Random Roll #4 - Macro (January)

Photo Essay Planning

What is my environmental concern? - Dairy products

Why is it important to me? - Because it is something that many people in North America consume daily and it is bad for the environment, our health, and the cows producing it

Negative effects on the environment:

• Trees must be cut down to create more room for factories
• The factories pollute the air, producing a significant amount of the world's greenhouse gases
• The large amount of cow waste produces high amounts of methane and nitrate
• Nitrate pollution from the factories enters the land, polluting the soil and water
• Water wastage; it takes 1200 litres of water to make one litre of milk

Negative effects on animals and humans:

• The calves on dairy farms are taken away from their mothers and fed milk re-placers so humans can have the milk
• Female cows are crowded into confined spaces and are slaughtered after 4-5 years, or when they develop diseases or reproductive problems
• Male calves are chained in tiny stalls and not allowed to move for 18 months, when they are then slaughtered for veal
• Cow's milk causes food allergies in infants and children
• The dairy industry claims that milk is healthy and helps your bones, when it may actually increase a woman's chance of developing osteoporosis

Ideas for shooting subject:

Worm's eye view

Rule of thirds

Repetition

Framing

Contrast

Leading lines

References

• http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/680970/what_is_the_environmental_footprint_of_megadairy_farming.html
• http://ecopolproject.blogspot.ca/2011/11/how-does-your-local-dairy-farm-affect.html
• http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/animals-used-food-factsheets/cows-milk-cruel-unhealthy-product/

Blue Random Roll (Snow Day)

Bernd & Hilla Becher

Bernd and Hilla Becher are a married couple from Germany who travel around and take pictures, some of their projects lasting for years at a time. There projects consist of various photos of the same objects, all from different places and sometimes eras.

This particular series of photos (above) was taken from 1983 - 92; although the subjects are slightly different, they are all of the same general objects (gas tanks), and they are taken using the same lighting and composition.

The Becher's style of photography has inspired many modern day photographers, one significant person being Idris Khan. Khan is a British photographer who has done many projects inspired by a diverse assortment of cultural sources (art, literature, previous photographers, etc.).

The photo below was done in the same style of the Becher's gas tank photos, but with a twist; Khan took multiple exposures of different gas tanks and made sure that every layer could be seen, creating one photo.

I think that Idris Khan's approach to this photo was really interesting. He expanded on the style of the Becher's contact sheets and created one photo more unique to himself.

Depth of Field - Digital