Idea Post (11-4-09): Transformation

I have been working steadily on the same project now for a couple weeks. While I think it is strong, visually, I am bored by it.

(the detail is crazy if you are able to click on them to view at full size).

So then I started to write about it in my journal. I was taking notes during the slideshow presentations and I believe in Michael Archer's show the quote "Effects are always better when they're real" really stuck. Visually, these images are pretty dull if I don't jazz them up with color "correction." The responses would probably vary as followed: "Big deal, grave sites these trees" v. "Oh look at these weird colored photographs of tree graves"

Of course, I went with the latter...So then I thought, that perhaps my initial idea of incorporating the people isn't that far off, after all. It will most certainly scream SARA D! more than these images I've been taking so far. Therefore, how would I incorporate people so it makes sense? Well, I certainly won't have them stretching or just standing there. Perhaps they will appear either dead or just being born? For some reason I wrote "I want to comment and discuss about the abortion or murder of these trees" to which I was like, "Why did I just say tree abortion?" I think it was because Sarah Hauser had said something about hearing that eggs were chicken abortions, but regardless, I used that word and it was strange. So I was thinking about having the people (or person) acting these different parts, in the fetal position and coupling it with the rest of the information I had planned on before (no longer using the leaves/bark). I think this will please my two 'sides' that I discussed in my slideshow: my journalistic and conceptual artist side. Also, the 'effect' is done entirely without computer manipulation and done all in camera within a few seconds of an exposure.

To perhaps get a better idea of what I am talking about here are samples from last year's long exposure project, in case you are unfamiliar.

(again, the detail is crazy if you can click to view how the bark appears to be growing over his body in some areas and he is translucent in others).

Also, Richmond posted an entire new list of trees being taken down this month, even longer than the first. I feel that in a lot of ways I am resorting back to who I am as an artist versus who I think I should be, which is good, I hope.