Task 1: The Portrait
Natural light vs studio light: In class, we took photographs of each other in various different lights in the studio and outside the classroom. I changed the shutter speed and aperture in different lightings to see the effect of different lighting on the portrait. I found that photographing the subject while the light is shining directly onto their face creates a more flat image, whereas photographing the subject in different angles created more shadow and depth within the photo. In the studio, there was a harsh direct light and a soft tungsten direct light.
harsh light
the harsh light creates dark shadow behind the model and on the side of the face where the light isn't shining, while making the other side of their face bright. |
soft light
the soft light creates shadows on some parts of the subject's face and highlights others, creating a contrast between light and dark |
Different locations around the school the light inside the school is darker and less harsh. I took some photographs next to the window where the light is only hitting one side of the subject's face, but this light has a different effect to the lights in the studio because not as much shadow is created and the light is not as direct. The photographs come out much darker when the photographs are taken inside the school away from windows. |
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Catherine Christofis
In her series 'A406', Catherine Christofis is fascinated by nature breaking through the man made world. "the plants I photograph are often seen as a nuisance and ugly. I want to change to change that conception and show the beauty in these weeds. The A406 is a major road that travels through Greater London; it is also the map I have used for my journey to create this collection of photographs" |
John Londei
London, 1979: Sidney Gould opened his bric-a-brac shop in the late 1950s. He sold up in 1988 and the site now houses a pizza shop.
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Louth, 1982: Bill Platt's father took over the provision store in 1913 and thirteen years later Bill became the new owner. With his retirement in 1986 the store closed. It is now a bookshop.
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Brighton, 1980: Beall & Co opened in 1883 and was the country's last cork shop. It closed after reaching its centenary, and in its place now stands a materials store.
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In his series 'shutting up shop', John Londei portrays the decline of traditional shops. he photographed a cork shop, a magic shop, a provisions shop and many more small shops that have since been shut down. the photographer is indicating how the changing industry is affecting peoples businesses. in response to Londei's series, I photographed people working in small, independent shops in Muswell Hill. I photographed a charity shop, a cake shop, an off-licence and a mirror shop. |
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PERSONAL BRIEF:
Continuing from my research on isolated and abandoned areas in my curatorship task, I am now going to take photographs of derelict places and objects. I want to reflect the idea of making something beautiful out of a neglected place, something that photographers Nadav Kander, William Eckersley and Simon Kennedy show in their work using lighting, angle and perspective. I have made a mind map of initial inspirations for my personal brief that will give me an idea of the things I want to develop and respond to in my own work.
Architecture in Brick Lane
To build on my initial ideas for my personal brief, I went to Brick Lane and Shordich High Street to photograph architecture and see if I noticed any abandoned or neglected buildings. The architecture in brick lane is interesting because there is a lot of contrast between new and old architecture, which indicates the scale of industrialisation in London and shows how the old buildings are being neglected and new buildings are being built around them instead. I found that in brick lane there is a big difference in the visual aspects of modern and old architecture- the modern buildings have a lot of glass and steel whereas the older buildings are made from bricks. I found that many of the buildings were crumbling and decaying, linking to the theme of neglect and the contrast between the old and new buildings. Many of the older and more neglected buildings had been decorated with graffiti, which I found interesting because it shows that people are making use out of the older buildings and making something beautiful out of a neglected place.
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Layering photographs from Brick Lane
Using my photographs of the everyman cinema and brick lane, I set up the projector and printed the photographs onto acetate. I then layered the photos on top of each other and photographed the image. I found this technique interesting because it combines the new and old buildings to create a new image. I then experimented with layering colour on top of the structures to add more depth.
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GALLERY VISIT - BERLIN
Danny Lyon, CO gallery
ABANDONED/DERELICT/ISOLATED
FIRST DEVELOPMENT - NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY
GILLES COULON
Gilles Coulon's series 'White Night' was first worked on in 2000 during a journey across Niger. Driven by his desire to travel around the world, Gilles Coulon photographs different locations in different countries including Shanghai, Paris, Bamako, Helsinki, New York, Khabarovsk, Marseille, Cairo, Niamey, Bordeaux, Beijing and Bagnolet. The photographs allow the viewer to imagine the atmosphere of the different locations, which is interesting because the photographs make us look at the familiar places in a different light, which creates an eerie, haunting atmosphere. Coulon uses neon lights which is effective because it creates a harsh, bright light that illuminates the area around it and adds to the sinister atmosphere of the image.
