What is AI?

Artificial intelligence is the science of making machines that can think like humans. It can do things that are considered “smart.” AI technology can process large amounts of data in ways, unlike humans. The goal for AI is to be able to do things such as recognize patterns, make decisions, and judge like humans

How does AI work to create images? 

Artificial neural networks mimic the brain’s process to recognize patterns. Convolutional neural networks specialize in the ability to identify objects and patterns in data. The neurons are a specialized form that works in a similar manner as the human eye.

Mood Board

For this New Topographic Photoshoot, I went around Havre Des Pas and I took photos of the environment around trying to capture images with buildings in it and i also focused on taking the photographs straight on so that it would link to The New Topographics.

Below are my best images from this New Topographics Photoshoot after having experimented in photoshop with the images.

These two images below are also very similar to eachother, these images would go very nicely displayed together because they were both taken front on, both are portrait and both are edited similarly. I really like how these two images turned out, the first image of the hotel was taken from a worms point of view. These images are also Juxtaposed, for example one is a old, dirty sculpture and the other is a modern, new and clean hotel.

Panoramas

During this photoshoot i also took 3 images of the Havre Des Pas outside swimming pool with the purpose of turning it into a panorama.

First i selected my 3 images by clicking on the first photo holding shift and then clicking the last image i wanted to use in this panorama.

Secondly i right clicked once i had selected my images, clicked photo merge which then gave me a drop down list of HDR, Panorama and HDR panorama. I selected panorama.

Final Image Without Editing

Final Image After Editing

Overall i think this panorama turned out really well however, i think the image would have been stronger if i used a tripod so i was in the same position for all 3 of the images. I did not have a tripod on me so i used my hands which caused the edges to be a bit rough and curvy.

There are many different definitions of ‘Deadpan photography’, however the most common one is that a deadpan photography lacks all emotion. Deadpan photography is simply just an emotionless subject within a photo. There is no joy or sorrow, although some view deadpan as an emotion itself. Famous photographers who use this aesthetic seem to be completely detached from the subject that they are photographing. Most commonly, the subject is in the centre of the image, and the photographer is looking at the subject from a straight-on perspective. Deadpan portraits show people in their natural state, typically not showing any sort of emotion. The deadpan photograph simply shows how life is in an honest state as models do not pose, and they are not dressed up for the occasion. The colour of deadpan photographs is commonly de-saturated.

Lewis Baltz

This movement signalled the new approach to landscape photography and demonstrated the influence of conceptualism and minimalism on photography in the 1970s. In this movement a group of photographers including Lewis Baltz documented built and natural landscapes in America and often captured the tension between the natural scenery and the mundane structures of post-war America. Baltz is best known for his monochrome photography of suburban landscapes and industrial parks which brought attention to his commentary of void within the ‘American Dream’. His work focused on searching for beauty within desolation and destruction. Baltz’s images describe the architecture of human landscapes such as offices, factories, and parking lots.

Analysis

In this photo there is an old car which is off-centre which creates an interesting composition which is also enhanced through the way the dark and white wall are contrasted also off centre. The high contrast makes the image appear sharp and the many harsh lines make it look sharp as well as they all tend to be against a lighter background. The image has no emotion as it is taken straight onwards and there is no colour within the photo creating a deadpan effect. The fact the car is old implies that the photo as well is old. I like Waltz’s photography as it all looks neat due to the high contrast of black and white, I also like how there are many harsh shapes and lines in his photographs.

Planning a response

To respond to Lewis Waltz I will take my photos outside of school in the Saint Ouens area. I will use my phone for these photos and I will focus on different buildings such as the splash. I will take these photos during the day to achieve natural lighting and clearer photos. I will then make my photos similar to Waltz’s photographs by editing them to black and white similar to his.

My photoshoot

I took around 70 photographs during my deadpan photography shoot in saint Ouens. I took photographs of the splash building, the white hut, the lifeguard hut and more. I also took a photo of the road straight onwards to explore leading lines in photography.

Best photos:

I have selected the following best photos and I will edit some of them in the style of Lewis Waltz by making them black and white and highly contrasted.

Editing:

Edit 1:

Before making the picture completely black and white I made a few changes to create a better coloured version.

Black and white edits:

I then removed all colour from the photo by decreased the saturation to -100, I kept all other edits the same. By doing this the clouds appear to be much darker and angry giving an effect of the sublime. The building looks emotionless and almost old due to the rust running down the front of it. Due to taking this photo from a straight-on view and the lack of emotion a deadpan effect is created. I like the way the tables are all upside down as it creates an unusual effect and a sense of unknown. I think this is a successful photo as it is similar to the photographers work due to the harsh contrast of light and dark and the angle at which the photo has been taken at.

