What?

I will be taking photos of damage around Jersey. During the night of Wednesday, November 1st, 2023, Jersey was ravaged by a devastating tornado, leaving a trail of destruction across the landscape. Every parish in Jersey suffered damage, with incidents such as trees collapsing onto homes and entire buildings losing roofs and walls. The morning after the storm, the residents of the island found that many roads were impassable and walking paths were obstructed. The railway walk in St. Brelade was completely obscured by fallen trees and branches, rendering it unrecognizable.

Who?

There won’t be a who that I capture just damage to trees and buildings.

Where?

• Town – buildings, cars, and mainly just manmade constructs.
• Noirmont- of fallen trees and environment.
• Railway walk- also fallen trees, and also environment mixed with manmade constructs.
• FB fields– where most damage was done
• And other places I find that I think will go with this topic.

When?

Over the half-term I will attempt to photograph a variety of different areas affected by the storm. By having photoshoots of different areas affected by the storm.

Robert Adams

Robert Adams is an American photographer known for his work in the New Topographics movement. He was born on May 8, 1937, in Orange, New Jersey. Adams studied English literature at the University of Redlands and received his Ph.D. in English from the University of Southern California.

Adams began his photography career in the 1960s and is best known for his black and white photographs that capture the changing landscape of the American West. His work often focuses on the impact of human activity on the environment, exploring themes such as suburban development, deforestation, and urban sprawl.

Adams’ photographs are characterized by their stark simplicity and understated beauty, often depicting quiet, unassuming scenes with a sense of melancholy and nostalgia. His work has been widely acclaimed for its poetic and contemplative vision of the American landscape.

Adams has published numerous books of photography, including “The New West” (1974), “Summer Nights” (1985), and “The Place We Live” (2007). He has received numerous awards and honors for his photography, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a MacArthur Fellowship.

Robert Adams’ work continues to be exhibited and collected internationally, and he remains an influential figure in the field of contemporary photography.

Lewis Baltz

Lewis Baltz (1945-2014) was an American photographer associated with the New Topographics movement. He was born in Newport Beach, California on September 12, 1945. Baltz studied at the San Francisco Art Institute and received his MFA from Claremont Graduate School.

Baltz is known for his stark black-and-white photographs of the American urban and suburban landscape. His work often focused on industrial sites, office parks, and other man-made environments, exploring themes of alienation, anonymity, and the impact of human activity on the landscape.

Baltz’s photographs are characterized by their formal rigor and minimalist aesthetic, capturing desolate and seemingly mundane scenes with precision and clarity. His work challenges traditional notions of beauty in photography, offering a more detached and critical view of the modern built environment.

Baltz’s most well-known series include “The New Industrial Parks Near Irvine, California” (1974), “Park City” (1980), and “San Quentin Point” (1982). His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums around the world and has had a significant influence on contemporary photography.

Lewis Baltz passed away on November 22, 2014, leaving behind a body of work that continues to be celebrated for its uncompromising vision and exploration of the urban landscape.

Frank Gohlke

Frank Gohlke (born 1942) is an American photographer known for his large-format landscape photographs that explore the intersection of nature and human presence. He was born on February 20, 1942, in Wichita Falls, Texas. Gohlke studied at the University of Texas at Austin, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature, and later earned a Master of Fine Arts in photography from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Gohlke is best known for his series of photographs that document the changing American landscape, particularly in the aftermath of natural disasters. His work often focuses on the impact of human activity on the environment, and he has a keen interest in how landscapes are transformed by urbanization and industrialization.

One of Gohlke’s most famous series is “Mount St. Helens,” which captured the aftermath of the 1980 volcanic eruption in Washington state. His photographs from this series are powerful and haunting, depicting the destruction and regeneration of the landscape in the wake of the disaster.

Gohlke’s work is characterized by its formal precision and detailed observation, as well as its emotional depth and poetic resonance. His images invite viewers to reflect on the complexities of the natural world and human intervention, and to consider how we shape and are shaped by our environment.

Frank Gohlke’s photographs have been widely exhibited and published in books, and he has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a National Endowment for the Arts grant. He continues to be a highly respected and influential figure in the world of contemporary photography.

What is The New Topographics?

