Africa- Extra Credit

1. My first thought was that there was no way that it was safe to go so close to wild animals. I think that is extraordinary that he is able to do what he does and to raise awareness for these animals, because it is needed. You don't realize exactly how bad humans have and continue to affect the environment. I think that these photos are beautiful and help to show such a dark topic.

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3. This is a picture of dust floating off of an elephant while it walks. I think that this is something really cool to have captured, and it blows my mind that he did this without a telephoto lens. It is my favorite because I love the way that it looks with the dust and the simple background.

4. There is most definitely balance. The dust is distributed somewhat evenly across the back of the elephant. The dust also helps to balance out the size of the head vs. the back of the elephant size wise.

Do a google/wikipedia search for Nick Brandt

5. He uses a medium-format film camera, specifically the Mamiya RZ67 Pro IID model. That is important because the cameras aren't digital, so he can't immediately see the results. He uses black and white film and does not use any telephoto lens. That means that he actually goes up to each animal to get the pictures.

6. To bring attention to how humans are effecting the lives of animals, specifically in Africa. He started a non-profit called the Big Life Foundation to help conserve Africa's wildlife and nature.

7. He hopes to record these animals and their spirits before humans make them go extinct. He is also recording the animals in their natural habitats before the habitats themselves are destroyed.


8. "I want my images to achieve two things in this regard - to be an elegy to a world that is tragically vanishing, to make people see what beauty is disappearing. Also, to try and show that animals are sentient creatures equally as worthy of life as humans." -Nick Brandt

9. He puts the beautiful and thoughtful pictures where humans have most impacted the earth. For example, there was a picture of elephants "holding up" a highway.

10. He stitches together multiple negatives to create on giant (40x80 in) panoramic. For a museum show, his photos are twice the size, to show all of the details.

11. I think that his work draws attention to African Wildlife conservation non-profits that are trying to preserve the wildlife there. I think that these photos make the viewer feel guilty as a human and they donate to try to "fix" the problem.

12. I felt so disgusted with what is deemed "human nature". Destroying the earth isn't human nature, it is cruel, which is something that I think he is trying to bring and show in his photos.