In my opinion, out of all of the images I took in Andalucía, these six came out the best after editing for this task, focusing more on the natural environment and the feeling of awe I felt while looking across these scenes myself, watching the combination between man-made structures and the vast landscapes they rested in.
With my monochrome photographs, I attempted to replicate Ansel Adams’ style with the dramatic dark tones, while still capturing the gorgeous vistas in front of me. The roads in these images however, act as leading lines in the same fashion that the rivers do within Adams’ work, building a stronger link between mine and his photos. I could’ve improved these by leaving the roads and climbing up a more natural trail, finding a spot almost completely untouched by civilisation, but I wanted to be cautious of the wildlife and of trespassing on someone else’s property, as I’ve learned over the years of visiting there that the locals don’t like uninvited guests on their land.
With this photo, I liked the way that the trees and foliage covered up the end of the bridge from where I was stood, as I feel it creates a sense of nature’s domination over mankind, despite our collaborative destruction of the environment as a species. Furthermore, the range of biodiversity present within the composition, evident in the range of colour within the colour palette, brings more life to the image itself, causing it to feel more 3-dimensional and eye-catching. I went more with my own instincts on this piece, as opposed to following the conventions of another artist, and I think the final product is better for it, as the exposure within the image is not low enough to create a similar piece to any of the photographers I have studied.