This is an image of Alfred Krupp, who was an industrialist in Germany. This image taken here, for me, portrays an ominous feel, because of his surroundings such as the old rusty pillars which in the photograph give the image a second frame. His positioning with his hands held together shows he is serious and attentive, especially his suit which shows a form of power in most cases. The background of the image sets more of the scene for the ominous feel, almost like a workshop area for trams/trains being worked on. At the top of the image it shows depth of field, with the lines at the back getting smaller and smaller as it gets further away, but also closer to the mans head. There is a good use of lighting here, where there is backlight coming through the windows of the facility which gives his body this glow effect. Whilst there is also some lighting at the front of him which gives attention to his facial features.

This image was taken in 1963 by a photographer named Arnold Newman, who was a Jewish photographer, this was important because the person in this image was a German industrialist, who was pardoned of his War Crimes in WWII. At first Arnold declined the job of taking a picture of this man, but later went ahead to do it anyway. What made the situation interesting was that, Arnold asked Alfred to lead forwards, and he did but also decided to clasp his hands. This really portrayed Alfred’s character, and Arnold later said, “My hair stood on end”.

Its unique that the context of this image shows a German WWII criminal, having his portrait being taken by a Jewish believer, and how I imagine Arnold saw Alfred in that moment to be this exact image.

In my opinion starting off with whom I call the “Cigarette Man”, I am happy with a first attempt of what I had created on photoshop. I decided to create an image like this as reference to Mandy barker and thought I would use Cigarette buds as a way of showing this, it links with the context of smoking and is eye-catching in the first place, because who would even do this? The idea behind it is to show people what can even be physically made out of cigarette buds which you would find everywhere, but there is no care for them as they are only a small piece of plastic which does add up. In this image there is a lot of repetition of the buds, but with a variety of different shapes and colours to form something visible, which is what I attempted to do in order to create tone for the 2D image. And I couldn’t leave the right hand side empty so I decided to link it with a huge chimney which is used to let go of excess fumes from burning plastics.

which was inspired by this image, and used as a reference, Its repetition of lines at the top, also on top of one big line. I also tried editing this image to a more older look to view the contrast of the image in order to create some tone of reference when creating it with the cigarette buds.

I created a virtual art gallery of the images I composed:

In the first screenshot there are 4 compositions I made. They include my final piece and a chimney edited in a way where it looked more eye catching or relatable to the subject. In the second screenshot, I included the 6 types of cigarette buds I had used to create the “cigarette man” as I like to call it. and even a nice suburban image which I had used because of the aesthetic of it.

In the third image it includes a mix of suburban and landscape images. In one of the images I used the kaleidoscope effect which in my opinion produced a funky acid looking image. While the others create in my opinion an Italian affect.

In the last Screenshot it includes a nice landscape image of St.Ounes, which I like a lot because the day at the time was perfect for creating images, and even the image itself looks very nice.

I started with using images of single objects, in this case cigarette buds:

This was my way of showing what you could find almost anywhere in the world because of the volume of smokers. Not only does this show the litter of cigarette buds, but it also shows the amount of smoke let off into the air compared to everyone who smokes in the world.

I then had an idea of using the cigarettes that I had imaged and to create them into a person into who was smoking from a side view angle, this alone on photoshop took a long time sizing and moving, and even copying from the simple ones I had imaged. I had this idea from Irvin Penn who had taken images of individual cigarette buds, and editing them in a way which suited him and even the topographic world.

I had also had an edited image of the chimney tower down at the dump which would let off smoke when burning plastics. and thought I would do the same thing I did for the “cigarette man” (as I called it). I had used the ideas of Mandy Barker by taking images of single objects and then creating something out of it which linked to the object and what affect it has or does. This allowed me to create this:

During my editing progress for whom I call the “Cigarette Man”, I had used only these images of cigarettes to create an image of someone smoking from a side view angle, as inspiration from Mandy Barker, and her methods of taking individual images of a polluted product, and making something out of it. Which for me, at the moment looks like this.

During my process of Editing I thought I would adapt the Images from the dump to a more Eye catching effect, and to link the chimney with the cigarette buds.

Eventually I went down to the Dump, and decided to take some images, sadly they didn’t allow me onto the “primacies” as they do not allow pictures, but they couldn’t stop me from taking pictures outside of the area.

In general I like the variety of colours shown in the images, they show straight forward intention towards objects, or have a wide angle view to show the surroundings of wrecked carnage everywhere. Furthermore there are a good use of lines in the images, which aren’t too eye catching but are still noticeable and work well with the placing of the image, which includes the skies are top and context at the bottom.

Now that was just to show people what happens at the dump. My main Idea was to do with cigarette buds, as people don’t think about them much but at the same time, they are litter, and are found almost everywhere.

