All posts tagged: Photography

Content with photographs.

X-ray coloured tulips

X-Ray Photography of Nature, by Arie van’t Riet

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Last week’s art by Greg Mort connected the intimate with the infinite. This week, I thought it would be interesting to explore art that delves into a world hidden from plain sight. With the use of  x-ray radiography, medical physicist and artist Arie van’t Riet creates stunning glimpses into the inner workings of the natural world. For me, van’t Riet’s photographs work on multiple levels. I enjoy the story of his path towards becoming an artist. In his work, I find a keen aesthetic judgement that balances an artist’s intention with the intrinsic beauty of the subject matter. Most importantly of all, I connect with his desire to showcase the vibrancy of life in his more complex pieces.

Burtynsky's Manufactured Landscapes Orange River Plate 14

Manufactured Landscapes: A meditation on man-made spaces

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I don’t recall where I first came across the work of Edward Burtynsky; it could have been at the library, the bookstore, or one of those coffee shops with actual coffee table books. All I remember was being drawn to the front cover image of his collection of photographs, to the intense fluorescent shock of orange lava snaking through charred lands: A beautiful and awesome volcanic landscape. Only when I read the title, half immersed in the river’s glow, did I realize something was amiss. Manufactured Landscapes. As I flipped through the book, the beauty that I saw and the awe that I held for the landscape fell away, replaced by a swell of alarm and disbelief. The river wasn’t lava, the setting wasn’t volcanic, and nature had nothing to do with the creation of this particular landscape. One of the most powerful things art can do is challenge us to examine the assumptions we hold about the world. Burtynsky’s photographic forays into industrial shadows pushed me to confront my own notions on beauty and ugliness, the value …

Pikmin 3 Photography

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Over the last week, I’ve been spending a bit of spare time playing Pikmin 3, the newest entry in one of my favourite videogame franchises. (You might have noticed that one of custom headers of Ekostories is currently Pikmin themed)  It’s been nine long years since the last game, and I’m pleased to find that this newest title has lost none of the whimsy and charm the series is famous for. The premise is simple but unique: A group of tiny thimble-sized astronauts have crash-landed on a mysterious planet. To carry out their mission and return home, they must enlist the help of indigenous half-plant, half-animal creatures called Pikmin. The player and their Pikmin workers must work together to traverse through jungles, tundra, and gardens to discover food and equipment that will them along in their adventure.

The Beauty of Water Droplets, by Andrew Osokin

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The Beauty of Water Droplets, by Andrew Osokin I recently came across the macro photography of Andrew Osokin in the environment section of the Guardian. I was captivated by the images taken around his home city of Moscow, but more intrigued by the photographer’s motivations: “I am greatly interested in photographing the natural world and wanted to show the beauty of nature at a scale that we do not ordinarily appreciate.” (Andrew Osokin) His comment speaks of the beauty that is all around us, even if we do not readily observe it. Osokin’s photographs reminds me of an Ekostory I wrote on the Pikmin videogames: What if dandelions were the height of telephone poles? What if rusty cans were the size of houses? What if puddles were as deep as great lakes? By presenting familiar outdoor settings from an unfamiliar perspective, the Pikmin games allow the player to identify with their diminutive avatars and the creatures they encounters in this alien but recognizable world. The player is asked, in subtle fashion, to consider the secret …

A Landscape’s Story: The Nitobe Memorial Garden

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With the focus on nature-culture relationships within the confines of the garden, I would like to share my experience at the Nitobe Memorial Garden at the University of British Columbia last week. A Japanese Zen garden can itself be interpreted as a narrative of change, revolving around the natural and human cycles of birth, maturation, growth, and death. (At least that’s what the pamphlet says!) Here are some photos and descriptions of my journey through the beautiful and meticulously designed landscape: “Each tree, stone and shrub has been deliberately placed and is carefully maintained to reflect an idealized conception and symbolic representation of nature. There is harmony among natural forms – waterfalls, rivers, forests, islands and seas – and a balance of masculine and feminine forces traditionally attributed to natural elements.” (Nitobe Memorial Garden website)  “Water crossings reflect different life stages such as marriage, spiritual growth, etc.” (Nitobe Memorial Garden guide pamphlet) “…the 7-storey pagoda adds an exotic beauty to aid peaceful meditation. The buddha carving suggests a teenager’s search for life’s meaning.” (Nitobe Memorial …