Nature

This idea is based on the force of Nature and how it affects our lifestyles, products and long term decay. I aim to produce a range of photos showing natural elements taking over man-made products, which is an example of decay. I would also like to include how nature controls us, how it may affect out lifestyles naturally and what we have to do preventing this.

Test Photoshoot.

 This is an image of moss, growing on a stone wall which is aging. 

It gives a good idea of nature creeping through and slowly taking over. What I like

about this image is the sharp focus presenting much of the texture and detail in the

plants. The surroundings of rocks are also focused and the background is nicely out, 

making it a minimal distraction. 

This is the same area, but the picture taken slightly closer. I wanted to get a better viewing

of all the detail, making sure it was all included. Getting too close may remove the idea

of it being human-made, it could be completely natural from what it looks like, but there's no

obvious sign it's a wall.

These are some more photos of the same sort of situation

Here areas of moss are appearing along the sloped brick wall. This photo was taken to create a 

leading line effect, with the wall looking perfectly 'in shape', but with random pieces of moss

growing anywhere, making it seem not perfect. 

I loved the effect created by the moss in this area. It is growing around the outside of the bricks, creating an interesting unusual pattern, and also an 'oozing effect'  as if Nature is oozing through the wall taking over. The repetitive patterns create a texture between the wall and moss. This photo also has  man leading lines. heading off to the right. 

This photo shows one of the great elements of Nature, with a man made bench looking over. It also shows the power of seasons, as there's no leaves on the tree. What worked well in this photo was the blue sky, which created a nice contrast between the tree, presenting all the details of branches. The small bench also sits directly beside it, looking lonely and small compared to the tree. The sun was also out, filling darker areas and brightening up the tree.

This photo really strikes with strong greens of moss, taking over and creating an 'oozing' effect. There are also textures produced in the bottom areas. Here the rule of thirds complies, with red bricks along the top row, green moss along the middle, and decaying of moss and substances along the bottom. These three create a nice effect of Nature's forces. Where the man made objective is new, then something such as a plant grows, then decays. This photo is an example of 3 stages which I find interesting. 

This is more decay on old concrete. The idea that it is old becomes obvious because of all the decay happening from substances over time, remaining implanted on it. This is usually a long time process to gather this amound, so many would see the subject to look old. There are strong textures here which are sharply in focus, with a mix of browns, yellows and greys also a bit of white.

Secondary Research

 I think this photo supports my idea really well, it is a great example of something man-made which has eroded and weathered over time from natural forces. There is high detail in this photo, the wall with many patterns and textures in the bricks, as well as a strong red colour which fades towards the top showing the aging. Another plus of this photo is a bright weather, which strengthens the colours and contrast with shading, this presents the detail well.

This is an example of something being deliberately left or dumped, thus all the broken down natural elements surrounding it. I like the very lonely atmosphere created in this photo, mainly from the angle it has been taken at, the bench watching over a large field that is empty, and the sepia creates a dull effect, with clouds looking moody and light seeping through the bench from the sun. It has also created a large amount of contrast in areas, as well as shading especially towards the corners adding to the dull and lonely atmosphere. 

This image is an interesting concept, I like all the detail created from the decaying leaf, making this quite an extraordinary photo. The colours are also inspiring, the central spine spreads out into a range of different rich colours, as well as whites, fading into the darker edges. The background also suites the display of detail, not interrupting any of the colours.



More test shots 
I was happy with the result of these photos, they show some forceful activity that Nature generates itself.

Muscles and other shells stuck to a rock bed, I like the concept of textures and detail created by all of the different colours such as dark blues, over the plainer, lighter rock detail. This creates quite an interesting effect to look at, patterning over the rocks. 

Here I stood further back, as I wanted to capture the organization of the shells over the rocks, which appear repetitively in groups. 

Further back from the area, gives the overall large quantity of the subject. The beach is also included giving the setting away. I was quite pleased with this photo, everything is sharply in focus. The bottom row from the rule of thirds clearly shows the shells at an acceptable size for anyone to work out what they are, then moving up to the middle row horizontally this shows the quantity.

Some forces and action of the sea whilst many birds gather in the area away. This shows some of the natural forces acting upon each other and affecting the birds in a way for instance. 

I like this photo as it appears quite peaceful and there is strong colours and a sharp focus, presenting the precision details of the sea. This shows the force of sea acting against the rocks, yet another natural process of erosion. I like the organization of the subjects, the sea looks quite perfect seeping into the rocks, which evenly lay horizontally across the bottom rule of third. 

Here the waves are crashing against rocks, making a great impact and force. I wanted to capture the sea still and sharp, showing all the detail of the impact. Here the sea appears quite rough, but there it minimal action. I like the dull colours of the surrounding cliffs in this photo, they create a good darkened and dangerous atmosphere suited well for this situation. 

Here more action Is happening, which i was particularly pleased with. What I didn't like about this photo so much was the bright area covering the right hand side. Here the sea looks peaceful and the skys are bright. It takes away the 'stormy' and 'forceful' atmosphere as created in the photo above. In this photo the place seems nicer and gives off a more relaxed feeling. 

I was very happy with the result of this photo, I suited everything I wanted. Firstly, the rocks create a very dull atmosphere, looking blackened and dark, whilst the white sea is showing a lot of aggression and action which was sharp and well presented creating a forceful effect and gloomy atmosphere as wanted. This was the most successful. 

Photographer Research - John Shaw

John Shaw is a Nature photographer, and has been since 1970. He has made many inspirations, taking photos for National Geographic and different wildlife magazines. He has won several awards for his work and been featured by several mass companies that operate in the photography industry. John has also written several books, and eBooks on tips about using photo manipulation. 

Theres are some of his photos I liked, he has put quite a bit of thought into each shot: 

This photo has a great amount of detail from the large overgrowth and trees. There are strong 

colours and contrast really adding to the effect. This is a good example of nature completely taking over

a man-made element. There is also nice lighting, with the sun shining adding to the vibrant colours. 

 This photo has some extraordinary shapes created by trees, making a 'tunnel' effect over the road. There is some interesting detail captured here especially around the branches. The road also makes 

a unique leading line into the 'tunnel'. 

 There is some good textures here from the wearing down paint, as a result of being 

exposed to elements of nature. There is a great amount of detail and the lighting is good, with the sun facing this area of the boat creating contrast. 

 I liked the lighting in this photo, with the sun shining against there rocks and the sea in the background. There is a large amount of detail and contrast here with strong colours throughout the whole picture. A slight leading line is also created by the rocks heading into the sea. 

This photo shows some strong impacts of what nature causes to human buildings. The building is now a ruin, most likely from the weathering which nature has caused. There's some good colour to suit the situation, such as the grey clouds making a more dull setting.