The Environment- Final Three Images

Three Images

For my final three Environment images I choose locations were humans intervention upon nature is shown. The locations have paths running through natural surroundings, this shows the way humans have cut through the environment and changed it. When I took all of the images I positioned myself in the centre of the paths similarly to the photographer Richard Misrach to represent the fact that we are the ones who have changed the landscape.

Path through tree's
For my first environment picture I photographed a path leading through a forest area. By photographing   the path cutting through a forest shows the huge effect humans have had on nature because you can see the way the path is breaking up the natural environment. I used a large aperture for this image as I only wanted a small part of the foreground to be in focus so you can't see where the path ends. This effect symbolises the vastness of the effect humans have had on the landscape as you can't see the end of the path which makes it feel as if it doesn't end.

For my first test strip I set the aperture at F16, I used a grade two filter to add contrast to the image. For each section of the test strip I exposed it for five seconds.

From the last test strip I decided to expose my next one for thirty seconds. I kept the same graded filter to keep the same contrast in the image. 

This is my final image, I exposed the paper for thirty seconds with a grade two filter. I also added another exposure, this time I used a grade three filter for five seconds. By using a grade three filter it has added more contrast to the image which makes it stand out.

Path through field
I choose to photograph this location because of how the path leads up to the top of the hill and look as if it disappears from the landscape. The composition I chose makes the path the main focal point of the image, I arranged the photo this way to show the way man made areas are controlling the natural landscape. I included the surrounding natural landscape to contrast against the path cutting through it. By showing the natural landscape shows its beauty and how the grey, bleak path cuts through it and ruins it.

For my first test strip I used a grade two filter and used the enlarger aperture at F4.5. I sectioned of the image four times and exposed each part of the photograph for five seconds. 

With my second test strip I changed the aperture on the enlarger as I felt the first test strip was too dark, I changed the aperture to F8. I decided to keep the grade two filter and exposed each section of the image for five seconds. 

I decided to expose the whole of this test strip for twenty seconds using a grade two filter to add more contrast to the image.

Next I decided to add a grade four filter for five seconds, to add even more contrast to the image. I still kept the same twenty second exposure with a grade two filter as well. 

I then made a whole print of the image so I can see if I need to make any adjustments. The sky in the image looks too white, so I decided on my next test strip I'll try and bring it back. 

For this test strip I exposed the whole of the image for twenty seconds with a grade two filter, as well as a five seconds exposure with a grade four filter to add contrast. To add more tone to the sky I sectioned of the foreground so just the sky was being exposed, and used a grade zero filter for thirteen seconds. I used my hand to cover the foreground by placing it beneath the lens to stop light from hitting the foreground. 

For my final print I used the same printing exposures as the last test strip. However this time when I covered the foreground I made sure I kept moving my hand slightly and I left some of the top of the hill uncovered so it looks natural. This technique makes the sky look natural as it blends in with the foreground. By using a grade four filter added a nice contrast to the image which makes areas which are in the foreground stand out and catch your attention. 

Grass path

I choose to photograph this location as I liked how there was a slight path amongst a natural landscape. I wanted to show different stages of human intervention upon nature, so I photographed a path that is just starting to appear in the landscape. The position of the camera is important in the image, I choose to stand in the centre of the path to show the way the man made paths are dominating the natural landscape.

For my third environmental picture I set the enlargers aperture to F8. I exposed each of the section for five seconds, to add contrast to the image I used a grade two filter.

From my first test strip I decided to use a 25 second exposure with a grade two filter too increase the contrast in the image. The sky in the image looks to white so for the next image I'm going to add tone to it by using a grade zero filter. I also felt the image needed more contrast so I'm going to expose the image using a grade 4 filter as well.

This is my final print for my third environmental image. I exposed the whole of the image for 25 seconds using a grade two filter, I then used a grade four filter for five seconds to add even more contrast to my photo. The sky looked over exposed in my last test strip so I covered the the foreground of the image so the sky was only visible and then exposed it for thirteen seconds using a grade zero exposure. Whilst I was exposing the sky I used my hand to cover the foreground, I made sure I kept moving my hand slightly to make sure the tone from the grade zero filter look natural.