BENJIMIN VON WONG'S MERMAIDS
Another artist which I
discovered when researching pollution was Canadian photographer and visual
artist Benjamin Von Wong. Wong has created an incredible series of
environmental images to demonstrate and try to raise awareness of the damage
caused by plastic pollution in our oceans.
Artists Images
A recent prediction has
stated that "By the year 2050 it's estimated there will be more plastic
than fish in the sea." Von Wong and a huge amount of volunteers set out to
create a mermaid wonderland with 10,000 plastic bottles.Over three days
the team set up a variety of dynamic photo shoots,which meant that all the
bottles first had to be cleaned and sorted in order to create the correct
colour pallet for the shots. The above image was the initial shot which
first drew me to Van Wong's work. The use of colour and composition is
interesting and although the image has been created using plastic bottles, the
overall effect of the ocean is very realistic. I like the way Wong has
used different bands of colour to create the waves providing a good
contrast of colour to the beach on the right of the image. The choice of
colour for the mermaids tail is also very effective as the red ensures that she
is the focal point of the image and we are left wondering whether the
plastic ocean has suffocated her or she is trying to escape from the
ocean.
This second image was particularly appealing as
it showed a different style of composition. I really liked the way that a clear
outline of a droplet of water was used to frame the mermaid in this shot and the clear bottles used
in the contrasting background further made the human form stand out.
The coloured details of the models costume
was easier to see in this image as only 2 singular colours were used in the
setting and I liked this used of solid colour to enhance and frame the focal
point. I also enjoyed the use of light in this
image as because it is so highly lit, the mermaid almost glistens and the
bottles reflect the light making the water more realistic.
This above photograph was my favourite image
created by Von Wong as it was able to portray a sense of movement within
a static form. I liked the use of colours selected for the plastic
bottles which, when arranged in a swirling pattern, gave the photograph a
flowing shape. The mermaid's outstretched arm also reinforces this
movement and gives the impression that she is swimming through
the plastic. The white bottles are effectively positioned to look like foam on
top of the waves and the green bottles, create a sense of shading and
depth within the plastic ocean.
I found Von Wong's images very striking and highly memorable, which I think
is exactly what the artist wished to achieve. He took a
relatively simple waste product and was able to create really striking,
stunning, photographs, each providing a strong underlying message to make us
think about, how as a consumer, we can protect our environment. Thinking
about Wong's use of a single repetitive object, I decided
to try and experiment with shape and repetition for my own
photographs.
My Own Images
From being inspired by Benjamin Von Wong's excellent mermaid
photographs, I decided to try and emulate a similar effect using plastic and
a human subject to see if I was able to achieve some interesting visual
effects. My first image above concentrates on a human hand emerging from
the plastic. I chose this photograph as one of my final three
emulation shots as I liked the simple composition. The hand being central
to the shot gives a clear focal point and the plastic being opaque and white
allows no distraction to be present and we concentrate fully on the outstretched hand.Although
this image would look effective as a monochrome photograph, I chose to
leave the photo as shot as I liked the human element being highly
realistic against the plastic sheeting. I will experiment with further
images in black and white to try and develop my work.
My second image was an exploration of shapes in
a more monochrome environment. Similar to the first shot, I chose to capture a partial human form
within the plastic, however, I felt that the pattern on the subjects jumper,
shot in monochrome may give added interest to my image. Initially I shot
my photograph in black and white. I felt that this worked, however, the
detail of the plastic and the folds in the sheeting was ultimately lost which
did not allow my image to create the same visual statement which I had
intended. Although dramatic in some aspects, I felt that perhaps including more
of the plastic sheeting in the frame may have enabled the photograph to be
enhanced and the composition would have been more effective. i
therefore, explored further with the use of both colour and composition. Learning from my tester image,
I chose to include more of the human form within my photograph and also to
position the subject more centrally within the plastic as Von Wong had done
with his mermaids. Inspired by Von Wong's raindrop photograph, I
used a blue filter to simulate water which I think gave my image an interesting
angle. The strong patterns were still able to be prominent in the
image, however, the blue hue provided an almost dreamy quality and the
plastic began to resemble the sea with the human floating within it
which I liked. I began to feel that my photographs were becoming more
similar to those of Von Wong and that an environmental angle was beginning to
emerge which is exactly the angle which I was seeking to achieve.
The above third and final image was
the photograph which I was most
happy with. Taking Von Won'g swimming mermaids as inspiration, I photographed my human subject swimming
through the plastic. I composed this image by elevating myself above my
subject which I felt allowed me to capture the swimming action more
effectively. I also felt that this image gave the strongest
environmental message as it shows humans battling against the plastic waste
which is almost dragging them down and drowning them. The folds of the
plastic simulated the waves and the light hitting these folds was highlighted
better with no filter being used.
Although the previous monochrome image and
image taken with a blue filter was dramatic, I preferred the full
colour image as it gave a more natural feel and although Von Wong chose for his
photos to be more surreal, using brightly coloured mermaids, I think that
my photograph will relate to us more effectively and perhaps put my
environmental message across more clearly.
Contact
Sheets
0 comments