Best edit:

In this photo there is a lifeguards shack and if is slightly off centred which makes the photo unique. This is my best photo as the clouds look best in this photo as well as the other components such as the architecture. The clouds in this photo almost look as if the weather is storming due to the extreme dark areas which contrast to the light areas making the sky look enraged.

Virtual Gallery:

https://www.artsteps.com/view/662f6e3232b58f6c73e585c7

I chose to place my larger photo in the centre as it fit nicely with the architecture of the gallery. I then placed the smaller ones on each side of it and took a photo at both viewpoints in order to capture the different perspectives. To improve this wall area I will add another photo to the wall on the right as there is quite a lot of empty space.

The images which are highlighted green are the images I have chosen to edit, because they portray the New Topographics the best as they display nature and urban areas, such as buildings. These images also have the best composition and focus. The images that are highlighted red are the images I have decided to use for my HDR, as I used exposure bracketing when taking them, so that they would have different exposure levels. The images highlighted pruple are the images I have decided to use for my panaramic image, because I took photos of the landscape, panning from one side to the other.

Edits

The next following images were taken at Harve De Pas:

I edited these images by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so the images would be brighter.

These images were taken by the pool at Harve de Pas and are images of the beach, with the houses and buildings in the distance. This relates to the new topographics, because it shows nature (the beach) coinciding with the buildings (man-made/ urban).

I edited these images by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, blacks and highlights. I did this so both images would be brighter and stand out more.

All these images show how man-made buildings have to been placed in nature, which relates to the new topographics.

I edited these images by increasing the exposure (on the first two and decreasing it on the second two), contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the highlights and blacks, so that the image would be brighter and so the colours would stand out more.

This image shows how buildings and urban areas surround and coincide with nature areas, such as this beach. This relates to the New Topographics.

I edited these images by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy, saturation, while decreasing the highlights and blacks, so that the colours would be much brighter and stand out more on the building.

These images show the natural environment (the beach) coinciding with the urban man-made environment (the building) which relates to the new topographics.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks, so that the image had better lighting and wasn’t as bright, so that it would be more visible.

This image shows how man-made urban structures like the buildings in the distance coincide with the nature, the trees and beach. This relates the the New Topographics.

Final Edited Harve De Pas Images:

Edits

These images were taken on the field at Highlands:

I edited these images by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the highlights, exposure and blacks. I did this, so the image and colours were brighter, so they would stand out more.

This Image shows how urban man-made buildings can coincide with nature and natural environments, which the trees and surrounding grass show.

I edited these images by decreasing the exposure, highlights, blacks, while increasing the contrast, whites, shadows, vibrancy and saturation. I did this, so the colours and image would be brighter and stand out more.

These images show how buildings, such as the hut exist in natural environments, such as this grass field.

Final Field Images:

Edits

These images were taken near and at La collette

I edited both these images by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites and vibrancy, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. On the first photo I also decreased the saturation, but increased it on the second photo. I did this, so the photos would be brighter and more eye capturing. I especially did this on the first photo, so that the clouds were white, instead of a light grey colour and so the blue in the sky could be seen.

Both these images show man made buildings, such as the large building in the first image and the fence in the second. These images also show a natural environment as well, such as the grass hill and path. These images support the new topographics, because they show harmony between the man-made and natural landscapes and how they can coincide together.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites and vibrancy while decreasing the exposure, highlights, blacks and saturation, so the tower would be more bold and stand out more against the sky, which was also made more blue.

Then, I made a black and white version of this photo, by creating a virtual copy of the final edited picture and selecting black and white. I did this to increase the contrast between the tower and the sky and to make the photo more eye capturing.

This image relates to the theme of New Topographics, because this image presents how man-made urban landscapes can be beautiful and photographed in the same way that natural landscapes are.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, saturation and vibrancy while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so the building would be bolder and stand out more as it is more vibrant and has more contrast.

Then, I created a black and white version of the final edited image, by creating a virtual copy of the edited image and selecting it to be black and white.

This image relates to the theme of New Topographics, because this image presents how man-made urban landscapes can be beautiful and photographed in the same way that natural landscapes are.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, saturation and vibrancy while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so the graffiti and grey box building would have more contrast.

Then, I created a black and white version of the final edited image, by creating a virtual copy of the edited image and selecting it to be black and white.

