I took to pinterest to see if there were other artists or photographers who had used the theme of "beneath the surface" in ways that could inspire my own work.
For my idea of exploring mental illness "beneath the surface" this image serves as a great source of inspiration. The mental illness in this image is manifested as a monster and demonstrates the fear mental illness can create in an incredibly clear way.
This take on beneath the surface was more about simple visual interest. Unusual and visually interesting images to do with this theme are something I would like to focus on in my work, and this is a great example of that.
This was a good example I found of something literally 'beneath the surface'. This image manages to take the literal approach but keep an original take, not simply taking a photo of the tree and the roots, but manipulating the image to create a photo that is both simple and appealing.
I could also use a take such as 'wonderland' , as it is 'down the rabbit hole' , beneath the ground. The abstract and bizarre images related to wonderland are something I would be interested in exploring. Wonderland being a sort of 'wonder' gone wrong.
I could also use the concept of wonderland to create my own idea, of a dystopia with the facade of being a utopia.
Another good angle on this theme (which I saw many examples of) was the sea. I knew this would be an interesting talke on the theme. There are many different ways in which this could be done, I saw many examples of giant looming monster type creatures underneath the surface of the water juxtaposed with a clear surface, often with a boat or person above. A good example of this is the cover of the famnous film "jaws".
i also saw the idea of being under a sruface, i.e trapped behind ice or a mirage, that obsucres the subject's face. Or even something frozen in ice.
Water - With Victor Prout and Ashley Nicole Johnson
Both of these artists have produced differing takes on water. I felt this idea would be useful to me as I could use the interperatation of 'beneath the surface' of the water.
In this image he uses the perspective to create a line effect of the river reaching into the distance. The use of line also stresses the shape of the river and allows the eye to easily follow it's path. This type of image could be taken in a current river bank such as the Wear (in both Durham and Sunderland) or Tyne as a more modern take on his work, possibly as a form of 'parodying' his works.
This type of Landscape photography is very simple and can hold alot of detail in a small space by following the river bank, making for a visually interesting image.
I would like to attempt to follow his direction as it is a simpler take on the theme, requiring little manipulation. Simply requiring good camera angles and positioning.
As simple as this work is, I may need to apply some effects, as the images themselves may look very simple, and mediocre if taken as Prout has. I would like to capture the feel of the weather at the time, using camera settings or filters to stress the idea of a cold night, or warm day.
As Prout was around druing the 19th century his work is limited by the technology of the time. This means all his images are monochrome and , though they show shadows well, it is hard to detect the light intensity and there is no use of colour. This means when using his work as an influence, I must be accutely aware of these flaws in his work.
Ashley Nichole Johnson on the other hand uses under water photos, quite literally 'beneath the surface' of the water.
All of her images in her aptly names "underwater photography" series have model as the focus, as opposed to prout's focus on Landscape photography. She often has them performing elaborate poses to stress a sort of shape in the image, often creating a sense of either tranquility or helplessness, with the shapes sometimes looking limp, as if the peron is trapped "beneath the surface, beyond saving,
She often uses a line effect to stress the seperation of the surface and below the water. This creates a divide in the image and creates a sense of isolation, which again, can provide both a tranquil and helpless feel to the image,
The image to the left is an example of the idea of isolation and a divide, the model faces the divide directly creating a sense of confrontation, as if the water is a barrier. By clever use of camera angle it appears as though she is walking towards the surface head on. The fact the camera is completely immersed in water means gives the eerie effect of there being no water where she is, and the idea that there is some sort of mirage or haze blocking her path, which could have many different interperatations and connotations.
To the right is an example of the sense of tranquility she often portrays in this series. The model seems quite at peace, with an expressionless face. The bright colours and reflections on the surface make the image have a more peaceful mood. The expressionless face has a sort of grim connotation however, as it has the appearence that she is not breathing (due to the lack of bubbles) and a deathly appearence, resembling the body of someone who has drowned.