The use of colour and light in this photograph is effective because the blue, red and orange lights create a contrast of colour and add depth to the photograph. the light shining through the blue fans and the silhouette of the figure in the background add to the sinister, eerie atmosphere.
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This photograph is of an escalator in a tube station. The light in this photograph is created by two red neon lights in the ceiling. I like the use of red light in this composition because the light reflects off the metal of the escalator and contrasts with the dull green wall in the background, making the escalator stand out.
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in this photograph, the neon light comes from inside the shop, illuminating the side of the shop while leaving the world outside dark. this creates a mysterious atmosphere and makes the shop seem isolated as it is the only distinguishable thing in the image.
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My Response
In response to Gilles Coulon's series 'White Night', I have taken pics at night of a car wash, bus stops, phone boxes, tube stations and tunnels. To take these photographs, I have set up a tripod in several different locations around Hornsey Rise and Finsbury Park, and experimented with the ISO and shutter speed so that the subject of the photograph is visible in the darkness. I photographed these locations because they relate to the photographs in Giles Coulon's 'White Night' series - I have noticed that Gilles Coulon typically has one light (usually neon) as the focus of the photograph, with the rest of the subject illuminated by the spotlight in the composition. In my response to Gilles Coulon I have tried to incorporate this by having a central subject lit by bright/neon lights with a dark background behind to create a feeling of abandonment and isolation.
FINSBURY PARK - TUBE STATION
I found that the tunnel under the bridge leading to Finsbury park station is lit by blue and green neon light. i photographed this area because the light is similar to the kind of light that Coulon photographs in 'white night'. This location links to the theme of isolation because Finsbury park is normally very busy, with a lot of people walking to and from the station, and capturing a photograph where the location is isolated creates a haunting atmosphere. |
TUNNEL UNDER MUSWELL HILL -
The tunnel leading from muswell hill primary school into the parkland walk running underneath muswell hill is normally busy with dog walkers, parents and children walking to and from school. i thought that it would be interesting to photograph this tunnel at night to show a different perspective. the neon lights and black space at the end of the tunnel add to the eerie atmosphere and link to Gilles Coulon's 'White Night'. |
HORNSEY RISE - CAR WASH, BUS STOP, TELOPHONE BOX
I photographed different locations around Crouch end/Hornsey rise. I tried to find places that are lit in one area and dark outside so that the illuminated object is the subject of the photograph. this adds to the eerie, sinister atmosphere and relates to the theme of isolation that Gilles Coulon is exploring in his series 'White Night'. |
TROY PAIVA
In his series 'Lost America', photographer Troy Paiva uses light painting to create colourful night-time photographs. He explored various locations around the American West, including decommissioned military bases, NASA installations derelict ocean liner, airliner boneyards, and a large number of abandoned amusement parks, train stations, factories, hospitals and many more. These are interesting choices of locations because they are normally inhabited by lots of people, but these places are abandoned and isolated, creating a haunting and surreal atmosphere. The thing that drew the photographer to these locations was the "feeling of wandering through an abandoned subdivision, alone, in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night. Your senses become heightened and you feel the weight of time.”
he only shoots at night, using minutes long exposures to capture the images. He uses different coloured hand held lights to illuminate the area that he is photographing to create a more dramatic, theatrical atmosphere. This is a theme that I am interested in exploring because, when photographing at night in response to Gilles Coulon, I found that the most successful images contained coloured neon light - including blue, green and yellow lights illuminating car washes, tunnels and phone boxes- because it creates more depth within the photograph and lead the viewers eye to the subject that is lit by the coloured light and surrounded by darkness. In his series 'Lost America', Trow Paiva is also experimenting with control within the photograph - he controls what is lit by the coloured light and what is left in darkness. This contrasts with the chaotic atmosphere of the location because the places that he chooses to photograph are all abandoned and neglected, and makes something beautiful out of somewhere that is derelict and isolated.
he only shoots at night, using minutes long exposures to capture the images. He uses different coloured hand held lights to illuminate the area that he is photographing to create a more dramatic, theatrical atmosphere. This is a theme that I am interested in exploring because, when photographing at night in response to Gilles Coulon, I found that the most successful images contained coloured neon light - including blue, green and yellow lights illuminating car washes, tunnels and phone boxes- because it creates more depth within the photograph and lead the viewers eye to the subject that is lit by the coloured light and surrounded by darkness. In his series 'Lost America', Trow Paiva is also experimenting with control within the photograph - he controls what is lit by the coloured light and what is left in darkness. This contrasts with the chaotic atmosphere of the location because the places that he chooses to photograph are all abandoned and neglected, and makes something beautiful out of somewhere that is derelict and isolated.