This image relates to the theme of New Topographics, because this image presents how man-made urban landscapes can be beautiful and photographed in the same way that natural landscapes are.

I edited these images by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites and vibrancy while decreasing the exposure, highlights, blacks and saturation. I did this, so the sky would have less exposure and therefore look more blue. I also did this, so the mountain and buildings would have more contrast and be more defined as they have less exposure, so that they capture the viewers eye more.

Both these images show man made buildings, such as the large building in the first image and the fence in the second. These images also show a natural environment as well, such as the grass hill and path. These images support the new topographics, because they show harmony between the man-made and natural landscapes and how they can coincide together.

Final Images

Panoramic

These are the images I have taken to create my panoramic photo. I have chosen to use these images, as they pan over the whole landscape, so are perfect for a panoramic image.

Final Panoramic Image

How I did it

First, I selected my pictures chosen for my panorama on Lightroom and selected photo merge and then panorama. Once my image was made, I then cut the jagged edges of.

HDR

These are the images I have chosen to create my HDR images, because I have taken three different images of the same landscape, but with three different exposures. One with regular exposure and one too high and one too low.

Final HDR Images

My first HDR image consists of the Lido building at Harve de Pas.

My second HDR image consists of the tower and building in the distance across the beach, near La Collette.

How I did it

First, I selected my three images, then selected photo merge, then HDR. Then, I chose whether I wanted high medium or low exposure. I chose high for both.

I created this mind map on PowerPoint to help guide me through the Anthropocene project, identifying key factors that play a role in how the Earth has evolved since humans began to damage the environment. By highlighting these areas, I am now able to set a focus for my photoshoots which will allow me to portray my own thoughts and ideas into my work, with a sense of creativity and originality.

“While I was photographing the landscapes affected by human interactions in the middle of natural spaces, the topography started looking like a body to me – like something with the early stages of psoriasis on its skin,”

George Marazakis was born in 1976 in Creta Island, Greece and currently lives with his wife and their son in Heraklion, Greece. He studied Mechanical Engineering and currently works for the Greek Ministry of Justice, however he shoots images relating to the Anthropocene in rural, vacant areas that have been abandoned by society in his work of ‘A Cure for Anthropocene’. These areas are scarce, forgotten about and become consumed by nature warping around the structure, mostly due to society progressing through the years at such a fast rate that the area/ structure is no longer needed yet still leaves a mark and impact on the environment around it, restricting growth and areas for ecosystems to thrive in.

Marazakis’ work contains an ominous tone brought along by a muted colour scheme that is grounded by a great clouds of mist and smoke overlooking the subject of his images, giving an extra terrestrial feeling. His images are taken in the Winter early mornings or late afternoon of Greece, dusk or dawn, so that the sky is reaching a pastel colour due to the sun either rising or setting out of the frame as it is uncommon for overcast days to appear here. This minimalistic viewpoint highlights the issue of air pollution, not just in urbanised locations but also the growth of it within the countryside, places which are idealised as areas of a country with the healthiest natural spaces. This is due to the rising growth in populations across the world meaning that there is a decline in housing available in city centres, so much that people are having to move further and further away from civilisation and taking over these ‘vacant’ areas. Alongside this, it demonstrates the critical issue of climate degredation in hopes of finding some sort of ‘cure’ to draw back all of the vast mistakes humanity has made over many years to try and guide the globe back to a healthier state.

“If human civilization is in fact a disease, then it can also be the cure. But if the cure to the planet’s disease isn’t self-restriction, it will result in self-extermination. After all, the salvation of the planet is a different concept than the salvation of humanity.”

Analysis of his work:

This wide-angled image taken on a large format camera is taken in the early morning when the sun is rising or when it is about to set, due to the gradually lightening blue above the greenhouse, giving an ombre effect. The orange glow behind the greenhouse appears like the orange of the sun however artificial light has also been placed on the opposite side to enhance this effect so that the detail inside is revealed at a higher contrast. The dead grass in the foreground shows how neglected this area is, the dullness contrasting against the colour in the sky above. Along the glass windows, there are subtle white streaks streaming down, showing that this greenhouse has been abandoned for a long period of time, getting dirtier and more neglected while it faces the elements. Within the greenhouse, there are large twisting figures, most likely left behind crops that had been planted and left behind. Traditionally, greenhouses were main sources of producing fruit and vegetables and were in use all over the world. However, due to the fast-pace at which new technologies are created, the use of greenhouses died out due to the rise in artificial processing and growth of vegetables and therefore left them abandoned. The loneliness of the image creates an ominous atmosphere for the viewer, creating a moment of peacefulness alongside impending anxiety of how quickly society moves on and progresses, faster than it ever has before.

