A zine is a small-circulation booklet or magazine, often created by hand or using digital tools through self-publishing. Unlike traditional magazines, zines are characterized by their DIY ethos and independent spirit. They cover a vast array of topics, from personal stories to art, poetry, and music.
This photoshoot consists of photos taken for my joiner as well as landscapes looking at buildings and humans impact on the natural world.
I tried to experiment with colour and tone within these images and capture rural and nature within each shot. The lighting i each image is natural and I’ve tried not to change the exposure while editing to keep that natural light. All of the images were shot with a Sony camera. I tried to incorporate leading lines and interesting visuals within my final images.
writing plan:
title ideas – Neoteric, Avant-Garde, Framework, dominion, au courant
I was inspired greatly by artists such as Lewis Baltz and Robert Adams throughout my work. They stood out to me more than other artists as the captured the everyday reality for what it was and made commentary on the present going ons. Lewis Baltz was an American photographer who began photographing when he was just 11 years old with his first camera being a 35mm focusing camera. He was most known for his works of black and white images of suburban landscapes as he tried to resist against industrialisation the false presentation of the “American Dream”. He created works to criticise and bring focus to how the seeable and physical world was reflecting what was happening daily and the powers guiding them. He also explored how new technologies were being misused especially types such as security cameras and CCTV. He changed his photography style from black and white to coloured in 1989 stating it was a shift from looking at the past to the future. Robert Adams another one of my inspirations for these works he was another American photographer who first began his photography career in 1963 where he bought his first camera and began to study how to use a camera and learnt photographic technique from a photographer living in the area . in 1970 he began working full time as a photographer after the Museum of Modern Art bought 4 of his prints. His work is all about capturing loneliness and isolation reoccurring despite population and numbers of people. After the “baby boom” in 1964 America’s population grew larger than the number of houses able to sustain them. With the lack of homes and space in the populated areas more houses were built in secluded and natural landscapes. He took photos to document the forever changing American West and how much damage was being done to the beautiful landscapes as well as how families were being torn apart with members having to move across the country to find housing.
My Name is Bronte Thomas I have always loved taking photos though in the beginning they were not always the best. I got my first camera at 9 years old as a christmas present from my mum, from then I was never without my camera. I experimented taking photos of my friends and family and different places we went as well as plants in my back garden. I knew it was a passion of mine however always thought it was beyond my reach for a career in the field however when the opportunity presented itself I decided to take it as one of my GCSE subjects to learn more about the art. I enjoyed taking the subject and was interested in all the new techniques I was being educated in and faced challenges of new concepts and ideas when researching new artists we were introduced to. It was a lot of work however I managed to do well in my GCSE with a grade 8 the highest in my class. Since then I got into the school I’m currently attending and chose Photography once again as an A Level hoping to be able to learn even more and develop my skills along with learning even more.
It is impossible for any camera of today to capture even half the amount of light the the human eye can.
Exposure bracketing is when your cameras dynamic range isn’t as large as the scene you’re photographing and so you take lots of identical photos but with different exposures . Dynamic range is the difference between the lightest and darkest parts of the image. If your camera cannot capture the entirety of it it will leave your images with an over or under exposed effect. Exposure bracketing is good as it will solve this issue and give detail to everything in the frame. Some cameras have an Auto-bracketing setting however there is many different ways to achieve it. One way is to select the exposure you think looks the best usually somewhere in the middle and then take another image upping the exposure in one and lowering it in the other. Another way to use bracketing is to use your histograms to get decent exposure then double the shutter speed and take a shot then take the next picture with the shutter speed you originally had and then take a third shot with half the shutter speed.
Bresson was born in France on the 22 of August 1908 to a wealthy family.
Henri Cartier-Bresson described photography as being an extension of the eye as it means you can see the world around you more closely and more detail than the human eye. He saw the camera as being a part of himself as he had it on him always. He saw the action of photography as being similar to “hunting but without killing” where he is waiting and searching for the victim or the subject. He capture the millisecond of that time and movement and is known for joining people together through that rather than separating them.
