Sunday, February 12, 2012

WORK IN PROGRESS CRITIQUE

For my final project, I’m seeking to expand my thoughts on the natural environment.  In my day to day life, I always question the viability of our constantly shrinking native ecosystems.  Humans and our desire for further expansion has caused us to spread across the landscape in sloppy development patterns.  As the native flora and fauna die out, the interconnectedness of these diverse ecosystems will continue suffer.  
While we surround ourselves with shopping malls, business centers, and fast food chains, we still yearn for the natural world in our own lives. 



Homeowners fill their front yards with realistic animal lawn ornaments and plants to mimic this natural world that we have paved over.  I’m interested in a variety of different photos this project, from medium format to Polaroid and standard digital.  I feel that with the different film styles I can express our perplexed relationship to nature.


My initial idea is evolving as I take these photos of front yards, this gets my point across regarding the human desire to fill their lives with items that are reminiscent of nature and the environment.  I feel that the images that are more like up-close portraits of the lawn ornaments get my point across in a more direct way.
I'm really looking to expand my project and try to capture the idea of a fleeting landscape.  I hope to take photos that depict our sprawling development and how it encroaches on the natural world. (More like the photo below)

1 comment:

Dawn Roe said...

This is a great start, Taylor. I also think there is something potentially interesting in that last shot of the cactus and fence. As mentioned during critique, there may be a few other avenues you can explore visually in terms of what kinds of things you pay attention to (can you push this idea of landscape/landscaping further, by looking to the built environment outside of the domestic sphere, but still in relation to, for instance). Be open to exploring - it will be interesting to see how it all comes together. I think your deadpan style is working well also - the neutral, muted colors and relatively straightforward style seem to be serving your purposes.