My First idea for my photo-shoot is to go through areas where there are a lot of rubbish, areas like the dump are a good place because of the rubbish that they not only burn but keep there to be crushed and other purposes.

also areas like the middle of town is a perfect place to find rubbish, no matter where you go in town there will inevitably be at leas tone piece of rubbish

Common rubbish that I find almost everywhere is branded food like McDonalds, KFC, Big Jays and more. So an idea could be use these braded foods that I find lying round and make something of it.

Irvin Penn was an American photographer, especially known for his still life, portraits, and ability to image fashion. He was born June 16th 1917, but died October 7 2009. During his life he created many Galleries, all being a variety of portraits, still life etc. But one that inspired me was his cigarette butts.

He took a variety of images of used, old cigarette butts that he had found on the floor. The reason behind his imagery of such a common thing was that he had a mentor/father figure of his die of cancer (most likely lung cancer), and he noticed that throughout their life they always had a cigarette. Ironically Irving himself was against smoking and even created smoking advertisements in the past. After learning about his personal loss, he decided to commit to this gallery, and saw the “uncanny” relationship between cigarettes and people, as they give momentary pleasure and how hooked people where onto them.

What one of my main aims would be to link Anthropocene with the pollution of these used cigarettes scattered almost everywhere. Not only that but considering the amount of common smokers in this world, the smoke given out off into the air layers on top the way that the world is being treated, and how people even treat themselves.

(Notes)

Power Plant + Cigarette (link)

Smoke of Cigarette/Chimney

Skeleton Hand + Cigarette

(jerry uelsmann)

Gustave Le Gray

Le Gray was born in 1820, originally working on painting, until he took up photography in 1847. He had a smart ability to take well made landscape images, with his writing, teaching and overall photography skills becoming very influential.

One of his most famous photograph taken was called “The Great Wave”. What’s good about this image is his use of contrast with black and white, even more the ability to take an image like this during his period shows great skill. The use of a horizon, crashing dramatic waves, with a still pier, and a contrast of light in the clouds create the picture.

His images create a certain aesthetic, and during this period and even now these landscape images show perfect alignment for the camera, and placing in what he wants to include into the image. It feels like its giving off a radiant effect.

Dafna Talmor

Dafna talmor is a great modern day photographer/artist who uses a very unique technique that works well for her landscape end results.

What she does is take multiple landscape images around the same area, or sometimes even in completely different areas. Cuts them out, and sticks them back together to create her own synthetic type of landscape image. Kind of reminds me of Pablo Picasso.

Comparison

What I like about the both of these photographers is that they almost use the same technique of manipulation. As Gustave was during the 1840’s onwards, his way of manipulation towards the image was through the placing of the camera specifically facing the sun, whilst including other aspects in his imagery. Compared the Dafna, she uses the same technique of manipulation but almost in a newer modern aspect, by physically cutting out multiple landscape images and placing it into one landscape image like a puzzle.

What is completely different between the two is that Gustave only uses one image to represent his landscape, whereas Dafna uses multiple, as if you have to see it from more of a mental point of view rather than a physical imagery point of view.

What Is Anthropocene?

Anthropocene is the idea that humans are moving into more of a world with domination, and competition, in a negative way. While in the process harming other innocent species, like fish and birds. It is an aim to spread awareness in a creative way, using art and photography and even science. This is a way of showing people the horrible things we unconsciously do daily, in a beautiful and touching way. It is more to say, “what now”. Not “look what we have done” as this shines it more in a negative blaming light, looking into the future not the past.

Who is Mandy Barker to Anthropocene?

Mandy Barker is an award winning photographer and you could say an influencer, who works photographing marine life plastics. She creates unique imagery using a smart method which creates an artistic yet appealing affect. For example:

This is where she requested people to find some footballs no one used, whether that be in the sea, abandoned on the beach or even in the streets. She does this to motivate people to take action in an artistic appeal.

She is very well known when it comes to bringing awareness towards this plastic pollution, even having her art work being shown in news papers like Time magazine or in areas like vogue, even working with science to spread the awareness and reduce plastics especially in marine life.

I like this idea of showing people the pollution of plastics, through remorse and sympathy because it creates a bigger impact on people spreading their awareness to more hidden things, that still occur. I also like her method of taking images of single object plastics, not any plastics but the ones found in animals that have died from the harm we unconsciously done. This gives me ideas on top of my idea, which will mainly be to take images of cigarette buds, found almost everywhere. And to take almost a gallery of cigarette’s and even the buds I find on the floor, and adjust them to my liking.

Subjects I’m Looking For

Areas like: Cars, The Mine at St.Johns, pollution like plastics and garbage, scattered round jersey, or clumped in specific areas.

I’ll attempt to aim for creating an artistic angle when taking images of plastics.

One idea that is common within everyone’s life, is smoking especially cigarettes, which you will find almost everywhere.

Another Idea could be going to even streets or certain areas where rubbish is just thrown everywhere aimlessly, not in large quantities, but lots of images of rubbish thrown everywhere.

I could use the idea of typology and take lots of individual images of the buds or the cigarettes anyways.