Africa and Abandoned theme parks

Africa

1. On your blog post your reactions to what you read and what you saw. How about 3-4 sentences.
Nick Brandt spent several months in Africa shooting amazing portraits. Instead of humans, he used animals and the way he shot, makes it look like the whole thing is staged. His photos are outstanding.

2. Do a google image search for Nick Brandt, find your favorite photo and post it on your blog.



3. Describe it and tell me why its your favorite.
This photo depicts the animal standing in the tree. I like it because it is taken from a distance and is very well centered. He fits everything into the photo perfectly.

4. What rules of photography are evident in the photos you selected, be sure to explain the rule to me?
Avoid Mergers - Tree is not cut off, everything is in photo
Simplicity - Background isn't distracting, and easy to detect subject
Framing - Subject is framed in the tree 
Balance - Picture is evenly balanced with tree covering whole picture.

Do a google/wikipedia search for Nick Brandt

5. What kind of camera and lens does he use and why is this important?
Brandt uses  a Pentax 6711 with two fixed lenses

6. What is his reason for taking these photos?
Brandt takes these photos to show the animals in a state of being.

7. What is his hope by taking these type of photos?
To capture the spirit of the animals he is photographing.

8. Find something he has to say about Africa, and post the quote on your blog. 
"My images are unashamedly idyllic and romantic, a kind of enchanted Africa. They're my elegy to a world that is steadily, tragically vanishing."

Abandoned Theme Parks

1. Tell me which amusement park featured in the two articles that you would like to visit and take your camera along and what about that park made you want to go there. Write at least a paragraph.
I would like to visit the Amusement park in Prypiat, Ukraine because it is in bad condition which adds a spooky feeling to it. It would be dangerous because of the radiation from the Chernobyl power plant, but if I went in quickly and took photos there probably would be no problem. Another reason I like this park is because the Ferris wheel is still standing, which means, with great caution, I could climb up for some cool photos.The Bumper Cars seem really cool to photograph because it looks like it is in mid-game, as if they were playing while the evacuation happened. Everything in ruins adds a really cool effect to the park.

2. Post one photo from that park. You may use the photos from the link, or you can google an entirely new photo. I would prefer to see a photo of the park in disrepair and not a photo of it when it was still operating.
3. Think of at least FIVE other unusual places you think would be of interest to photographers. List them.

1. Abandoned train station
2. Burnt down forest
3. Abandoned Native American settlements
4. Shut down apartments
5. Stores out of business 

4. Use google or another search engine to research ONE of your five places and see if anyone has already started documenting that place. If you find that someone has already started - post at least one photo of their work.


5. Write a paragraph about why you think that it would be fun to document that location. Tell me what interests you about that place and what kind of photos you could expect to take there.
It would be fun to document this location because the idea that something is abandoned makes it a lot more creepy. I find it interesting that everything is so destroyed instead of just left there. I would like to take photos of each room to compare how destroyed they are. It would be fun to explore what other people haven't touched in a long time.

6. Tell me what it would take for you to go and take photos at your location. What would you need as far as equipment goes, travel plans, expenses you might encounter and what laws you would have to take into consideration to take photos at your spot.

I would either need to fly or drive to Detroit to shot these photos. I would need a camera, and a hotel to stay in for a few days while I shoot the scene. I could be breaking a law by trespassing but I doubt anyone even looks at the apartment in the first place. Plane tickets would be expensive but a lot more time efficient.