Photoshop experiments
This photograph is of a telephone box in Hornsey Rise, Crouch End. In the telephone box is a neon light that illuminates the inside. The fact that there is only one main light in the centre of the photograph separates the telephone box from the dark background around it and makes it seem isolated.
In photoshop, I experimented with using different tools to create different effects within the photograph of a telephone box. I applied filters and changed the colour balance and contrast in the photograph to alter the colours and create a similar effect to photographer Troy Paiva, who sets up lights in isolated, abandoned areas to control which parts of the photograph is illuminated and which parts are left in darkness. The use of colour in his photographs are effective because they create a surreal, mysterious atmosphere, and I am trying to achieve this effect through my photoshop experiments. original photograph (left) |
To edit this photograph I experimented with the neon filter to change the colour of the light inside the telephone box. First, I changed the brightness and contrast of the image and then applied the 'neon glow' filter and experimented with the glow colour, glow size and glow brightness. I found that this effect does successfully change the colour of the neon light inside box while leaving the background unchanged, but the area of colour is quite small.
I also experimented with changing the colour of the whole area inside the telephone box and made the background black and white to isolate the box from the background behind it and draw the viewer's attention to the area inside. I experimented with various different colours, and I found that softer, less bright colours such as dark blue were the most effective, because the blue colour blends into the background and makes the colour change more subtle.
first I made 2 layers of the same photograph and made one layer black and white. with the other layer, I used the magnetic lasso tool to select only the box, inverted it and then erased all of the background. I then used the gradient tool to make a gradient of light inside the telephone box and experimented with brightness and contrast and colour balance to chance the colour of the area inside.
SECOND DEVELOPMENT - ABANDONED/DERELICT BUILDINGS AND OBJECTS
William Eckersley: Left London
In his series 'Left London', William Eckersley spent 12 months photographing London's derelict sites, exploring the cycle of decay and renewal within the city and showing it from an unseen, surreal perspective. The industrialisation and urbanisation of London is growing at a very high rate, leaving behind the buildings that are not successful. Eckersley's series 'Left London' is interesting because these buildings are often demolished a short time after they are abandoned, so these photographs provide a permanent reminder of something that is no longer there, which suggests a sense of impermanence and uncertainty about whether the development of London is successful or not. The fact that the building is abandoned creates an eerie other-worldly atmosphere - the photographer is capturing images of abandoned buildings that people walk past every day but do not notice, which links to people’s oblivious nature towards the staggering rate of redevelopment in london and the effects that it could have on our lives.
My Response to William Eckersley's 'Left London' 1
BERLIN - URBAN STRASSE - ABANDONED BUILDINGS
In Berlin, I visited a site called 'Urban Strasse' (urban street), which was a collection of abandoned and neglected buildings. I found it interesting how the buildings had been decorated with graffiti because it shows how people are making a different use out of the buildings - using them to make art instead of using the inside of the buildings. I liked the contrast between the graffiti and the buildings and how the graffiti adds colour, texture and pattern.
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My Response to William Eckersley's 'Left London' 2
TRELLICK TOWER
In my second response to William Eckersley's series 'Left London', I visited the area around Trellick Tower in Westbourne Park, where there is a collection of abandoned objects and buildings.
I was interested to see the effects of graffiti on the buildings because it adds a sense of chaos to the abandoned buildings which makes it looks busy and creates contrast between the art and the isolated area. I also found evidence that people had been living in one of the buildings, which was interesting because it showed how someone is making use out of an abandoned and isolated site. |
Progress Map
1. Night photography: I photographed various locations at night to create a sense of surrealism and isolation
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TO DO: Next I am going to photograph more abandoned places and experiment with photographing objects as well as architecture. I will also try out different photographic techniques and processes.