Throughout his childhood he had a passion for reading and art. he began painting at just 5 years old. In 1927 he began at L’hote academy a private art school where his passion for art grew as they encouraged his ambitions of joining modern art and classical art. He began taking pictures with a brownie box camera at around the same age finding photography fascinating as it captured moments in time. He studied literature and art at the university of Cambridge where he learnt other languages. In 1929 Bresson met Harry Crosby a American who he became very close friends with however Crosby committed suicide two years later. In his grief Bresson escaped to Africa he worked by hunting and selling his kill to the local people he was not known for his photography of that time as only seven photographs survived his travels. He returned to France where he discovered his biggest inspiration Martin Munkacsi, a hungarian photographer born in 1896 and passed in 1963. His work persuaded Bresson in his decision to switch from pursuing painting to photography. He then bought his first Leica camera which became his signature equipment to capturing his most famous works discreetly. Due to its small size many of his subjects did not know their picture was being taken and therefore it avoided posing or politeness over the camera.
From there he travelled extensively until his work was discovered in 1933 by the Julien Levy gallery New York. By 1937 Bresson was married but two years later was drafted into the French military in the beginnings of WW2. Tragically he was captured by Nazi soldiers and spent over two years enslaved in a prisoner-of-war camp before escaping back to France where he began documenting WW2 with other photographers while helping other escapees. In 1947 his first book was published containing his photos from the period. The same year he joined a group of photographers who assigned each other to countries around the world to document the world as it was.
In 1952 Bresson had “The Decisive Moment” published which became known for the line “everything has a decisive moment”. In 1955 his first exhibition in France was held at Pavillon de Marsan. In 1970 he remarried to another photographer and had his only daughter two years later. In 1975 he accepted an honorary degree from Oxford University.
In 2003 he created the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation with his family he passed away in 2004 with no cause of death. In 2011 his most expensive piece sold for 590455 US dollars.
The decisive moment as Bresson describes it as is the moment you take the shot. The decision to do this has many factors such as timing positioning of the camera, photographer and subject. He looks at the relationship between the environment and subject. However the images have no way of correction so timing this is a hard skill. Bresson stated that the image did not class as a decisive moment if the image was posed as the subject had prepared for the image making it unnatural. All of his images are candid.
Definition: a small-circulation self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images.
I liked the simplicity of the cover, as well as the style of one page being a portrait with the other being text corresponding to the person, creating a documentary-like style.
I liked how the cover had no photos and was just text, and how the photos inside the zine were all consistent with the zine’s colour scheme and design.
I liked how the cover was two photos joined together to make one portrait, and how it compliments the style and intention of the rest of the zine.
Appearance
All images will be black and white and displayed in a very formal and consistent manner, since all images are taken in a documentary-like and sterile manner to fit with the New Topographics theme.
Format, Size + Orientation
All images will be of similar size and orientation to make them work well together as a group and help with the narrative behind the zine.
Narrative + Visual Concept
The collection of images in my zine is exploring the concept of industry and man-made landscapes, showing how Romanticism and nature have been disconnected from humans in a modern society where more and more is being built for the purpose of expansion.
Design and Layout
I will have a consistent design and layout throughout – the zine will feature an image with a caption and context describing the intention behind it, a double page spread of one image and then a diptych of two similar images.
Images and Text
I want to minimise the amount of text to keep my zine as being purely visual storytelling, although some images will have captions with a title and others will have a small paragraph on the opposing page with context and thoughts behind the image.
Title and Captions
My zine will feature a title on the front page, and a few captions along some of the more significant images in the zine.
Bernd and Hilla Becher were a German photographer duo known for documenting industrial architecture with a methodical and almost scientific approach. They focused on water towers, cooling towers, silos, and factory structures , man-made buildings that were fading from the landscape during Germany’s post-war rebuild.
They met while studying at the Düsseldorf Academy of Art. Their shared fascination with the disappearing industrial world led them to photograph the first abandoned site in Germany scheduled for demolition. This was a turning point for them an attempt to preserve a vanishing part of the past.
