The “Fox River Derivatives” project from Peter Hoffman is a collection of photos addressing mankind’s relationship with natural resources. The Fox River is a 202-mile-long tributary of the Illinois River. Hoffman shot photos as he biked up and down the river. Then, the abstract images were created by pouring gasoline on the negatives and setting them on fire.
From the artist:
“Fox River Derivatives is a series that questions our relationship with our natural resources. Using the theme “Water and Oil”, with consideration to the large BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, the images are part of a larger experiment that utilizes water and fossil fuels in the actual image-making process, letting these substances become an important variable in the visual representation. Photographs are made along the Fox River which passes through both untouched rural areas and consumer-oriented suburban sprawl.”
David Lidbetter is a London-based photographer with a prediliction for wild texture and color. He works with a variety of materials — yarn, crayons, paint, rubber bands, and food — to create pieces that are incredibly fun to look at. The photographs above look like he just built a paint bomb and dropped it on the canvas. In reality, however, these scenes are carefully composed.
This is the kind of art that I like to look at on Fridays…
Ruben Brulat discovered the most striking landscapes in the world for his two photography series, Paths & Primates. The images feature abandoned people in countries such as Mongolia, Iraq, the Phillipines, Nepal, and Indonesia. By inserting human strife, the scenes evolve from beautiful terrain into compelling drama, and the scale of the people in the photographs emphasizes the power of nature against us.
This personal project was conducted over the last two years, and incredibly, Brulat only traveled by land! He apparently picked up locals along the way to help find the scenes and take the photographs.
Red Bull Illume is an action photography contest that occurs once every three years. Patrick Rochon recently captured 3 wakeboarders with LED’s attached to their boards to create this incredible light painting effect. Snap! Orlando came up with the concept and fabricated the boards. Here’s a quote from the Illume site about the project:
“The shoot… …included many challenges in preparation. It’s hard enough to shoot high-speed action in the dark – add in the tasks of outfitting the boards with the waterproof LCD light systems to staging the cameras, lighting and athletes in proper position to secure the shot, and you have yourself a serious photographic mission.
Some of the most inspired by the project were the athletes themselves. “It really is my movements painting this picture and helping this photo come to life!” says Errington, the 24-year-old wakeboarder at the top of his game.
For Rochon, the set-up and planning were extensive, but the motivation while shooting was simple: “Focus on the art, the creativity, and the beauty,” said Rochon, mid-shoot. Fortunately for him, he knew he could rely on the riders to offer performances worthy of the occasion. “I’m really impressed by the athletes,” he added. “They are so fluid in the water, and they understand naturally what we are trying to do here.””
These wakeboarding photographs are reminscent of Jacob Sutton’s Snow Surfer and also the Neon Surfing from Bondi Beach.
The Red Bull Illume competition has produced some pretty amazing results over the years. Here are the Top 10 Winners from the 2010 competition (click photos to enlarge):
Close-Up 2010: Nathan Smith (AUS)
Energy: Stuart Gibson (AUS)
experimental: Daniel Grund (GER)
Illumination: Chris Burkard (USA)
Culture: Vincent Perraud (FRA)
New Creativity: Eric Berger (CAN)
Playground: Tim Korbmacher (GER)
Sequence: Miguel Lopez Virgen (MEX)
Spirit: Adam Kokot (POL)
Wings: Marcel Lämmerhirt (AUT)
The Illumination shot from Chris Burkard won the 2010 competition, and I must say that I think it is one of the most beautiful photographs I’ve ever seen. It features surfer Peter Mendia riding waves off Chile’s West Coast.
Submissions to Red Bull Illume are open until April 30th, 2013. Visit this site to enter.
Lake Baikal, located in the heart of Siberia, is the oldest and deepest freshwater lake in the world. For a short time in March, as the thick ice begins to melt, you can catch a glimpse of these incredible turquoise masses jutting out from the surface. Apparently, a combination of wind, temperature differences, frost and sun in the ice crust causes the ice hummocks to form.
Alexey Trofimov, who is responsible for several of the photos above, said that “The shooting is not easy, as Baikal is known for its unpredictability. It is especially dangerous shooting ice of Lake Baikal.”
The photos kind of remind me of Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, maybe it was inspiration..?
If you are brave enough to venture to Lake Baikal and capture some of this majestic ice, head to the plains of southeastern Russia:
However, I would heed Trofimov’s warning. Capturing photographs of melting ice is a dangerous proposition.
And here’s one last photo that I especially appreciate called “The Lake Baikal Nervous System”:
The Ocean covers roughly 71% of the Earth’s surface, yet more than 95% of it remains unexplored! At one time, we believed that all life on Earth was part of a photosynthetic food chain, drawing energy from the sun, but we have since learned that life can appear in some very strange places, even in the deepest crevices of the sea. Reefs are particularly diverse ecosystems hosting over 4,000 species of fish, massive numbers of cnidaria, mollusks, crustacea, and many other animals, and unless you scuba dive, you probably haven’t had the opportunity to see one up close. They are absolutely incredible.
LA-based photographer and composer Felix Salazar shot the images you see above. I think he captured the strange plant and animal lifeforms that flourish here in excellent form. The colors are brilliant.
For more of the Alien Reef, visit Felix’s website.
