Introduction
In this investigation, I intend to explore landscapes of Harlow/Essex and look into environmental damage whilst experimenting with new techniques to make my work more interesting. Inspiration for this type of work has come from the idea of Conservation Photography used in campaigns for environmentalist organisations such as WWF or Greenpeace. Photographers such as Neil Ever Osborne have created work similar to what I intend to explore. This type of work is very topical and relevant in today's society as it is addressing a growing issue which needs publicity. Although not visual inspiration, another major inspiration for this topic of study is Greta Thunburg. The young activist's powerful speeches regarding Global Warming and social/political change heavily inspired me to focus on such an important issue.
Environmental issues such as Global Warming became relevant in the modernisation period. Over-industrialisation has led to high pollution levels and a myriad of other issues which impact natural landscapes, wildlife, and the future of humanity as a whole. The mainstream media chooses to avoid any coverage of these environmental issues as they are seen as somewhat controversial, making it so relevant for individuals to take action and explore the issues singularly. My hopes for this project is for it to raise more awareness of the issue and inspire other young artists to look into more relevant issues.
History
Conservation
photography has been relevant since the 1860’s, although it wasn’t as widely acknowledged.
An example of the early work is Carleton Watkins who created images which were
successful in stimulating the establishment of Yosemite National park in 1864.
William Henry Jackson and Ansel Adams later advocated for expansion and continued
funding of the park. The emphasis on photography-for-conservation arose in the
21st century, in response to the environmental crisis of recognising
that the ecosystem degradation was not sustainable. In the 1860’s, a camera was
a big devise with a long shutter speed. Three-colour methods were used to get
colour into black and white images. They work by using three separate black-and-white
photographers taken and projected through red, green and blue colour filters.
Previous to 1848, there were no successful full colour photographs. Full colour
images were introduced by Edmond Becquerel.