What drove their work was a deep respect for architecture that most people ignored or rejected. Instead of romantic landscapes, they photographed ordinary, functional buildings, creating a visual record of an entire era of production and engineering.
They were inspired to preserve this fading landscape before it disappeared forever. Their work wasn’t emotional or nostalgic it was about documenting reality with precision and clarity.
The Bechers developed the concept of Typologies , series of similar structures photographed from the same angle, with the same framing and lighting, and often presented in grid formats.
They explained Typology as being like a flipbook or a film. You’re not just looking at one image , you’re comparing shapes, noticing patterns.
They were inspired by Karl Blossfeldt, a photographer who documented plants in a similar structured and objective way, almost like specimens in a museum.
huge part of their method involved waiting for the right light. They preferred flat skies to remove shadows and drama, creating a clean contrast between the structure and the background. This neutral tone supported their idea of realism over romanticism.
I haven’t started taking images for this part of my project yet, but I’m planning to:
HIGHLANDS
For this photoshoot, I was inspired by the New Topographics movement, which focused on man-altered landscapes, objective framing, and a rejection of traditional romantic views of nature. My aim was to explore Highlands College and its surrounding campus in a way that reflected the ideas of artists like Robert Adams and Bernd and Hilla Becher
Function over form: I documented structures like bins ,crates stairwells, fences, signs, and railings everyday objects not designed to be beautiful but functional.
Human impact: Though there were no people in the frame, their presence is felt everywhere through construction, landscaping, and order.
Geometric framing: I looked for harsh edges, grids, and repetition (like railings, windows, and paving slabs) to bring structure to the images.
The New Topographic movement was about redefining what a “landscape” could be not majestic or wild, but quiet, man-made, and often overlooked. I wanted to take that idea and apply it to a familiar environment like Highlands.
This also ties into the “Typologies” idea organising images based on repeated subjects or architectural similarities, as the Bechers did with water towers and factories.
Lighting: The image is illuminated by natural daylight, casting strong shadows and enhancing contrast. The even lighting ensures all elements remain visible and well-defined. The bright, clear sky provides a solid backdrop for the man-made structures in the foreground.
Aperture: The deep depth of field keeps every element sharp, from the Chevron sign in the foreground to the mountains in the distance.
Shutter Speed: The presence of motion blur in the orange and yellow cars in the foreground suggests a slightly slower shutter speed, emphasizing movement in contrast to the stillness of the signage and architecture.
ISO: The fine grain and sharp detail indicate a low ISO, maintaining clarity in both bright and shadow areas.
White Balance: The cool blue sky contrasts with the warmer tones of the signage and pavement, reinforcing the separation between natural and man-made elements.
The foreground is heavily cluttered with signs, traffic lights, and fuel station, while the background is an open, expansive sky with distant mountains. This juxtaposition emphasizes how even though urbanization occurred , natural landscapes are always in part present and not forever lost, however very much dominated and overwhelmed by the man-made structures
Colour:
The dominant red, white, and blue in the Chevron sign echo American nationalism, reinforcing the idea that corporate branding is deeply embedded in American identity.
Tone:
The photograph balances light and dark tones, using contrast to define structures. The solid blue sky acts as negative space, making the signs stand out prominently.
Texture:
The smooth, reflective surfaces of signs and vehicles contrast with the rough pavement
Shape & Form:
The strong geometric composition features rectangles, vertical lines, and directional signage, creating leading lines which help your eyes through the image.
Pattern & Repetition:
The repetition of corporate signage (Chevron, Texaco) and road signs emphasizes the omnipresence of consumer culture.
Line & Space:
The road acts as a leading line, guiding the viewer’s eye toward the mountains.
The Chevron sign’s arrows direct the gaze further into the scene
The low horizon line places emphasis on the sky while anchoring the cluttered urban environment below.
Historical Context:
The low fuel prices indicate a time when gasoline was significantly cheaper, reflecting an era of car dependency.