This image has really intrigued me as I feel that it has a very different take on the Anthropocene – instead of showing these compact, busy, urbanised areas, Marazkis’ shows the abandoned and neglected side of it, the side that is acting like a silent killer and restricting nature from thriving. In one of my photoshoots, I would really like to focus my attention on this aspect of the Anthropocene, specifically the greenhouses of Jersey located in St Clements. Greenhouses used to be used frequently for growing Jersey’s tomatoes however have been left to blur into the background due to importation of goods from other countries becoming an easy route.

“My earliest understanding of deep time and our relationship to the geological history of the planet came from my passion for being in nature.”

Edward Burtynsky OC RCA, born February 22nd 1955 (aged 69), is a Canadian photographer and artist best known for his large format photographs of the industrialisation of natural landscapes. His work depicts the notably developed locations around the world which have been affected the most by human influence through things such as pollution, over-population and over-farming. He acts as an advocate for the urgent environmental conservation needed, deeply entwining his work with the scars left by industrial capitalism and vividly revealing the environmental devastation not only in remote areas but cityscapes too. Burtynsky’s work is most oftenly connected to the concept of the sublime, established by the grand scale he works on as well as the disturbing context of rapid industrialisation.

Born in St Catharines, Ontario, his father was a Ukrainian immigrant who sought employment from the largest production line at the time – General Motors. When Edward was just 11 years old, his father purchased a darkroom alongside cameras from a widow who’s late husband was an amateur photographer, sparking an interest in him as a young boy. Given rolls of Tri-X and adapting to black and white print, he began to photograph events and take portraits of people at his local Ukranian community centre. Gathering 50 cents from each image he took, he spent his time travelling along his hometown capturing the pristine landscapes of his childhood which would later lead him into his interest of the natural landscape of destinations around the globe. Continuing into his early career, he formally studied graphic arts and photography until he received his diploma in Niagara College in Ohio. Not initially considering to carry on down the path of higher education, he eventually led onto a four-year undergraduate course, receiving his Bachelors in Photographic Arts, Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Ohio, 1982. His earliest work resides in colour of locations across Ontario and Western Canada at the Ryerson’s university’s image centre. These images carry heavy influence from Ansel Adams, Edward Weston and Carleton Watkins. Some of his earliest original landscape photographs such as Landscape Study #1, North Carolina, USA (1979) and Landscape Study #2, Ontario, Canada (1981) served as portfolio submissions for Ryerson and displayed traces of his early exploration into the main themes of his work: human control over nature.

Now, Burtynsky used to take his photographs using a large format field camera before 2007 on large 4×5 inch sheet film, his editions ranging from 18 × 22 inches to 60 × 80 inches. Typically, his images are based at high-vantage points using natural topography, drones, helicopters or just elevated platforms. He currently uses a high-resolution digital medium format camera.

The Anthropocene Project:

The Anthropocene Project is a multidisciplinary body of work of three collaborating photographers: Edward Burtynsky, Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier. Not only does it involve a photobook of the images which capture humanity’s scarring on the landscapes of the globe in a sublime nature, but includes a major travelling museum exhibition, a feature-length documentary film and an interactive educational website to raise awareness of the consequences of civilisations radicalised consumerism. This project was launched in September 2018, combining scientific research with art to capture the most spectacular evidence of human influence, while taking time to reflect on the deeper meaning of what these profound transformations signify.

“We hope to bring our audience to an awareness of the normally unseen result of civilization’s cumulative impact upon the planet. This is what propels us to continue making the work. We feel that by describing the problem vividly, by being revelatory and not accusatory, we can help spur a broader conversation about viable solutions. We hope that, through our contribution, today’s generation will be inspired to carry the momentum of this discussion forward, so that succeeding generations may continue to experience the wonder and magic of what life, and living on Earth, has to offer.” – Edward Burtynsky

His other exhibitions:

• 1983–1985 Breaking Ground: Mines, Railcuts and Homesteads, Canada, USA
• 1991–1992 Vermont Quarries, USA
• 1997–1999 Urban Mines: Metal Recycling, Canada Tire Piles, USA
• 1993–Carrara Quarries, Italy
• 1995–1996 Tailings, Canada
• 1999-2010 Oil Canada, China, Azerbaijan, USA
• 2000–Makrana Quarries, India
• 2000–2001 Shipbreaking, Bangladesh
• 2004–2006 China
• 2006–Iberia Quarries, Portugal
• 2007–Australian Mines, Western Australia
• 2009–2013 Water Canada, USA, Mexico, Europe, Asia, Iceland, India
• 2016 Salt Pans
• 2014–2018 Anthropocene

