Contrast
the state of being strikingly different from something else in juxtaposition or close association
The theme contrast is so vast and so commonly encountered every day that it becomes a struggle to pick a certain theme within it, on which to focus. However what surrounds us, although seemingly mundane, can be exploited and molded into our vision. For example, what we take for granted, to the point which we waste it as a consequence of our ego, is nature, which progressively becomes obscured by man’s plain, cold, lifeless industrial structures. Therein lies contrast, debate and decisions, awaiting to be exposed to the public. This juxtaposition is like a Russian doll; within it we can discover more contrast, such as city versus country, warm and cold, the young, the old, the familiar and the strange. Whereas nature thrives and grows, constantly renewing itself, our issues are reflected in what we grow: the structures we erected are derelict, they crumble away as governments and councils wrestle to renovate and restore settlements. We are then left with a reminder that all we achieve eventually fades away: urban decay. Yet, our ego extends to nature which has provided us, time and time again, with the means to develop and protect ourselves, but that we torment with bulldozers, fires and needs. What becomes disturbing is the glorification of this, and the beauty that arises from these circumstances, where cities have been left to merge with nature, resulting in mesmerising, other worldly, timeless places. In another sense, nature is taking back what is rightfully hers. Nature versus industrial, or rather the convergence of the two, is a challenge in itself requiring the ability to see beauty in unlikely places: an abandoned building, the derelict or forgotten areas of the city.
And yet the juxtaposition of nature and man is an opportunity to examine our relation to both, and how we fit within. A photographer who does this brilliantly is Paul Strand, the buildings are rigid and firm, like a prison, a stiff set of rules through which we wander; an effect accomplished with harsh long shadows and monochrome. We seem so small in such a world, yet what is perhaps more troubling, is the way in which these structures have become a part of our daily life. We accept that it is home, and live with it. Yet, the speck of familiarity within his photography is equally mesmerising, as there is beauty in our urban life: this is how we know the world to be. Studying Paul Strand's photography would inspire a tale of expectations, metaphorical lines and our ever- lasting search for grandeur.
Nature's abundance of forms and texture is overwhelming at most, yet photographers Imogen Cunningham and Karl Blossfeldt capture it's brilliance perfectly through isolation. Extracting the subject from its surroundings is not new; we have all bought flowers before, placed them in a vase, admiring their colours until they wilt away. Cunningham executes a touching study into flowers in black and white photography, bringing out the complexity of their structures through a minimalist composition. Karl Blossfeldt does the same, but rather than focus on flowers, he veers towards the bizarre yet trivial plants as his subjects. With an ornate composition,he explores the textures and organic forms of the plants. Cunningham's and Blossfeldt's work is a glimpse into the phenomenon of nature, contrasting with man's repetitive controlled architectures.
Regarding urban decay, Mathew Merret produces eerie almost surreal photographs of derelict, abandoned areas. The places are presented through a mesh of lines, colours, patterns and texture with a deeper meaning of the manner of construction, and poses the question: why are such places abandoned, and why do we find them so fascinating? Similarly, Tina Manthorpe's vivid photographs of urban textures such as rust and crumbling walls scrutinize decay quite literally through the close up camera shots. Her technique results in an abstract style, hence allowing an immersion in texture and colour into usually noticed.
And yet the juxtaposition of nature and man is an opportunity to examine our relation to both, and how we fit within. A photographer who does this brilliantly is Paul Strand, the buildings are rigid and firm, like a prison, a stiff set of rules through which we wander; an effect accomplished with harsh long shadows and monochrome. We seem so small in such a world, yet what is perhaps more troubling, is the way in which these structures have become a part of our daily life. We accept that it is home, and live with it. Yet, the speck of familiarity within his photography is equally mesmerising, as there is beauty in our urban life: this is how we know the world to be. Studying Paul Strand's photography would inspire a tale of expectations, metaphorical lines and our ever- lasting search for grandeur.
Nature's abundance of forms and texture is overwhelming at most, yet photographers Imogen Cunningham and Karl Blossfeldt capture it's brilliance perfectly through isolation. Extracting the subject from its surroundings is not new; we have all bought flowers before, placed them in a vase, admiring their colours until they wilt away. Cunningham executes a touching study into flowers in black and white photography, bringing out the complexity of their structures through a minimalist composition. Karl Blossfeldt does the same, but rather than focus on flowers, he veers towards the bizarre yet trivial plants as his subjects. With an ornate composition,he explores the textures and organic forms of the plants. Cunningham's and Blossfeldt's work is a glimpse into the phenomenon of nature, contrasting with man's repetitive controlled architectures.
Regarding urban decay, Mathew Merret produces eerie almost surreal photographs of derelict, abandoned areas. The places are presented through a mesh of lines, colours, patterns and texture with a deeper meaning of the manner of construction, and poses the question: why are such places abandoned, and why do we find them so fascinating? Similarly, Tina Manthorpe's vivid photographs of urban textures such as rust and crumbling walls scrutinize decay quite literally through the close up camera shots. Her technique results in an abstract style, hence allowing an immersion in texture and colour into usually noticed.
Other notable photographers are Oer Wout, Patrick Hubschmann, Yasuhisa Furusato, Bing Wright and Darwin Bell.