The 1970s American Dream was heavily associated with freedom, travel, and consumerism, all fuelled by the oil industry.
Personal Context
Stephen Shore, a key figure in the New Topographics movement, deliberately photographed mundane, everyday American scenes to challenge traditional ideas of beauty in photography.
Cultural/Social/Political Contexts:
The signage pollution symbolizes corporate intrusion into public spaces.
The American car culture and oil industry are central themes fuel companies profited from the nation’s reliance on cars , influencing infrastructure and lifestyle choices.
Wider Connections:
The tension between national pride (symbolized by American colors) and corporate dominance raises questions about whether commercialism has overtaken cultural identity.
Conceptual Analysis
The Chevron sign is a dominant signifier, larger and more prominent than any natural elements in the frame, symbolizing corporate power.
The use of red, white, and blue in the Chevron sign mirrors the American flag, blending corporate branding with national identity.
The large-format camera allows for a vast depth of field, ensuring every detail is crisp and visible. This enhances the documentary nature of the image, making the viewer engage with all elements rather than focusing on a singular subject.
What is Meant by a topographic?
Relating to the arrangement of the physical features of an area. “a topographic map of the site” Anything topographic has to do with the surface of the earth, including every valley and hill. A topographic map includes lines that show the elevation of the land.
What is meant by the term New topographics in relation to photography during the industrial revolution?
“New topographics ” was a term created by William Jenkins ( An Art Critic.) in 1975 to describe a group of American photographers (such as Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz) , New topographics can be seen as another way to describe landscapes: how they are structured visually/physically and composed. For this era of photography it was used as a label to generalise a style of photography which included pictures that had a similar banal ( lacking originality, freshness) aesthetic, in that they were formal, mostly monochrome ( black and white) prints of the urban landscape.
Overall, Most The Photographers Associated with new topographics including Robert Adams, Lewis Baltz, Nicholas Nixon, Joe Deal, Frank Gohlke, Bernd and Hilla Becher, and Stephen Shorer, Where clearly inspired by the man made , selecting subject matter , that was matter-of-fact. This included urban structures like parking lots, suburban housing and warehouses were all depicted with a unique stark austerity ( sternness or severity of manner or attitude) , Almost in the way early photographers documented the natural landscape.
An exhibition at the international museum of photography located in Rochester, New York featuring these photographers also revealing a story of a growing unease about how the natural landscapes where being eroded by industrial development.
The new topographics also had a decisive influence on later photographer including those artists who became known as the Düsseldorf school of photography.
The New Topographics was a response to the romanticized and dramatic landscape photography that dominated earlier styles, particularly in the works of Ansel Adams and the American West tradition.
This movement emerged in reaction to the rapid industrialization and suburban expansion of the 20th century, shifting the focus from untouched nature to human-altered landscapes. Instead of capturing spacious wilderness, these photographers documented the everyday, man-made environment, portraying the stark reality of urban society, industrial sites, and suburban developments.
Robert Adams, Lewis Baltz, Nicholas Nixon, Joe Deal, Frank Gohlke, Bernd and Hilla Becher, and Stephen Shore ; shared a common aesthetic:
Banal Subject Matter: They depicted ordinary, functional landscapes such as suburban housing developments, highways, warehouses, and industrial zones.
Matter-of-Fact Presentation: Their images were often formal, detached, and devoid of overt emotional or political statements.
Monochrome & Colour Photography: Many photographers used black-and-white photography, reinforcing a documentary-like objectivity, while others, like Stephen Shore, explored the potential of colour.
Stark Composition : The compositions were often simple, symmetrical, and methodically structured, emphasizing repetition and geometry.
Minimalist Aesthetic: The photographs had a clinical, neutral tone, rejecting romantic standards set by the romanticism era.
The movement significantly influenced later photographers, particularly those of the Düsseldorf School, including Andreas Gursky and Thomas Struth. Their approach to large-scale, detailed images of contemporary urban life echoes the conceptual and aesthetic principles established by the New Topographics.
