Africa (Extra Credit)

Extra Credit


1. While looking at this article, I saw the most beautiful and emotional pictures I have ever seen. Nick Brandt captured the subjects of his photographs with much focus and detail. He also captured so much natural beauty while he was near the animals. I felt very sad when I read something very true: if we don't stop hunting animals and making their environment very hard to live in they will be gone and their only beauty will be seen though many photographs when they are gone.

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3. This is my favorite photo by Brandt because he really captured the significance of the elephant in the photo. This photo is also so beautiful because the light shines down on the elephant which makes it look and seem very angelic and precious. (they are ;) ) 

4. There is simplicity, balance and framing in this photo. Simplicity is when a photo is simple with only few distractions and elements in it. There is simplicity because the light is shining on the elephant creating a clear subject. Also, the background is simple because it's just many trees as far as you can see. Balance is having an equal amount of eye catching photo elements on both sides of the picture. (In this case, the trees mainly balance the photo) I see balance in this photo because there are trees on both sides of the photo, almost the same amount of light on both sides of the photo and the one elephant is centered. Framing is when the subject is surrounded by a "frame". I see framing in this photo because the circle of light is framing the elephant, and the trees are framing the circle of light. 

5. Nick Brandt uses fixed lenses. He uses a fixed lens because he believes  "(You) wouldn't take a portrait of a human being from a hundred feet away and expect to capture their spirit; you'd move in close." Nick uses a fixed lens so it forces him to capture his photographs up close so he can tell truth through his photos.

6. Nick started taking these photos to make sure he captured all of the beautiful animals and landscapes in Africa before they vanished once and for all. He knows over time many animals will become endangered and vanish because of the ways humans disrespect and treat them. Therefore, he wants to capture the life before it is gone. 

7.Brandt hopes that when people see his photos that they will create awareness to stop poaching and extinction. If more people view these creatures and their absolutely stunning appearance, he hopes people will want to help save them. 

8."I want my images to achieve two things in this regard- to be elegy to a world that is tragically vanishing, to make people see what beauty is disappearing. Also, try and show that animals are sentient creatures equally as worthy of life as humans." -Nick Brandt on not only African animals and people, but ALL races, animals and environments around the world. 

9. Brant's newest focus for his photography is to create a new concept of life within his photos.

10. Brandt took some of his unpublished photos from other shoots and used medium-format black-and-white film to create 6"x7" negatives. He got the animal's photos and put them in another setting in Africa, and in a way he blended the animal pictures with the new setting. These created gigantic panoramas that were also constructed with plywood and steel frames. 

11. His work has a huge affect on people. For one, it shows animals and reminds people of how beautiful they are and that they should be respected. Also, in some of his pictures he shows the animals in environments they don't belong in like under a highway in a city. This reminds people that animals cannot continue to live in damaging environments and that we need to start diminishing complete urbanization and development. (so animals can live in their designated homes in the wild.) 

12. These images made me feel very sad, empowered, motivated and astonished. I felt very sad and mad that many people are disrespecting animals and causing them to die. I am very angry because I feel animal's lives should be valued with the same respect as a human's life. This makes me feel empowered and motivated to try and help save animals. I also felt very astonished by the beauty  Brandt captured through his photos. The photos show the animals in their natural state and it's jaw-dropping!