The New Topographics was a photography exhibition that took place in 1975 at the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York. The exhibition featured the work of a group of photographers who shared a common interest in depicting the built environment in a detached, objective manner. The photographers eschewed the traditional approach to landscape photography, which often emphasized the natural beauty of the landscape, in favor of focusing on man-made structures and the impact of humans on the environment. The New Topographics movement is seen as a reaction against the romanticism of traditional landscape photography and a reflection of the changing American landscape in the mid-20th century. The exhibition marked a significant shift in the field of photography and has had a lasting influence on contemporary photography.

What was the ‘New Topographics’ a reaction to?

The New Topographics was a reaction against the romanticism and idealization of the American landscape in traditional landscape photography. The movement emerged in the 1970s as a response to the prevailing aesthetics of landscape photography, which often depicted untouched, pristine natural landscapes in a nostalgic and romanticized manner. The New Topographics photographers, on the other hand, focused on the mundane and often overlooked aspects of the built environment, showcasing structures, urban sprawl, and everyday scenes devoid of sentimentality or grandeur. They sought to capture a more objective and unadorned view of the American landscape, reflecting the changing societal attitudes towards the environment and urban development. Ultimately, the New Topographics movement challenged traditional notions of landscape photography and emphasized a more critical and detached approach to representing the world around us.

What is rural landscape photography?

Rural landscapes photography is a genre of photography that focuses on capturing the natural beauty and features of rural areas, typically outside of urban or developed regions. Photographers who specialize in rural landscape photography seek to showcase the serenity, simplicity, and unique characteristics of countryside environments.

In rural landscape photography, photographers often explore and document a wide range of subjects, including vast agricultural fields, rolling hills, meadows, forests, rivers, lakes, farmhouses, barns, fences, and other elements that are commonly found in rural settings. These photographers may also pay attention to the changing seasons and natural light conditions to enhance the visual impact of their images.

Rural landscape photography can evoke a sense of nostalgia, tranquility, and connection to nature. It allows viewers to appreciate the beauty and authenticity of rural life and landscapes, providing a contrast to the fast-paced and often hectic pace of urban living.

Photographers may use various techniques and equipment to capture rural landscapes effectively, such as using wide-angle lenses to capture sweeping vistas, long-exposure techniques to create a sense of movement in water or clouds, and HDR (High Dynamic Range) processing to enhance details in high-contrast scenes.

Overall, rural landscape photography offers a unique and captivating way to showcase the natural beauty of rural areas and celebrate the charm and simplicity of countryside environments. It allows photographers to explore and appreciate the quiet beauty and unspoiled landscapes that can be found outside of bustling urban centers.

What is the difference between bucolic and pastoral?

The terms “bucolic” and “pastoral” are often used interchangeably to describe rural or countryside settings, but they have subtle differences in their meanings.

Bucolic typically refers to a picturesque or idealized representation of rural life, often emphasizing its simplicity, charm, and tranquility. It evokes a sense of pastoral beauty and serenity, portraying rustic scenes that are idyllic and peaceful. Bucolic scenes may feature lush meadows, rolling hills, grazing livestock, quaint farmhouses, and other elements that evoke a sense of pastoral harmony and contentment.

On the other hand, pastoral refers to a broader literary or artistic tradition that idealizes rural life and nature. It often incorporates themes of shepherds or rural characters living harmoniously with the natural world. Pastoral works may include themes of love, nature, and the human connection to the land, portraying an idealized vision of countryside life.

In essence, bucolic tends to focus more on the visual and aesthetic aspects of rural landscapes, emphasizing their beauty and tranquility. Pastoral, on the other hand, encompasses a broader artistic tradition that explores the deeper themes and philosophies associated with rural life and nature.

Overall, both bucolic and pastoral convey a sense of appreciation and reverence for the countryside, rural landscapes, and the simplicity and beauty of life outside of urban settings. They evoke a sense of nostalgia, tranquility, and connection to nature, celebrating the charm and allure of rural environments.

What is Landscape as a Genre?

The Genre ‘Landscape’ is most often used within art and photography and it is the depiction of the natural elements/scenery around us, such as trees, rivers, forests, waterfalls, mountains, beaches and more. There are various types of landscape including:

• Natural Landscapes -the original landscape that exists before it is acted on by human culture

• Urban Landscapes – outdoor environments that are dominated by urban/man-made structures such as buildings, harbours, factories and more.

