“New Topographics: Photographs of a Man-Altered Landscape” was an exhibition that epitomized a key moment in American landscape photography. New Topographics was a turning point in the history of photography, the 1975 exhibition New Topographics signaled a radical shift away from traditional depictions of landscape. New Topographics represented a radical shift by redefining the subject of landscape photography as the built (as opposed to the natural) environment.
Hilla Becher and Bernd Becher
Hilla Becher was a German conceptual photographer. Becher was well known for her industrial photographs, or typologies, with longtime collaborator and husband, Bernd Becher. The Bechers went out with a large 8 x 10-inch view camera and photographed these buildings from a number of different angles, but always with a straightforward “objective” point of view. They shot only on overcast days, so as to avoid shadows, and early in the morning during the seasons of spring and fall.
These images below are taken by Hilla Becher:
I have chosen to study this artsits because of the way she displays her images. I really like the way Hilla has taken a range of photos from different angles around the buildings and presents them in a black and white display and placed on a white border. I think the way that they display their images shows the idea of Anthropocene because it presents the man made and industrial areas having an effect towards the natural landscape.
Her husband Bernd Becher has a very similar way of taking photographs and editing by displaying his images in the same way.
These images below are taken by Bernd Becher:
Image analysis:
These photos taken with a large 8 x 10 inch view camera displays these images in black and white which makes the image seem dark and eerie. These images portray the idea of Anthropocene by presenting the effect of pollution and humans towards nature. Some of the photos displayed are from the same building meaning Hilla and Bernd would photograph industrial buildings from different angles to try and present the full effect. The lighting used creates an effect towards the buildings by making them stand out and making them more dark than usual. The buildings shown give off a bad vibe due to the lighting and positioning of the camera which could of been foreshadowing the future where these types of buildings destroy natural landscape and produce pollution.