Deconstructing Enviromental Photographers.
I have chosen three images created by Elina Brotherus. The photos are from a series she did in 1999 called Suites Françaises 1. When researching Brotherus, I read a few interviews and articles about her so that I could get a better idea of why she creates the work she does. She makes a lot of connections with the painter Caspar David Friedrich, which I also thought when I first saw her work. Her photographs have a strong air of influence from Friedrich’s landscape paintings, which would always have a figure within them.
The three photographs I have chosen are;
Chalon-sur-saone 3, 1999
Marseille, 1999
Chalon-sur-saone 4, 1999
The reason I chose there three photos is because I noticed both similarities and differences between them.
The first photo, Charlon-sur-saone 3, is a personal favourite of mine. I like the ambiguity of it, and the emotional notions it provokes. In an interview with Elina Brotherus, when asked about the bridge in some of the photographs from this series, she answered that she likes the fact you couldn’t see the other side. The fact that photo is taken at night and that the street lights are on also adds to this sense of ambiguity and urges any audience to make their own decisions about what is over that bridge and what the meaning is behind this mystic photograph.
The second photo, Marseille, differs from the first in the way that, for me, it looks much more industrial. The colour palette is also very apposing, this photo is a wash of pale pastel pinks and watery greys whereas the previous image is very much the opposite as the only light in it is that shed from the street lamps.
The final image I have chosen to look at is Charlon-sur-saone 4. Although this image has not been taken standing in the middle of a city at night or a dockyard, the sense of human intervention is still strong at the side of this railway line.
The main thing I notice about these three photos, and the whole series, is Brotherus’s obviously conscience decision to draw the eye in to the photo. Each of these photographs had some sort of line for the eye to travel up, onto the horizon. The first photo of the bridge Chalon-sur-saone 3, is the best example of this, as Elina Brotherus said herself, we don’t know what I on the other side. The way she has shot the picture encourages us to think that even more, as our eyes travel up and along the bridge we reach a point in the photo where questions become unanswered. The second and third images also have this affect, in the way that the floor in Marseille is tiled and therefore very linear, we are drawn up and across to the line of boats and in the final image the path that runs alongside the rail track, prokes the questions of, where is it leading to? What are the buildings up ahead? Etc.
I have really enjoyed looking at Elina Brotherus’s work, as usually it is not a style that I would find interesting or inspiring. However, her work, especially within this series has excited me! I have a great interest in photographers that instil a sense of ambiguity within their photos, as I believe, that is what makes a successful photograph, if a photographer can provoke questions or make somebody think more deeply than they might usually about something, I think it is successful, and these images have definitely done that for me!
The first photo, Charlon-sur-saone 3, is a personal favourite of mine. I like the ambiguity of it, and the emotional notions it provokes. In an interview with Elina Brotherus, when asked about the bridge in some of the photographs from this series, she answered that she likes the fact you couldn’t see the other side. The fact that photo is taken at night and that the street lights are on also adds to this sense of ambiguity and urges any audience to make their own decisions about what is over that bridge and what the meaning is behind this mystic photograph.
The second photo, Marseille, differs from the first in the way that, for me, it looks much more industrial. The colour palette is also very apposing, this photo is a wash of pale pastel pinks and watery greys whereas the previous image is very much the opposite as the only light in it is that shed from the street lamps.
The final image I have chosen to look at is Charlon-sur-saone 4. Although this image has not been taken standing in the middle of a city at night or a dockyard, the sense of human intervention is still strong at the side of this railway line.
The main thing I notice about these three photos, and the whole series, is Brotherus’s obviously conscience decision to draw the eye in to the photo. Each of these photographs had some sort of line for the eye to travel up, onto the horizon. The first photo of the bridge Chalon-sur-saone 3, is the best example of this, as Elina Brotherus said herself, we don’t know what I on the other side. The way she has shot the picture encourages us to think that even more, as our eyes travel up and along the bridge we reach a point in the photo where questions become unanswered. The second and third images also have this affect, in the way that the floor in Marseille is tiled and therefore very linear, we are drawn up and across to the line of boats and in the final image the path that runs alongside the rail track, prokes the questions of, where is it leading to? What are the buildings up ahead? Etc.
I have really enjoyed looking at Elina Brotherus’s work, as usually it is not a style that I would find interesting or inspiring. However, her work, especially within this series has excited me! I have a great interest in photographers that instil a sense of ambiguity within their photos, as I believe, that is what makes a successful photograph, if a photographer can provoke questions or make somebody think more deeply than they might usually about something, I think it is successful, and these images have definitely done that for me!
Hi Cassie,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to introduce myself quickly. My name is Ida and I will be your online mentor for this semester. When you have posted a little bit more about the projects your working on, I will hopefully be able to give you advice and references.
I will also post exhibition recommendations that support your units. This, and more information about me and my practice, can be found in my mentor blog, so please check that out. Speaking of exhibitions, if you are, as you say, interested in ambiguity in photography, the Tate is currently showing Diane Arbus in its artist rooms - a must see at the moment (and it's free of charge!). There's also other very interensting shows at the Tate now, I will blog about them soon and let you know more.
Good luck with your projects!