A summer project

http://www.brucepercy.co.uk/

A few people have been asking for an idea of what projects might come up next year in HNC, so that they can do some shooting over the summer break.

One project we do is called 'Environmental' photography. The idea is that you identify a landscape or environment, and use photography to explore it, describe it, and express your opinion.

To help you develop an opinion on the landscape, read this statement:

“Landscape is no longer characterised by wild or unspoiled nature. Man has stamped his mark on it: deforestation, intensive farming, urbanisation, communication lines, electrification, industrial wastelands, battlefields or leisure parks.” Henri Peretz, Magnum Landscape (Phaidon)

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? How have photographers responded to this issue?

Practical task: Produce black-and-white film photography from four different locations. The images must show your own reaction to the quote. 

Here are some links to environment related photography:
http://www.brucepercy.co.uk/


http://www.theiepa.org/

www.wildmedia.org/

http://wlc-photo.blogspot.com/search/label/landscape

http://www.wild-vision.com/

Dimitri Vasilou

I've been enjoying the photographs of Dimitri Vasilou.
Rab in the HNC class mentioned his work to me after hearing a talk at Mid Calder Camera Club.
His website is full of inspiring pictures, mostly landscapes, and useful information. He writes guides and magazine articles about technique too and there's a diary of talks and presentations if you want to meet him.
For me, looking at his pictures makes me want to pick up a camera (or more) and go out exploring...

http://dvattika.com/

Fay Godwin

There can be more to landscape photography than a pretty view. Margaret Drabble, writing in the Guardian, describes Fay Godwin as a writer's photographer:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/jan/08/margaret-drabble-fay-godwin

Landscape

I was asked to put up a couple of examples of good landscape photographers from someone who doesn't really 'get' landscape. Steve McCurry's landscape section of his website is a good place to start:http://www.stevemccurry.com/main.php

He's a photojournalist whose work is mostly in S Asia, Afghanistan, India and like most photojournalists his work is about the human condition. So even his landscapes have something human about them.

A more traditional landscape photographer is Colin Prior:http://www.colinprior.co.uk/portfolios/

He tries to show the natural world as wild and beautiful and as untouched by people as possible, and uses panoramic, wide-screen cameras to give an almost cinematic drama to the scenes. He selects the most dramatic locations at the most dramatic times of day - and that can mean being at the top of a winter mountain at dawn. That means carrying all of his kit up the night before and sleeping out, or climbing up in the dark. That is an incredible achievement.

James Ravilious - http://www.jamesravilious.com/gallerypic.asp?gallery_id=33

is worth a look too, for more agricultural, southern and softer scenes from Devon. Again he is a documentary photographer, concerned with the human life in rural devon. Have a look at the picture of Archie Parkhouse and his dog, which strongly reminds me of my old nextdoor neighbour where I grew up in Fife. Because the landscape is almost like a character in these pictures, sometimes he concentrates on scenic views, and he also photographed in France. He was influenced by Edwin Smith.

Another more clear-cut landscape photographer is Charlie Waite, who also teaches and writes about his work in lots of magazines and TV programmes. http://www.charliewaite.com/home.asp