Neglected houses and abandoned prison in Cuba
1. neglected and decaying buildings in Havana
On a trip to Cuba, I noticed that there were many more abandoned buildings than in England. One of the reasons for this is that Cuba is a communist country, which means that everyone gets the same salary, regardless of what job you do - a Doctor gets the same salary as a Plumber. They receive food rations and are not allowed to purchase more than what they are given. The fact everyone earns the same amount of money meant that many large mansions that were built before the revolution have started to crumble and decay because no one can afford to maintain them. I found it interesting that some of the bigger buildings are split between more than one family, and people were still living in buildings that were neglected and potentially unsafe, showing the contrast between the way people live in London compared to Havana - many of these buildings would be renovated or deemed unfit for people to live in, but most of the neglected buildings in Cuba are still inhabited.
On a trip to Cuba, I noticed that there were many more abandoned buildings than in England. One of the reasons for this is that Cuba is a communist country, which means that everyone gets the same salary, regardless of what job you do - a Doctor gets the same salary as a Plumber. They receive food rations and are not allowed to purchase more than what they are given. The fact everyone earns the same amount of money meant that many large mansions that were built before the revolution have started to crumble and decay because no one can afford to maintain them. I found it interesting that some of the bigger buildings are split between more than one family, and people were still living in buildings that were neglected and potentially unsafe, showing the contrast between the way people live in London compared to Havana - many of these buildings would be renovated or deemed unfit for people to live in, but most of the neglected buildings in Cuba are still inhabited.
2. Abandoned Prison in Nueva Gerona
Cuban communist and politician Fidel Castro governed the Republic of Cuba between 1959 and 2008. Castro was a Marxist and Cuban nationalist, and he was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba between 1961 and 2011. It was under Fidel Castro's administration that Cuba became a Communist Country.
In 1952, Fidel Castro spent two years in Presidio Modelo Prison, along with his brother Raul, imprisoned by the regime of Fulgencio Batista after a leading a failed attack on the Moncada Barracks. After the revolution the same prison hosted enemies of the new regime and developed a reputation for overcrowding and harsh treatment. The prison has been closed for 50 years. When I visited this prison, I was surprised at the scale of the area. There were many circular prison buildings, all of them abandoned and falling apart. I was able to enter the prison blocks and see each of the cells. I found it interesting to see how small the prison cells were and how many cells were in each block, indicating the prison's reputation for overcrowding and harsh regime. Although the buildings have been abandoned for many years, I found that most of the structure is still intact, and I was interested to see how people lived in the prison and learn about Fidel Castro's imprisonment.
ABANDONED PIER IN BRIGHTON
The West Pier in Brighton was designed by Eugenius Birch. It opened in 1866, designed to attract tourism, but as popularity declined after WW2, and maintenance costs became too high, the company owning the Pier filed for bankruptcy. They could not find a suitable buyer, so the Pier was closed in 1975 and became increasingly derelict since then. Major sections of the pier collapsed in 2002, and fires in March and May 2003 destroyed most of the original structure.
I found the contrast between the new and old piers interesting because it relates to the cycle of renewal and decay- The old pier burned down so another, bigger one was built next to it.
I found the contrast between the new and old piers interesting because it relates to the cycle of renewal and decay- The old pier burned down so another, bigger one was built next to it.
Abandoned Swimming Pool
To further explore the idea of abandoned sites, I photographed the abandoned swimming pool in Fortismere School. I found this interesting because an outdoor swimming pool would normally represent luxury and relaxation, but the dilapidated pool creates a feeling of unease and eeriness. The contrast between these two atmospheres in the same place creates a sense of surrealism and shows how
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In his series 'Cycle and Recycle', Belgian photographer Paul Bulteel travelled around Europe photographing 50 companies involved in collecting, sorting, recycling and reusing waste.
His photographs provide a unique perspective on a question that people tend to prefer not to think about - what happens to our waste once we throw it away? The context of these photographs is addressing something that has become a major issue - the waste we throw away is having a serious impact on the health of Humans and the Planet. As well as addressing this issue in his series, Bulteel takes a less melancholy approach when photographing the recycled materials. He uses angles and perspective to make the photographs beautiful and satisfying to look at, creating a juxtaposition between the pleasing image and the message behind it. These photographs are so effective because they document something that people would not usually have a view of - When you throw away and recycle, the waste is taken away and never seen again. However, these photographs give insight to what happens after you recycle objects such as cars, plastic bottles, glass and metal, creating an image that seems surreal.
