Africa // Abandoned Theme Parks

1) The interview of Nick Brandt was very eye-opening and interesting. While reading, I felt sad for the misfortunes that the weather in Africa brings to the people, leading to their need to kill the animals striving in their environment. I like how Brandt photographs animals that are also experiencing harsh conditions or being preserved, to educate viewers and create sympathy. The black and white photos on the slideshow were all seemed to tell me a story and were very well taken, using photography rules such as balance in "Elephant Drinking" and the rule of thirds in "Giraffes in Evening Light."
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3) The photo by Nick Brandt is my favorite because of how simple, yet sad and emotional it is. The photo shows through Brandt's eyes the importance of preserving elephants and how they are being abused, in an effort to make the world realize terrible things happening that we don't even recognize. This photo is pleasing to the eye because it uses a few photo rules and was taken at a time of day with a cloudy sky, really shaping the photo.

4) The first rule I noticed in this photo was the rule of Leading Lines. The tusks serve as a curved line, leading towards the man on the left, and the line that splits the dry, flat and cracked ground from the cloudy sky creates a vast and lonely/empty landscape. Another rule I see is the Rule of Thirds, separating the man into the first third of the photo and the tusks in the other two. Also, this photo shows simple Balance because of the single three objects in the photo: the man and the two tusks. The flatness of the ground and the clouds in the sky also create a balance of space between the main aspect of the photo.

5) Nick Brandt uses a medium format film camera and a regular lens. He doesn't use a special type of lens because he feels that it is more realistic to capture the animals in the way that you would be able to see them if you were there. This is important because it contributes to his style of photography and capturing real situations.

6) Nick Brandt takes these types of photos because the animals themselves move him and interest him. Brandt shows animals in their natural setting, captures specific moments and learns about the threats they may be experiencing.

7) By taking these types of photos, Nick Brandt hopes to educate viewers of the conditions the animals are living in and the natural beauty of these animals and how they need to be preserved.

8) "There is something profoundly iconic, mythological even, about the animals of East and southern Africa. There is also something deeply, emotionally stirring and affecting about the plains of Africa—those vast, green rolling plains punctuated by graphically perfect acacia trees under the huge skies." -Nick Brandt, Awaiting Animals: Casting East African Wildlife "in a State of Being", http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nick-brandt-a-shadow-falls-african-wildlife-photography/

ABANDONED THEME PARKS


1) If I could visit one of these unique theme parks and capture photos there, I would go to Koka Family Land, Shiga, Japan. I chose this theme park because I saw the most photo opportunities for capturing photos using the photo rules. This is because the park is in a big, green forest with many trees and aspects of nature to make the photos more beautiful yet mysterious. The forest creates an eery feeling that the theme park has been abandoned so long that a forest has grown around it. 


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3) Five places I think would be of great interest for photographers to photograph are abandoned beaches, treetops, underwater life, firsts (first school, first walmart built...), and unique modes of transportation.

4) By Elena Kalis: 

5) I think it would be very fun and interesting to take photos underwater because I would be able to interact with lots of the marine life and get first hand experience. I am most interested in photographing the daily lives of the marine animals to help others understand life underwater better, through a photo that would capture this. Lastly, I would expect to take very unique photos of of things certain animals rarely do or always do, so that the viewers become inspired and wanting to learn more.

6) If I were to actually take photos underwater, I would want to be very experienced and working with a very smart and knowledgeable team. Also, I would want to photograph at pretty and unique locations. The equipment I would need to take high quality and top photos underwater would be very expensive, sophisticated and bulky, and because I don't live near (a nice) beach to photograph, I would want to go somewhere such as the Dominican Republic, where the water is crystal clear. Lastly, I would have to be sure I am familiar with all the laws and restrictions of interacting with wildlife in that area, and I would have to be knowledgeable on how to act and treat underwater animals.