• Coastal and Marine Landscapes – ocean-related landscapes which may include waves, beaches, ships, cliffs, etc.

• Cultural and Historical Landscapes – historically significant places which show evidence of human interaction with the physical environment.

• Agricultural Landscapes – depicting farming and agriculture, such as farms and fields with crops.

The term ‘landscape’ originates from the Dutch word ‘landschap’, meaning ‘region, tract of land’. Landscape is now defined as ‘a picture depicting scenery on land’, this definition was acquired in the early 1500s.

Mood board – The Evolution of Landscape Photography

A Timeline of Landscape as a Genre

16th Century – Albrecht Altdorfer

Previous to the 16th Century, paintings of landscapes were seen as a setting for religious and figural scenes, rather than a genre themself. Albrecht Altdorfer was a German printmaker who was known for the 9 landscape etchings he produced between 1518 and 1522, the first known artwork to celebrate landscape as a primary subject matter, according to the met museum website. This particular etching is the Alpine Vista with mountains around it and it was created during the Renaissance.

17th Century – Nicolas Poussin

In the 17th Century, the Classical Landscape was born. In a Classical Landscape, the positioning of every feature, such as trees, flowers, rocks and animals, are considered. Nicolas Poussin was a French artist who is known for perfecting the Classical Landscape, along with Claude Lorrain. Nicolas Poussin worked to higher the status of landscape art because he believed that landscapes could express the same powerful emotions as history paintings. At this time, landscape art remained inferior, however, it became more popular as time went on.

18th Century – Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes

In the late 18th Century, Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes worked to convince the Academy and his contemporaries that landscape painting was worthy of a higher status because he believed that it was. He published a book in 1800 on landscape painting, emphasising how the ‘historical landscape’ should be based on the study of real nature. The Academy created a prize for ‘historic landscape’ in 1817 in response to the success of this book.

19th Century – Theodore Rousseau

During the 19th Century, there were many milestones for landscape art, including the birth of landscape photography and romanticism. With the industrial revolution, it pushed more people to become interested in the genre of landscape and it became more popular around the world. Theodore Rousseau, among other Barbizon (realism) painters, focus less on classical landscapes and, instead, focused on plain air painting. Plein Air Painting is when the artist paints outdoors with the subject in clear view.

20th Century – Ansel Adams

In the early 20th Century, painters continued to support the landscape whilst landscape photography also grew in popularity. Ansel Adams is a very well-known photographer from this time who photographed breath-taking views of the American countryside, including locations such as various National Parks

Within the second half of the 20th Century, the definition of landscape was challenged and different concepts of the genre of landscape were introduced, such as urban landscape and landscape architecture.

Questions to consider?

• How successful were my final outcomes?
• Did I realise my intentions going forward?
• What refernces did I make to artist references- ( commenting on technical, visual, contextual,, conceptual?)
• Is there anything I would do differently/change etc.

I believe that my final outcomes were successful. The parts of the project especially Masculinity and Femininity that I enjoyed was bring able to be creative and experiment with the playing around with photographs/ideas such as using the mirror, playing around with hair and experimenting what bit of the human skin and body can be considered to be more masculine and feminine and taking close up shots of elements specific to that.

I realised my intentions going forward and the motive that I was going for, I wanted each photoshoot to focus on individual parts that we consider more or less feminine or masculine.

Reference to artist references that I have made in my photoshoots have been Cindy Sherman where I have followed and took inspiration from her work and specifically inside the house photographs representing a housewife aesthetic. As well as taking photographs of Cindy Sherman I took photographs inspired by Lauren Withrow where she took field-like photographs of the subject and mysterious like images with themes of secrecy, abandonment and confusion.

One of the challenges that I faced in this project was timing and lighting. I believe that if I spent more time on the photoshoots and looked more specifically at the setting of the camera/how to make the photographs appear more intense and change the background inside the studio-like photographs in some of the photoshoots I think there would be more appealing approach towards my outcome of photographs.

Another aspect were I could have improved in my photoshoots is the blurriness in some of my photographs. I could have looked back on my photographs, see what didn’t work well specifically in what background did the blurriness occur/did it ruin the photograph or appear better with the rest of the photographs/if it pairs well.