I find the angles and composition that Bulteel uses in his photographs interesting - He often eliminates the background and sides of the image so the recycled objects seem to tower higher above him. The fact that there is usually no blank space around or above the recycled material makes it seem like the waste goes on endlessly, exaggerating the theme of throwaway culture in our society.
His photographs provide a unique perspective on a question that people tend to prefer not to think about - what happens to our waste once we throw it away? The context of these photographs is addressing something that has become a major issue - the waste we throw away is having a serious impact on the health of Humans and the Planet. As well as addressing this issue in his series, Bulteel takes a less melancholy approach when photographing the recycled materials. He uses angles and perspective to make the photographs beautiful and satisfying to look at, creating a juxtaposition between the pleasing image and the message behind it. These photographs are so effective because they document something that people would not usually have a view of - When you throw away and recycle, the waste is taken away and never seen again. However, these photographs give insight to what happens after you recycle objects such as cars, plastic bottles, glass and metal, creating an image that seems surreal.
I find the angles and composition that Bulteel uses in his photographs interesting - He often eliminates the background and sides of the image so the recycled objects seem to tower higher above him. The fact that there is usually no blank space around or above the recycled material makes it seem like the waste goes on endlessly, exaggerating the theme of throwaway culture in our society.
Paul Bulteel's work
My response to Paul Bulteel's series 'Cycle and Recycle' - car scrapyard and recycle centre
Experimenting with the idea of 'throwaway culture'
In response to Paul Bulteel's series 'Cycle and Recycle', I visited a car scrapyard and recycle centre to explore the cycle of renewal and decay in London. 'Throwaway Society' is something that is strongly influenced by consumerism, and is growing rapidly as overconsumption and excessive production of short-lived or disposable items are being produced over durable products that can be repaired instead of being thrown away. As well as the rise of packaging waste and food waste due to economic growth causing an increase in production and product waste, the correlation between waste and socioeconomic status is causing an increasing amount of waste being shipped from richer to poorer nations, leading to environmental and social problems for the developing nations.
Planned obsolescence and decreasing durability of products is also encouraging the throwaway culture. Producers have started to manufacture products that are disposable or be made so that the product will fail or become less desirable over time rather than make durable, long-lasting products. This causes customers to repurchase goods when they become broken or less desirable, earning more money for the manufacturers, but having a negative effect on the environment. Products are also often thrown away before their use runs out due to the product going out of fashion. When I visited the recycle centre and car scrapyard, I was surprised at the scale of the discarded objects, showing the effects of our 'throwaway culture'. In my response to Paul Bulteel's work, I tried to reflect his technique of making a beautiful and visually pleasing image to contrast with the thrown away objects that are something that people wouldn't normally want to look at.
Planned obsolescence and decreasing durability of products is also encouraging the throwaway culture. Producers have started to manufacture products that are disposable or be made so that the product will fail or become less desirable over time rather than make durable, long-lasting products. This causes customers to repurchase goods when they become broken or less desirable, earning more money for the manufacturers, but having a negative effect on the environment. Products are also often thrown away before their use runs out due to the product going out of fashion. When I visited the recycle centre and car scrapyard, I was surprised at the scale of the discarded objects, showing the effects of our 'throwaway culture'. In my response to Paul Bulteel's work, I tried to reflect his technique of making a beautiful and visually pleasing image to contrast with the thrown away objects that are something that people wouldn't normally want to look at.
Recycle Centre
I photographed a local recycling centre to respond to Paul Bulteel's series 'Cycle and Recycle' and explore what kinds of objects people abandon. My most successful photograph was of a collection of fridges and freezers. I used angles and perspective to try and eliminate as much of the surrounding area as possible and photograph from a low angle so that the collection of fridges look continuous and seem to tower above me, reflecting the technique used by Paul Bulteen in his photographs of the towers of plastic bottles. I tried to angle the photographs so that they were visually pleasing and balanced, contrasting with the discarded objects.
Car Scrapyard
In my second response to Paul Bulteel's series 'Cycle and Recycle', I photographed a car scrapyard. I found it interesting to see what state the cars where in - some were completely taken apart and some were sill complete.
