Landscape photography. What does that phrase initially emote in me? Generally, when I think of that particular photographic genre, images of chocolate box scenery & long-exposure shots of piers sliding off into the distance on a smooth sea usually come to mind. Usually taken by men with exceedingly large lens on solo trips to the wilderness.
When looking at this particular style of landscape photography, sometimes these hyper-coloured images start merging into a rainbow of beauty. They become a show of skill rather than having an individual flair. But that’s my personal reaction. I know there are other ways of emoting a landscape photographically.
As part of the unit’s outline, the class has been given a list of contemporary photographers as sources. My first task is to research three of these then analyse how the compositional & technical approaches in my example images help the photographs communicate their intended objective. To do this I’ll look at the works of Simon Norfolk, Edward Burtinsky & Murray Johnston.
Simon Norfolk
Simon Norfolk is a landscape photographer who themes his work around the meaning of the word ‘battlefield’ in all its forms. He has photographed supercomputers used to design military systems, test launches of nuclear missiles plus captured some of the world’s worst war zones & refugee crises (1). While researching Norfolk’s work, the images that have always stood out for me are the ones involving trees & details featured in a series of images: Bleed.
When first looking at Norfolk’s work, especially if you’re unaware of the context, they could be described as general observations of a landscape with a few abstracts thrown in for good measure.
For example, the images of the trees are quite conventional. They are presented in quite a classical way, in that the trees are central to the images. Each could be seen as a study of how changes in the light & surrounding environment appear to show the differences of the seasons. The mountains in the distance show a deep depth of field, giving the viewer a sense of space & perspective.
The abstracts appear to be studies of ice, taking in a detailed view of the patterns within the frozen water. The viewer is taken in very close, almost to the point of claustrophobia. With regards to all the images, the colours are very muted & the images are both sharp & in focus. They are not presented in a very sentimental way & are quite stark.
However, these photographs have a more bone-chilling history. These landscape images were taken in Bosnia on the sites of a mass grave along a pot-holed track through the country at a place known as Crny Vrh. (2). By recording this site in its apparent mundanity, Norfolk has created a record of an horrific war crime.
Edward Burtinsky
Burtinsky’s work is a body of images that I’ve admired since coming across it at Photo London in 2016. These photographs when seen printed & framed on a wall just make you stop & stare. There is a real sense of detachment when viewing these photographs, as if you’re being suspended in the sky looking down observing the landscape from afar. At first, with some of the images, it isn’t obvious as to what the subject matter may be. The viewer has to then take a much closer look to see the details. This brings the viewer deeper into the image, enticing them in.
There is also a contradiction between the beautiful aesthetics of the saturated colours & sharp details being presented & the stark truth of the subject matter. Burtinsky has stated that ‘nature transformed through industry’ is a predominant theme of his work & that ‘these images are meant as metaphors to the dilemma of our modern existence’ By taking on subjects that are rich in detail he captures environments such as recycling yards, quarries & refineries. His intention is to show the dilemma of our modern existence, the ‘uneasy contradiction’ of our ‘dependence on nature to provide the materials for our consumption & our concern for the health of the planet’. (1).
Burtinsky has certainly achieved his objective by recording the results of humans transformation of certain parts of the environment in the pursuit of acquiring objects. Each image shows the massive scale of that transformation, giving the viewer the opportunity to reflect on the impact of its effect.
Murray Johnston
Murray Johnston (1949 – 1990) was a Scottish photographer who, in his short, but influential, career was the first photographer in residence at Kielder Forest, Northumberland in 1980. (4).
In contrast to the other photographers above, Johnston’s landscape photography appears to be in a more traditional style. By this I mean it is a literal a record of an environment, rather than a commentary on the circumstances in which the photograph was taken. Also these are taken on black & white film then printed in a darkroom rather than taken with digital cameras then produced on a colour printer
When looking at his images there is a noticeable softness of tone without any sacrifice of detail. The point of view is quite intimate, as if the viewer could be in the forest, on the beach or by the river. The compositions are never quite straight, giving a slightly off-set feel to the images. However, this does not distract from the gentle beauty within the photographs. The trees are quite a solid presence within the setting adding weight & structure.
With the images of the grass & trees, there are leading lines that bring the viewer’s attention to the depth of field. The trees to the side of the grass in both photos are quite heavy in comparison to the grass in the bottom middle which accentuates the effect.
It’s a shame that I haven’t been able to see the prints in real life rather than on the screen. Ria pointed out that these images have been printed on platinum rather than silver-based paper. This gives even more detail to the images by adding a particular tone adding to the extent of contrast without being too harsh.
Now that this particular task is complete, time to dig a bit further into the genre of landscape photography.
1: https://www.michaelhoppengallery.com/artists/69-simon-norfolk/overview/
2: http://www.instituteartist.com/feature-Bleed-Simon-Norfolk
3: https://www.edwardburtynsky.com/
4: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/artists/murray-johnston
Criteria Ref: Tasks 1.1 & 1.2
Photo Arcturus 