New topographics was a term coined by William Jenkins in 1975 to describe a group of American photographers (such as Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz) whose pictures had a similar banal aesthetic.
Colorado Springs, 1974, Robert Adams
Many of these photographers gained inspiration from parking lots, suburban housing and warehouses. In 1975, the end of the Vietnam war, America had a huge economic inflation problem leading to soldiers returning home to America and there was not anywhere for them to live, resulting in suburban housing being built. Photographers like Robert Adams, Lewis Baltz, Nicholas Nixon and Bernd and Hiller Becher, took inspiration from the man-made houses in front of the rural mountains.
Bernd Becher and Hilla Becher Pitheads (1974)
An exhibition at the International Museum of Photography in Rochester, New York featuring these photographers also revealed the growing unease about how the natural landscape was being eroded by industrial development. Later on the exhibition became a movement, to show the damage and the negative impacts the human species was creating on the world. The new topographics were to have a decisive influence on later photographers.
In the photo above, I separated the image into three. in the bottom third you can see the urban, modified land with tons of houses. and in the middle third you can see some of the original untouched landscape which shows how these houses were not always there. Furthermore, in the top third, shows some moody clouds which set the tone and emotion behind the photo.
My first response to romanticism landscape was inspired by Ansel Adams and his work. I have previously done an analysis of his work which gave me an idea as well as inspiration to explore his way of making images.
my image
“Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park,” by Ansel Adams, about 1937
Comparing my image inspired by him to his own work, I think what is a big resemblance is the exposure of the image and the amount of darkness to brightness. his photograph has a much larger area of the clouds, this also means that area is lighter in relation to the rest of the components in the photograph. regarding my photograph I have very small amount of clouds shown, this is because in order to show as much land as well as different plans like the trees nearest to me, from the area that I was standing in I had to compromise on what to and how to point the camera to capture what I wanted. because Ansel Adams photographs much bigger areas he is able to shoot the desired photograph from further away and be able to get a lot in the frame as well as a big area of clouds, as I was limited to much smaller areas in jersey photographing a larger area of the sky could mean I may loose detail I wanted in the frame. a similarity between his and my image is that he also has layers in his image where he has a first plan, second , maybe even more , background etc. the object nearest to the camera, like the 2 trees in the bottom right corner are much darker, being a pure black likewise like my own photograph, where the trees nearest to me are also a pure black , however what is different is that they are much bigger and therefore the larger surface area is black.
The trees near to me in the photograph frame the image whereas his is more open as in his photograph there aren’t any objects close to the camera on the sides of the photo. this could be good and bad, depending on the viewer as framing an image may result in capturing less of the desired landscape, it will also make the landscape look less open , which when photographing an area which is already beautiful may take away its value as then there’s less of that landscape area visible. But this framing may also mean the photograph gives more of a personal value as then it feels more like the viewer is in it , it may seem more realistic. I picked this image out of a couple of my final images to analyse, where I also have an image of the same view without the trees in the first plan, however although that image is also a good photograph , it doesn’t have that personal value to me and the frame that the trees created to me make it much more interesting as there are more detail in the photograph and they also balance the bright and dark areas as the rest of the landscape and clouds are quite bright whereas this frame contrasts with this as it is very dark and to me creates more of a sublime photograph.
Photograph without the framing caused by trees
With the above image I wanted to represent a different tone to black and white photography which meant adding a different filter on the image and working from that with exposure brightness etc. This image does a good job at representing a vintage photography style, however I felt like the fist analysis image had more in comparison to Ansel Adams works. although the style of the above image interest me and although it was firstly inspired by Ansel and it doesn’t have to look exactly like his work, I found the other images more interesting to analyse fully.
Another similarity between mine and his photograph is that he has a small area, in contrast with the rest of the photograph , of pure white which is the lightest colour he can achieve. This white can be visible on top of the mountains he photographed. The snow and a bit in some clouds are his lightest points whereas my photograph also has a small area of pure white but it can be seen in the water, when waves crash onto the shore and similarly in the sky and clouds. To me the amount of brightness in the photo is very similar to Ansel Adams photograph . however his white usually pairs up with a darker shade that the rocks on the mountain have making it look much more dramatic and make the white stand out more whereas mine blends in with the shade of the sand.