Next development: Using angles and perspective to create a beautiful image from something abandoned
After researching and responding to Paul Bulteel's work, I have decided to further experiment with using angles and perspective to create a visually pleasing image out of something hidden or something that people would not normally view as beautiful.
Colin Winterbottom - Elegant Corrosion
Colin Winterbottom is an American photographer who grew up in Washington D.C. Using a macro-photography lens, Colin Winterbottom finds beauty in the small details of decaying and rusting objects and buildings, focusing on the textures, patterns, shapes, lines and colours instead of the general shape of the object to create a surreal image, stating that his 'primary motivation as a photographer is to convey dramatic and lively textures in my subjects'.
The photographs in this series are interesting because they encourage the viewer to picture the object outside of the image, as well as the texture of the materials in the photograph allowing the viewer to imagine how the picture feels,.which creates an interaction between the viewer and the photograph. The photographs also show a new perspective to things that are not usually seen as beautiful and create a sense of mystery and surrealism.
The photographs in this series are interesting because they encourage the viewer to picture the object outside of the image, as well as the texture of the materials in the photograph allowing the viewer to imagine how the picture feels,.which creates an interaction between the viewer and the photograph. The photographs also show a new perspective to things that are not usually seen as beautiful and create a sense of mystery and surrealism.
My response to Colin Winterbottom's series 'Elegant Corrosion'
In response to Colin Winterbottom's series 'Elegant Corrosion', I photographed an abandoned barn in Mill Hill using my digital camera with the normal and macro lens. What I find most interesting about Colin Winterbottom's series is that he makes something beautiful and surreal out of a derelict, decaying place. This is something that I have tried to reflect in my response to his photographs by focusing on the small details and using a macro lens to get as close up as possible to show the texture, colour and pattern. I have also included photographs of the bigger structures around the close up images because I found it interesting to compare and contrast the different atmospheres that the two images create to show how angles and perspective can change the view of an abandoned and neglected place.
Abandoned barn in Mill Hill
Comparing the effects of the Macro and Normal lens
The first photograph is of barrel in the abandoned barn. The barrel has been crumpled and become rusted over time. I found that the close up photograph using the macro lens seems to change the texture of the barrel, making the material of the barrel seem more versatile and soft as opposed to the harsh rusting metal that is apparent in the zoomed out picture. The dark shadows in this photograph are effective because it adds depth and exaggerates the colour and the folds in the rusted metal, making a beautiful image from something abandoned and neglected.
In my other images, I photographed metal beams, Ivy, cobwebs, broken glass, moss, rust and other interesting textures around the abandoned barn. I found that using the macro lens technique was very effective because it removes all of the context from the photograph to create a beautiful image. In many of the close-up photographs, it is difficult to tell what object they are because only a small section has been photographed, which links to Colin Winterbottom's work and shows a new perspective to something you would normally look past without noticing.
More photographs from the abandoned barn
Chernobyl
In 1986, reactor no.4 at Chernobyl power station exploded due to a failed experiment to see whether the cooling pump system could still function using power generated from the reactor under low power, in case the auxiliary electricity supply failed. The accident caused the largest uncontrolled radioactive release into the environment ever recorded for any civilian operation, and large quantities of radioactive substances were released into the air for many days after the explosion. This caused serious social and economic disruption for large populations in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, leaving the surrounding area uninhabitable for many hundreds of years after. I visited the city of Pripyat and Chernobyl to explore and photograph the effects that the nuclear disaster is still having on the surrounding area today. Although Pripyat and Chernobyl are both uninhabitable, there are still many people working in the exclusion zone to prevent people from entering unknowingly and to maintain the sarcophagus that has been built around reactor no.4.
Effects of the disaster:
The number of deaths reported by the government is much lower than the actual number because the effects of the disaster on the body often wouldn't present itself until many years after the inhabitants of Pripyat were evacuated and relocated around the Ukraine, Russia, Belarus etc. This meant that all the people who died of cancer due to the radiation in the years that followed were not blamed on the disaster in Chernobyl in 1986.
Effects of the disaster:
The number of deaths reported by the government is much lower than the actual number because the effects of the disaster on the body often wouldn't present itself until many years after the inhabitants of Pripyat were evacuated and relocated around the Ukraine, Russia, Belarus etc. This meant that all the people who died of cancer due to the radiation in the years that followed were not blamed on the disaster in Chernobyl in 1986.
