Some images from the final shoot

These are some of the final images for this project. As I was using old expired film on some photos they didn't come out great so I will go back and re-shoot them. However I think it has been a success trying to recreate iconic tattoo images in a street/documentary style.

Cezanne Landscapes

I love Cezanne's landscapes, specifically his method of painting. The daubs of paint which make up the image draw the viewer into the picture, trying to see clearly what it is and see all the details. Again one of the main aims of a photograph is to draw the viewer into it and make them look longer, I think the distinctive daubs make this happen.

Robert Voit - New Trees

Robert Voit's 'New Trees' is a perfect example of how I want to portray an industrialised area as a natural landscape. Here the trees are actually antennas and signal towers, disguised to look less invasive. In this way the images make something that is industrial look beautiful and more pleasing. I think one of the main strengths of this work is that its not obvious that the trees aren't real, you take it as just a picture of a tree and then the more you look into it you see they're not real, like two levels of seeing the picture. I want to have this effect with my images.

The Bechers Industrial Photography

The Bechers photographed industrial sites and plants to document them as a list. In this way they can be seen out of their context and as interesting things, rather than just ugly machines. They are also photographed in a deadpan style to avoid pushing an opinion of the pros and cons of these sites.

Ardwick Research

Ardwick began in the 19th century as a pleasant, wealthy suburb of Manchester, however it became heavily industrialised with the advent of the industrial revolution. Even worse when the factories and industries dwindled, Ardwick became one of Manchester's most deprived areas. Most notably Charles Dicken's sister leaved there and he would visit frequently, in fact Christmas Carol was inspired partly by the village, and Tiny Tim and Fan were based on his sister and frail nephew.  Today Ardwick is more stable but is still in need of development.

Landscape Artist Statement

So after cycling and exploring round Manchester for a couple of days I have decided to base my project on square 102/103 of the 'A-Z Manchester' map. This is mainly in Ardwick along the Piccadilly train tracks that runs adjacent to the village. The area is heavley indutrialised with catacomb like structures surrounding and in the bridge of the railway.
I was first drawn to this place because it embodied the soul of Manchester; its history, its foundation and its strength. Its also a limbo-like location. This is where the city begins to change from a bustling, metropolitan full of people to the rolling hills and wilderness of the countryside. In the middle of these opposing environments is a sort of no-mans land; mostly places of work with spats of greenery in places which have been turned grey and unhealthy by industrialisation. Its an ugly place but we need it for the city to thrive, so is it a good thing?
Despite its looks, its an integral part of the city; because its an integral part of the city its ruined the land and looks ugly. I think this is a good question to keep in mind while progressing through the project. I will try and establish the need for this place and its limbo qualities by photographing it in a different light. Looking at photographers like The Bechers, Mark Power, Ed Ruscha and John Davies that photograph industrial sites in a beautiful way, I will try and make images that reflect classic landscapes from Ansel Adams and paintings. In this way I will portray the idea of limbo between these two states. I will also take inspiration from Alec Soth's 'Sleeping by the Missippi' project by following the train tracks and documenting alongside it.
Hopefully these aims combined I will be left with images that resemble classic landscape paintings but ones that show twisted metal, waste, factories and concrete. I don't want to pour an opinion on whether this is good or not, rather be neutral and force the viewer to ask it themselves. For this aim I will photograph in a deadpan style like that of Andreas Gursky.

First Photos

I started by taking pictures on the 'pharaohs horses' image. I asked 3 of my friends to stand in front of the mirror in the sort of position that the horses heads are in and start putting makeup on. I got this idea for recreating the image from going out one night; all the girls were clambering around a small mirror with their heads together getting ready and chatting. The image just reminded me of the horses heads so i asked them to recreate it. I tried using a DSLR for this as I want a modern digital image, desklamps and overhead lights to look like a serendipitous shot and ambient mood. I didn't pose them or have any special equipment because I wanted it to look like a documentary photograph and in the moment because I thought it would look less formal and more like the actual scene taking place. After looking at the images though they didnt look how I wanted them to. Because of the lack of light the image is hazy, theres too much going on in the room and objects around the girls create too much distraction for the viewer. Next shoot I will try in a more well lit place, maybe using daylight, with as little stuff in the room as possible. I also try shooting in the studio with a large or medium format camera for enhanced detail in the image. Also I don't think I want to have any reflections in the mirror, all the attention should be on the girls putting on makeup.