As a whole I have enjoyed exploring his style and although his landscape locations are much more fascinating and interesting then the ones I am capable of capturing right now, the style of his work like the enhancement of the shadows and dramatics of his images was very fun and different then what I’m used to edit. however what I should of payed more attention to was the colours that contrast each other, as with his work because of these opposite colours that are right next to each other, his photographs look so pronounced. 2 colours of completely different shaded being next to each other, quickly changing from one another, meaning they are not smooth or blended in, will make the image look sharp as a whole and this is why Ansel’s photographs look this conspicuous.
who: since this project is about urban landscape photography and new topographics, I will want to include some people in some of my shots, to add a natural feel to them. However, I will also take some photos without any people to create a deserted look in them. The people present will most likely all be natural, going abut the day and showing the ways they interact with the environment around them.
what: I will attempt to photograph an abandoned building surrounded by some nature to show the effects they have had on each other through the decades. I will also want to photograph different areas around town, such as older roads and buildings.
where: I will go around St. Helier to create some photos of the older and more modern structures around town. I will also find a more remote location including some kind of abandoned structure to photograph.
when: I will take a my photos at a range of different times to capture the effect light has on the environment, especially buildings. I will take some pictures at around noon when the day is brightest to capture detailed pictures of different buildings and some during the night using a slow shutter speed to photograph the dimly lit buildings.
how: I will use a tripod (especially when going out at night) to take the low exposure and slow shutter speed photos. I will also use a range of techniques such as exposure bracketing to create a wide range of photos with different exposures.
why: I think this way will be a good way of taking photos that capture the industrial landscapes we have in Jersey. The dramatic weather and different times will create a interesting selection of images.
Urban landscapes – complex structures that are the result of the interaction between humans and the environment. It also involves a social, cultural and economic dimensions. Urban landscapes are formed and shaped, mainly under the influence of human activity’s.
Examples of urban landscapes:
Industrial Landscapes
Industrial landscapes – are typical areas where industrial activities are very intense, such as factories.
Examples of industrial landscapes:
Topography
Topography – the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps.
Urban/ Indistrial Landscapes are images that bear witness to major human works, ranging from factories to quarries, or enormous mining complexes and abandoned zones. They carry the reader into inaccessible and little-known areas, between sublime and disarray, to witness the imposing reality of industry that we try now to erase. The result of humans let into nature, has ended up in a physical, social and cultural reality, which is reflected in the landscapes through specific architectures and iconic elements; showing the impact humans have had on nature.
New Topographics was a term thought up by William Jenkins in 1975 to describe a group of American photographers (such as Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz). These were photographers who criticised romantic photography, as they believed human impact on our landscapes shouldn’t be ignored. The photos these artists took mostly consisted of a repeated banal aesthetic, in that they were formal, mostly black and white prints of the urban landscape. They were people who found a sense of beauty in the disruption causes by repetitive and conventional architecture placed in nature.
On the other hand, “New Topographics: Photographs of a Man-Altered Landscape” was a ground-breaking exhibition of contemporary landscape photography held at the George Eastman House’s International Museum of Photography from October 1975 to February 1976.
New Topographics Photography
Robert Adams, Mobile Homes, Jefferson County, Colorado, 1973.
East Wall, McGaw Laboratories, Lewis Baltz
Landscape, Los Angeles, 1974, Frank Gohlke
Tucson, Ariz, 1974, Henry Wessel Jr.
All of these artists combine nature and architecture/ human impact on the world in their photography, creating a whole new concept of landscape photography.
The first picture (top left) is a photo capturing a estate of mobile homes in an empty piece of land. The background consists of a looming mountain over towering the homes, the smooth shape of it contrasting with the blocky appearances of the houses. The nature and industrial landscape, present in the photo, clash- Adams promoting the idea of new topographics by showing us this mixed landscape and the reality of our world.
The second picture (top right) consists of a blocky box shaped building- creating an interesting photograph of a usually seen as unappealing location. Baltz included some of the silky sky to contrast with the roughly shaped architecture built on the ground below it. The solid strip of paint across the building further adds to the industrial shape of the building.
The third picture (bottom left) presents a empty parking lot surrounded by some boxy structures. The background consists of a mountain almost hidden in the fog, contrasting with the industrial foreground. I think Gohlke tried to create an idea of isolation and loneliness in the photo, creating a photo presenting a deserted parking lot contrasting with the soaring mountain peaking over the harsh edges of the buildings.
The fourth picture (bottom right) is a photograph of a seemingly abandoned house almost hidden in a thick forest of overgrown plants around it. I think Wessel tried to show that nature is more powerful than any architecture that we create, and is immortal in a sense.
Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The word topography comes from the greek word “topo,” which means place, and “graphia,” which means to write or to record. Which in photography, would mean taking pictures of places i.e. landscapes.
New topographics refers to a term coined by William Jenkins in 1975 to describe a group of American photographers (such as Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz) whose pictures had a similar banal aesthetic, in that they were formal, mostly black and white prints of the urban landscape. New topographic photographs would consist of man-altered landscapes which include both natural and man-made aspects.
Here are some examples:
Robert Adams Mobile homes, Jefferson County, Colorado, (1973)
Frank Gohlke Landscape, Los Angeles, 1974
Robert Adams Tract house, Boulder County, Colorado, 1973
Robert Adams New housing. North Denver, Colorado, 1973
As you can see, most of these photographs were created by Robert Adams. This is because he was partially responsible for the creation of new topographics.
What was the new topographics a reaction to?
It reflects how the world has become increasingly suburbanised and the collaboration of both man-made and natural aspects in a landscape. New topographics is considered a reaction to the tyranny of idealized landscape photography that elevated the natural and elemental.
