Mood board

Why?

I want my photographs to enrapture how man have changed things along the island, I want to portray a concept of change, how we have damaged this planet and in what ways we can fix it. I think by taking photos of people with plastic on the ocean will create something, as you look at the images you wonder to yourself “Did they pick that litter up”, but in reality at home you are the one using single use plastic, harming the earth yourself yet you are so worried about how other people are.

Photoshoot Ideas-

Idea 1,

Photoshoot at Plemont where the puffins are and the bunker there, also images off the cliff side, in order to show our everchanging landscape, and the man made structure of the puffins and how it has implanted its self in-between the never-ending nothingness of nature.

Idea 2,

My second idea will be a group of people sat at either a harbour or a beach within the gloomy weather, to portray how the weather is changing due to climate change, and how humans think that its too late to reverse any damage that they have created. I will take these at places like St.Cathrines breakwater and La Saline car park.

Idea 3,

My third idea is too take some inspiration from Naomi White and Lucas Foglia , I want to embed plastics and plastic bags within my im ages as a representation of people facing their consequences.

Overall Plan

Creating a plan to capture “Anthropocene images”—photographs that reflect human impact on the Earth in the current geological age—requires a blend of visual storytelling, a deep understanding of environmental issues, and a sensitivity to how these impacts manifest in everyday life. Here’s a comprehensive plan to guide your project:

1. Define Your Concept and Theme

• Anthropocene Overview: The Anthropocene is the proposed current geological age viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment. This can include themes of environmental degradation, technological advancements, urbanization, deforestation, pollution, etc.
• Narrow Your Focus: Decide what aspect of the Anthropocene you want to explore. Some ideas include:
  • Pollution: Air, water, and land pollution.
  • Climate Change: Evidence of rising sea levels, droughts, or wildfires.
  • Urbanization: Expanding cities, infrastructure, and human-made landscapes.
  • Biodiversity Loss: Endangered species, deforestation, or changing ecosystems.
  • Resource Extraction: Mining, oil drilling, or agriculture.
  • Technology and Surveillance: The omnipresence of digital technologies, smart cities, and surveillance.

2. Research and Identify Locations

• Urban Areas: Look for places where human infrastructure and nature collide or have transformed the landscape, such as cities, industrial zones, or sprawling suburbs.
• Nature Sites Impacted by Humans: Consider places like deforested areas, polluted rivers, waste dumps, or wildlife habitats affected by human intervention.
• Industries and Factories: Capture images in places like manufacturing plants, mining sites, or energy production facilities.
• Rural Areas: Sometimes the Anthropocene is more evident in rural landscapes, where agriculture, logging, or overuse of resources is visible.

3. Develop a Shooting Style

• Wide-Open Landscapes vs. Close-Up Details: Wide shots can convey large-scale environmental destruction, while detailed shots can capture the impact on individual elements of nature (polluted water, deteriorating structures, wildlife struggling with human development).
• Contrast: Show the clash between nature and human progress. Capture the juxtaposition of man-made objects with natural elements (e.g., an oil rig against a backdrop of a natural landscape).
• Light and Mood: Depending on the subject, adjust your lighting. Harsh midday light can emphasize the starkness of industrial landscapes, while the golden hour might lend a more poignant, melancholic feel.
• Long Exposure or Time-lapse: Consider long-exposure shots to show movement in urban spaces or time-lapses of changing landscapes (e.g., the erosion of coastlines, or construction projects).

4. Shooting Techniques

• Documentary Style: Focus on realism and authenticity. You may want to shoot images that tell a story, similar to documentary photography. This could include people in these environments and their relationship to the changes happening around them.
• Aerial Photography: If possible, use drones or aerial shots to provide a bird’s-eye view of environmental changes, urban sprawl, deforestation, or agricultural monocultures.
• Night Photography: Urban environments can look dramatically different at night, where lights, smog, or artificial landscapes come to the forefront.
• Perspective: Experiment with unusual perspectives—looking from above, low to the ground, or through windows or fences— to reveal different layers of interaction between humans and nature.

5. Photo Series and Narrative

• Consider structuring your images into a cohesive photo series, where each photograph adds to the overall narrative of human impact.
• Use captions or small narratives to add context. The Anthropocene is about the story of human interaction with the Earth over time, so offering insight into the history or consequences of a place can add depth to your project.
• For example, in a series on deforestation, you might juxtapose images of thriving forest ecosystems against those of clear-cut land, followed by a close-up of machinery and the resulting barren ground.

6. Editing and Post-Processing

• Enhance the Message: Post-processing should be used to enhance your narrative. If your aim is to emphasize destruction or deterioration, you might adjust contrast, saturation, or introduce desaturation to make images look more somber.
• Manipulate Colors for Impact: High contrast and heavy editing can evoke a sense of crisis. For example, you might intensify the browns, oranges, or reds of polluted skies or urban decay.
• Add Texture: Subtle textures, like dust or grain, can increase the tactile feeling of environmental damage or neglect in your images.

7. Incorporate Human Presence

• Humans are integral to the Anthropocene. Including people in your photos—workers, consumers, or activists—can convey how humans interact with or are affected by environmental changes.
• Contradictions: Show the contrasts in human behavior—people benefiting from industries that harm the environment, or individuals working to restore ecosystems.

8. Social Commentary

• Many photographers who work within this theme, such as Edward Burtynsky, have an underlying social commentary. Consider how your images can raise awareness, evoke emotion, or call for action.
• Use images to show the consequences of unchecked industrialization, environmental destruction, or consumerism.

9. Ethical Considerations

• Authenticity: Ensure that your images reflect the real impacts of human activity without exaggerating or misrepresenting.
• Respect for Subjects: Be sensitive to the communities or individuals whose lives are impacted by these phenomena. This includes obtaining permission if necessary and respecting privacy.

10. Exhibition or Sharing

• Online Platforms: If you want to reach a global audience, consider sharing your images on social media platforms, photography blogs, or online galleries. Instagram and platforms like 500px can help you build visibility.
• Physical Exhibitions: You could organize an exhibition to present the images in a physical space. You might pair the images with text, statistics, or video to help tell the story.
• Collaboration with Activists/NGOs: Partnering with organizations involved in environmental or social justice issues can help get your message out to a wider audience and have an impact.

Example Timeline for the Project

Week 1-2: Conceptualization and Planning

• Finalize theme and select locations.
• Research environmental issues and any necessary permits.
• Organize your gear and plan logistics.

Week 3-4: Location Scouting and First Round of Shooting

• Begin photographing key locations based on your research.
• Capture a variety of angles, light conditions, and perspectives.

Week 5-6: Continued Shooting and Editing

• Refine your shots and add any human presence if necessary.
• Begin initial edits for lighting, contrast, and narrative flow.

Week 7-8: Final Edits and Arrangement

• Complete editing of all images.
• Arrange photos into a cohesive series or narrative.

Week 9-10: Preparation for Exhibition

• Finalize captions, narratives, or additional media.
• Consider how best to display your work, either digitally or in physical form.

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This plan is flexible, so feel free to adjust based on the locations you have access to and the specific Anthropocene themes that resonate with you. The project has the potential to spark important conversations about humanity’s role in shaping the planet’s future.