My response:
Experimenting with perspective
Following from my response to Colin Winterbottom's 'Elegant Corrosion' series, I experimented with different textures and patterns in various places around Chernobyl and Pripyat. Unfortunately I was not able to use the macro lens because we were not allowed to get too close to many of the objects as they were highly contaminated with radioactivity. However, I tried to get as close as possible using my normal camera lens to take close up photographs of some of the objects in the exclusion zone. I found this technique was quite effective in this area because the close up photographs often create a contrast between the empty, eerie and desolate atmosphere in Chernobyl and Pripyat because the zoomed in perspective focuses on the beauty of the texture, colour and pattern of the object and removes the context from the bigger picture around the image.
Experimenting with perspective
Following from my response to Colin Winterbottom's 'Elegant Corrosion' series, I experimented with different textures and patterns in various places around Chernobyl and Pripyat. Unfortunately I was not able to use the macro lens because we were not allowed to get too close to many of the objects as they were highly contaminated with radioactivity. However, I tried to get as close as possible using my normal camera lens to take close up photographs of some of the objects in the exclusion zone. I found this technique was quite effective in this area because the close up photographs often create a contrast between the empty, eerie and desolate atmosphere in Chernobyl and Pripyat because the zoomed in perspective focuses on the beauty of the texture, colour and pattern of the object and removes the context from the bigger picture around the image.
The Radar in Chernobyl
The radar was used to gather military intelligence, and until the disaster the inhabitants of chernobyl were unaware that the structure even existed, due to the forest that was built around the radar for the purpose of hiding it from view. This adds to the atmosphere of secrecy and eeriness around the area.
1. Gate at the entrance to the Russian Radar Site in the Chernobyl exclusion zone.
I was drawn to the texture and colour of this gate because the pale blue paint has peeled off over time to reveal the red rust underneath as the gate deteriorates.
The radar was used to gather military intelligence, and until the disaster the inhabitants of chernobyl were unaware that the structure even existed, due to the forest that was built around the radar for the purpose of hiding it from view. This adds to the atmosphere of secrecy and eeriness around the area.
1. Gate at the entrance to the Russian Radar Site in the Chernobyl exclusion zone.
I was drawn to the texture and colour of this gate because the pale blue paint has peeled off over time to reveal the red rust underneath as the gate deteriorates.
2. Rust and paint on the radar
The nursery in Chernobyl
I found the objects in the nursery interesting because most of the objects were intact, and when the image is zoomed in, the context of the photograph is forgotten and the object looks like it could be in a completely different environment. This links to how many of the objects in the exclusion zone have not been touched in 30 years since the explosion in reactor no.4 because the inhabitants had to evacuate without taking all of their belongings and the objects left behind are too contaminated to move, making them seem like they are frozen in time. The fact that this nursery was once busy and full of children creates a surreal and eerie atmosphere because it made me wonder what happened to the children in the days that followed the explosion, and made me question the use of nuclear power because the nuclear power station was man-made, and had such a huge negative impact on thousands of people and animals in the area that it questions the success of nuclear power an whether the power is worth the risk it presents to peoples lives.
1. Music on a windowsill in the nursery in Chernobyl
When I took a zoomed in photograph of the music, the broken window and decaying windowsill are removed, taking away all signs of neglect and decay.
2. Medicine bottle on a shelf in the entrance of the nursery in Chernobyl.
Amusement park in Pripyat
This amusement park was built around September 1986, but was planned to open for 'May Day' celebrations in May 1986. However, the nuclear power plant exploded on the 26th of April 1986 and the inhabitants of the town were evacuated in the days after, so the amusement park was never used.
I found the ferris wheel especially interesting because from a far away perspective it looks like it could be in use - all of the pods are still intact and the yellow colour is still bright, but as you get closer and focus on one section of the ferris wheel you notice the rust and decay that has been developing since the town was abandoned.
Nadav Kander - Half life
Nadav Kander photographed Chernobyl because he wanted to document the quiet and uneasiness left after the 40,000 inhabitants were forced to evacuate – showing somewhere that is normally inhabited with lots of people with no one in it makes it seem surreal.
The project relates to him personally because his father had been forced to evacuate during WW2, which made him wonder what it must have been like to have to leave everything behind.