Analysis of his work:

Edward Burtynsky’s image Ivory Tusks was shot on April 25, Nairobi, Kenya, 2016. The ideology behind this image is burning ivory tusks in order to prevent poaches from killing wild animals such as rhinos and elephants to sell these tusks and profit from inhumane acts. In the image, several roaring orange flames are captured swaying to the right making the image have a murky auburn tone to the overall atmosphere, setting a tone of anger and frustration. It involves the nature of the sublime due to the dangerous yet somewhat beautiful formation of the flames. The image includes a lot of detail and colour, producing a motion blur through the use of a slow shutter speed on a large format camera. This forces the viewer to adamantly sit by and watch the consequences of humanity’s greed and feel the guilt of how extreme it has become. The clouds of smoke bring an ominous tone throughout the image, filling the dark night time sky with anger and mystery. This provides a soft flow in the air contrasted against the uneven gravel scattered across the floor, symbolising how the burning of the tusks releases the animals from the impending deaths they would’ve had.

Anthropocene ~ Artist Study ~ Liu Bolin

Liu Bolin is a Chinese photographer and performance artist known for using chameleon style methods to immerse himself in the environment. The meaning behind Liu Bolin’s photography is that he blends in with the environment and this links to the way that the Chinese society is ruled as the people don’t have a voice and just blend in and don’t stand out.

What inspired Liu Bolin Photography?

Liu Bolin ~ At the end of 2005, I was living in Beijing and working as an artists assistant. Beijing’s art world at this time was thriving. All 140 artists in Suo Jia Cun were exclusively making art, and this is what I knew I wanted to do.

Image Analysis

The colour that is painted on Liu makes him very camouflaged with the rest of the image so he blends in with his surroundings. The texture in this image is very rough and uneven which suggests that he wants to fit in. The meaning behind his photos is that he is stuck in a controlling society and that in his country the people don’t have a voice and don’t have access to speak what’s on their mind. Liu Bolin says in a Ted Talk that he is sometimes called “the invisible man” because the Chinese government treats the population as a whole rather than giving people their individual voice. The invisible man also suggests that he is seen as just someone in the background and he doesn’t stand out just like nobody else stands out in the population. The surroundings of the photo add no value to him as a person as the image is in a public place that has no meaning which again has connotations that the people in China are treated like they are worthless and have no meaning or value.

Mandy Barker ~ Biography

Mandy Barker is an international award winning photographer who is British. She is mostly known for her work with marine plastics from the ocean, and has worked alongside scientists to try and bring awareness to the amount of plastic that is being used.

What inspired Mandy Barkers Photography?

The ever growing problem of plastic on the UK coastline and just how much of an issue its causing for the environment. She was inspired to use the plastic from the oceans in her photography to create a montage of images from the plastic that she collected.

How does Mandy Barkers photography relate to the theme of Anthropocene?

Mandy Barkers photography relates to the theme of Anthropocene as she collects washed up bits of plastic from the oceans and creates something spectacular and beautiful out of something that is very negative and is ruining our planet. With these amazing montages that she makes she makes awareness of the plastic pollution problem. Mandy Barkers photography consists of using plastic objects from the beach and arranging them on a black background or a piece of black fabric and then she uses those edits to build up the objects into a montage and adds more colourful images that she has photographed of a particular object to make the montage more interesting and appealing to the eye. This relates to the theme of Anthropocene because it shows that when more of the edits that she photographed are added to the montage the more plastic objects and rubbish from the oceans is in her photography which is trying to show just how much plastic is in our oceans.

Mandy Barker Image Analysis

The texture of this image is very rusty and bumpy that shows the wearing of the plastic objects. This also suggests that plastic takes years and years to break down and decompose. The meaning of this photo is to show how much plastic there is in our oceans and also to show that something that is so ugly and disgusting can be turned into something so beautiful and eye catching. The colour in this photo makes the image a lot more appealing to look at and directs your eye to more of the phot as the colour is drawing your eye in. The idea of this photo is to also try and use up some of the plastic that’s in the ocean and to show the sheer amount that is in our oceans. The size of the objects in this image makes the photo seem like its deep in the ocean and that there are thousands of plastic objects in the sea and on the shore. By changing the size and the opacity of the objects it makes it look a lot more crowded and full and shows that the ocean is heavily populated with plastic.