Choosing to mimic Jim Brandenburg was great for me. It played well to my strengths as a photographer, but it also challenged me to expand my skills and my way of thinking about composition. I chose to mimic Brandenburg's use of lighting primarily, as well as color and space. I shot in the afternoon for wildlife, as his wildlife photography is usually warm and welcoming. This is also achieved with the soft blur of a wide aperature for close up wildlife photography. For the 2 landscapes I shot, I shot just after dark to get a warm, orange background where the sky meets the trees. What I didn't mimic for this shoot were his photos exactly. It was important that randomness and spontaneity is felt, as Brandenburg rarely stages shots. This was a very fun shoot, but it was much more challenging that I was expecting for the same reason I discussed about randomness. I thought that shooting spontaneously would be easier, or I thought that shooting what I ran into would be less constraining. In many ways it was, but it was actually a lot harder than I was expecting. When shooting this way, you are at the control of nature and the world. For example, I tried for 3 or 4 days to get the sky I was looking for. A few days, I would go out and sit and end up without a single photo. Overall, it was as really fun shoot and I learned a lot about landscape and wildlife photography.
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Characteristics
(1) Lighting is very important to Brandenburg's work. He shoots primarily in the afternoon and evening to give his photos more soft and warm lighting. His landscapes are shot at dusk with pink and orange skies while is wildlife photos are taken in late afternoon light.
(2) Depth of Field is used in his close up wildlife shots. His shots of plants and flora are often taken with a very shallow depth of field to pull focus on the subject.
(3) Color is also very interesting in his work. He likes to use warm, vivid colors that I will have to mimic. Shooting at dusk will give strong reds and yellows in the sky for landscapes to achieve this.
(4) Brandenburg's space is very different when he's shooting landscapes vs close up wildlife shots. Landscapes are shot at a short focal length to get a very wide field of view with no single attribute taking too much of the photo. On the other hand, his wildlife shots often take up most or all of the frame. Most of the time, the subject is centered, but a few of his shots will use the rule of thirds to make for a more appealing shot.
(5) The last (and possibly the most important) characteristic is the randomness of the photos themselves. Brandenburg's Northwoods series is focused on no specific thing. There is a wide range of landscapes, flora, leaves, and plants/trees. It seems as if he just took what he came across to preserve his goal on conservation. If I take photos that feel staged, it will seem as I'm in control of the environment when Brandenburg wants us to believe that we should not control or change the environment as humans.
(2) Depth of Field is used in his close up wildlife shots. His shots of plants and flora are often taken with a very shallow depth of field to pull focus on the subject.
(3) Color is also very interesting in his work. He likes to use warm, vivid colors that I will have to mimic. Shooting at dusk will give strong reds and yellows in the sky for landscapes to achieve this.
(4) Brandenburg's space is very different when he's shooting landscapes vs close up wildlife shots. Landscapes are shot at a short focal length to get a very wide field of view with no single attribute taking too much of the photo. On the other hand, his wildlife shots often take up most or all of the frame. Most of the time, the subject is centered, but a few of his shots will use the rule of thirds to make for a more appealing shot.
(5) The last (and possibly the most important) characteristic is the randomness of the photos themselves. Brandenburg's Northwoods series is focused on no specific thing. There is a wide range of landscapes, flora, leaves, and plants/trees. It seems as if he just took what he came across to preserve his goal on conservation. If I take photos that feel staged, it will seem as I'm in control of the environment when Brandenburg wants us to believe that we should not control or change the environment as humans.
Three Reflections
Jim Brandenburg
Jim Brandenburg is a nature and wildlife photographer who captures the essence of the natural world. Every photograph of his that I observed conveyed a sense of tranquility that cannot be replicated. He achieves this with soft lines and a narrow depth of field to promote a calming feeling. His use of color is also perfect. In Judd Lake Water Ring, Brandenburg captures the greens in the top of the frame to soften the color of the photo and in Loons, he achieves this by shooting at dusk to get a very warm photo.
JoAnn Verburg
Joann Verburg’s series, For Now is a composition that quickly caught my attention. The nature series uses trees as the subject with different perspectives in each work. The main aspect that caught my attention was the use of soft greens and light blues in the plants as well as the use of sunset lighting that warms up the photographs. Verburg’s use of color can be seen in Three to One, where she takes the same photo in three different lights to portray a transition of light. She also frames her subject close to create a feeling of abstraction. This is seen in Petaluma Olive Trees, where she uses a shallow depth of field against the olive tree.
William Eggleston
William Eggleston’s use of color in his photos is reminiscent of the feeling I would expect to get in 1960s and 1970s America. The bright, vivid colors are eye-catching and create a vintage feeling. This Is seen in his use of the things found at the end of a classic diner table. A close up of this subject with neutral seasonings against a bright candle and bottle of hot sauce is pleasing to the eye and promotes a comfortable familiarity. Eggleston’s use of buildings give a nostalgic feeling that is preserved even today and the use of color and leading lines in these photos feel like they are in places that I would know.