His series on chernobyl is called ‘half life’, which is interesting because it is documenting a city with no people- the phrase half life suggests emptiness and abandonment as well as linking to radioactivity - the 'half life' is the time it takes for half of a radioctive isotope to decay. In an interview, Nadav Kander mentioned that he has always been interested in photographing something that would make people feel uncomfortable, and turning it into something beautiful. This is something that I have been exploring throughout my responses and I will further explore this when visiting Chernobyl. Kander's work is described as the 'beauty and the real' - there is no life without death and no beauty without imperfection - you need both to create a balance. I find this is an interesting concept and I feel that photographing abandoned locations reflects this - my intention is to make a beautiful image from something that has been abandoned and neglected, creating a balance of beauty and imperfection within the photograph.
In the interview, Kander mentions that he feels that the tone and colour in the photographs are very important to create an atmosphere - For his series in Chernobyl he has turned down the saturation to give the photographs a more melancholy and eerie atmosphere.
The project relates to him personally because his father had been forced to evacuate during WW2, which made him wonder what it must have been like to have to leave everything behind.
His series on chernobyl is called ‘half life’, which is interesting because it is documenting a city with no people- the phrase half life suggests emptiness and abandonment as well as linking to radioactivity - the 'half life' is the time it takes for half of a radioctive isotope to decay. In an interview, Nadav Kander mentioned that he has always been interested in photographing something that would make people feel uncomfortable, and turning it into something beautiful. This is something that I have been exploring throughout my responses and I will further explore this when visiting Chernobyl. Kander's work is described as the 'beauty and the real' - there is no life without death and no beauty without imperfection - you need both to create a balance. I find this is an interesting concept and I feel that photographing abandoned locations reflects this - my intention is to make a beautiful image from something that has been abandoned and neglected, creating a balance of beauty and imperfection within the photograph.
In the interview, Kander mentions that he feels that the tone and colour in the photographs are very important to create an atmosphere - For his series in Chernobyl he has turned down the saturation to give the photographs a more melancholy and eerie atmosphere.
Nadav Kander's photographs
My response
In my photographs, I decided to consolidate all of my ideas I have had so far about using perspective and creating a beautiful photograph from something that is normally hidden or something people would not normally want to see. I found that there is a recurring theme of secrecy and mystery in chernobyl as many things such as the Military Radar was kept secret from the inhabitants of the town. The people living in Chernobyl, Pripyat and other towns in the area were also not told that the reactor had exploded until they had been exposed to very high levels of radiation, putting many people's health at risk. This links to Nadav Kander's work as he was very interested in the secrecy and mystery associated with the towns in his series 'Half-Life' and 'Dust'. In response to Nadav Kander, I tried to photograph using similar techniques. I found it particularly effective how Kander used washed-out, pale effects on his photographs but often had a brightly coloured focus point in the image, so I tried to find colour amongst the abandoned buildings and objects as much as I could.
Creating my final piece
For my final piece, I have decided to create a book including my best photographs from my trip to Chernobyl. I will also create a series of large prints. I decided to do this because I want to immerse the viewer in the photograph and I feel like having bigger prints will have more of a effect and evoke an emotional response in the viewer compared to a small print.
Editing the photographs:
I edited my chosen photographs by altering the colour balance and adding a slightly warmer filter as well as turning down the saturation and contrast because I found that it creates a more eerie and surreal atmosphere within the image, but at the same time makes any small sections of bright colour more visible among the pale greens and blues, allowing it to become the focus point of the photograph, similar to the effect that Nadav Kander uses in his photographs.
For my book, I chose the photographs that I was going to include by presenting all of my photographs next to each other and seeing which most effectively portrayed the atmosphere in the area. I decided to order my photographs into locations, starting with the first location that I visited on my tour of Chernobyl and Pripyat.
Editing the photographs:
I edited my chosen photographs by altering the colour balance and adding a slightly warmer filter as well as turning down the saturation and contrast because I found that it creates a more eerie and surreal atmosphere within the image, but at the same time makes any small sections of bright colour more visible among the pale greens and blues, allowing it to become the focus point of the photograph, similar to the effect that Nadav Kander uses in his photographs.
For my book, I chose the photographs that I was going to include by presenting all of my photographs next to each other and seeing which most effectively portrayed the atmosphere in the area. I decided to order my photographs into locations, starting with the first location that I visited on my tour of Chernobyl and Pripyat.