Projects

Abstracting Photography /  by Niclaus Cook

This is my work in progress statement for a new series that I am working on. 

In the absence of a clear subject, what remains? Unlike the many other mediums of art, photography struggles to hold ground in the world of abstraction. Unlike the painting of CY Twombly, Georges Braque, Ellsworth Kelly and others, whose lack of definite subject matter breeds intrigue, an absence of subject in photography typical leads to an image that falls apart. In contemplating how these painters approach their canvases It occurred to me that lack of a clear subject in a photo does not actually lead to the dissemination of the image, rather this transforms the picture into a study of formalism. In this perspective, the viewer begins to see as the camera sees because of the photographer, not the other way around. Much how we see through our peripheral vision; these are the images that exist on the outside of the formal subject driven images. This is what the camera sees in its Peripheral vision.

Ocean Artist Statement /  by Niclaus Cook

I have finally pulled together a cohesive artist statement for my ocean series. It follows below.

Ocean

While it may seem cliché to say, thanks to the myriad of politician’s constant talk of it, the ocean is the largest natural expanse we have in this planet. It contains more life than anywhere else and covers more of the earth than any landmass. I am positive as well, that many have seen the ocean in its pristine form—A whale or shark breaching the water, jellyfish floating calmly through the sea, and so forth. These are scenes that we conjure when we envision the ocean.  Indeed, these are the images that I have come to cherish, along with the serenity that the ocean has brought to my life. The next generation may not however, instead, when the ocean is thought of, the images they may see are manmade plastics—  bags, bottles and other debris. 

A changing climate is not something that waits for people to understand it. It is immediate! This immediacy translates well into the process of cyanotypes, where the bright blue colors may not last.

Each image was created by first capturing images with a camera and then creating a negative and though a chemical reaction of ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide produces the final image. This is reminiscent of the many reactions taken place in the ocean everyday as a result of increased pollution and environmental changes. The reaction occurs when the suns UV rays are exposed to the hand coated paper. In this way, the same source that is causing the warming of our earth is also illuminating the images that hope to protect it.

Not the only element of the process, but water is also important to the creation and meaning of the images. Cyanotypes cannot be created without a large amount of water to hone the prints final blue tone. In this way, my own interaction with these images is leaving a foot print in the grander scheme of the planet. There is truly no way to not have an impact, instead it is how we choose to live in harmony alongside the planet.

My goal is to not strictly document our impact, because that has already been done. Rather, I want to insight a conversation about how we interact with our oceans and our environment, and I hope to start the process of generating new ideas on how we can restore a balance between us and the ocean. I want to invoke the feeling that the ocean is mysterious, it is bizarre, and it needs the help of co-inhibitors to survive.

Street Photo Statement /  by Niclaus Cook

This body of work was created because there are stories everywhere. Every second of every every day things are happening. This is one part of the captivation with the style street photography. The other is the self introspection that occurs as a result of the process and it's finale images.  For me, the quite reflection on my self and the world around me that happens is key to the work. Like me and that of everyone else in the world, life is constantly pushing forward, we are interacting with the world around us. Responding to the quite moments of unknown interactions among people produces images tell both a story to the viewer and a telling reflection to me the photographer. 

Project statement for Final & Project 3— Ocean /  by Niclaus Cook

While it may seem cliche to say, thanks to the myriad of politicians constant talk of it, but the ocean is the largest natural expanse we have in this planet. It contains more life then anywhere else and covers more of the earth than any landmass. Many photographers, Michael Muller being one, have embarked on personal projects to help showcase the beauty and power of the ocean in an effort to help protect and raise awareness of the ocean. This project is my contribution to that collective.

Many have seen the ocean in its pristine form—A whale or shark breaching the water, jellyfish floating calmly through the sea, and so forth. My approach is different, because I show case the ocean in a mystical since. One where things are not where they are supposed to be, or scenarios that would other wise never happen. I want to invoke the feeling that the ocean is mysterious, it is bizarre, that it is harmless towards humans so long as humans stay out of the way.

Along with Michael Muller, who takes a Hollywood style portrait of the ocean animals, I was influence by Chris Jordon. Jordon is responsible for the horrible yet telling images of birds taken on the islands of Midway Atoll who are dead as a result oftrash in the ocean currents.

 

Project Statement /  by Niclaus Cook

This project was at first intended to be an extension of another project, however through a series of terrible events It has transformed into another one. The recent passing of my grandmother has given me thoughts about time. This is, I think, a natural reaction to the passing of a loved one. The realization that our seemingly infinite lives in a particular moment are really not, is a concept that many do not like to burden themselves with. I have tried with the images I have made as a result of these thoughts, to pictorialize the concept “threads of time” id est, the idea of multiple realities, possibilities, outcomes, et cetera. My grandmothers passing was not a timed one, despite her being very ill and even in the hospital, her death was a freak accident. It is as if the thread her life had been following, somehow crossed with another, there was a mix-up and this new thread she had begun to follow lead her towards demise. It is curious, what is it the dictates these threads. These images are meant to be, not only a homage to my grandmother, but also to the idea that these threads are all around us.

 

This project was influenced by the works of Jerry Uelsmann, and Roger Ballen.

Art 133: Project 1– Face Swap /  by Niclaus Cook

The first project was designed to give a basic introduction to heavy photoshop compositing. The task, using a series of portraits taken of the class, create three new people by swaping their facial features.

This project has given me a new perspective on the way I like to shoot. While I do incorporate small amounts of compositing into some of my work, never anything as heavy as this project involved. I do my best to capture what I want physically in camera, and only if I absolutely can not accomplish that, then I turn to photoshop. These portraits are over the top, first time try outs for certain techniques, and very scary. However I do think these came out strangely interesting

Weight (Project III Artist Statement) /  by Niclaus Cook

When life presents problems, as it does, weight is formed. Its approximated that the weight of gravity keeping our feet on the ground is equivalent to four school buses sitting on our shoulders. That is a lot of weight, but nothing, compared to the heaviness that befalls our shoulders in times of hardship. There are hardships of sadness and pain, there are hardships of financial doubt and hunger, hardships of gain and loss. The list can continue. These are all weights. Weight that is bared upon our shoulders. 

What of these shoulders though, or rather the person they belong to, bearing this weight? What becomes of that person, or maybe you, in that time the weight is bared. 

For me. For you.

It is within this time that we are lost to the shadows, where the only light may be the one we create for ourselves. We have frustration. Wistful thinking of where we could be, and what we could be doing. We have a sinking filling, one that is engulfing, slowly creeping its way around you.

This is what someone holding life’s weight is up against. These pictures do not show the grief and sorrow, the problems themselves, or the pain and sadness. 

They are meant to show the weight. 

Post Project (I) Reflection /  by Niclaus Cook

For this project I wanted to explore the intrusion of digital technology onto every-day items. As was seen I focused on books, time, writing, and film. Was my attempt successful... not really. I picked still life because it allows for control. I probably went overboard with the control aspect to the point of making the photos look fake.

I think the records, and the pens are my favorite of the batch. The records picture has depth to it, starting with the phone and moving down to the CD's,  then to the records. I like that the records are not fully lit, but rather receding into shadows. This suggest that they are being lost. The pens picture shows the how we moved from dip pens to fountain pens to the ubiquitous bic ball pen, and finally to the keyboard. The nibs of the pens all point to the keyboards usb, which leads to the keyboard. Thus showing how the many facets of writing have now been consolidated to one object.

I have also posted my digital photos that I took. There are different setups for some. Though they offer little more then the film photos accept that they did not have the processing problems.