create the most effective final images for the Anthropocene project. I believe the quality of the photos I have taken overall are quite good and I managed to photograph the locations I planned on photographing, a couple of photos I have taken have not come out as I would have liked as some have been blurry, too bright or too dark. Using the different filtering techniques on Lightroom I am happy with the final selection of images I will be using for editing and manipulation with Lightroom and Photoshop in order to come up with the best possible final outcomes I am able to produce.
For this idea i wanted to take inspiration from Ingrid Weyland and her topographic of fragility project as i feel it strongly links with the theme Anthropocene and like her work
For this image analysis I looked at this photo from Ingrid, showing ice caps, however Ingrid has added scrunched up print of the photo. This was most likely done to show humans effect on the land. The picture was taken on a gloomy day, and has the ice cap centred most likely to emphasise the effect humans had on the ice caps as the scrunched up paper also shows the fragility of the ice caps due to the humans . The rough texture of the paper ball gives a good contrast to the softness of the background image.
contact sheets
i then flagged it down to my final images to use
then left with my final image after some editing
Final image
Final Piece & Process
To make this piece I started by printing out the original image, and then a section of the original image to then crease and layer over it.
ORIGINAL CROPPED OUT PART TO PRINTSCUNCHED UP PICTURE
once i had all the components i played around with it a bit to get my final image
final image
overall i think this went well so i decided to try again using a different photo
new image from same photo shoot cut out for crimpled paper final image
Evaluation & Comparison
Overall I think that these pieces came out very good and mostly how I planned, they are similar to the work of Ingrid Weyland, not only in the process used to create but also in the way that they represent “the fragility of the natural environment” with the distorted paper patches representing the impact humans have on the earth.
