Printing, Archiving and Meta Data

For my project I decided to get my 8x10 C-type Prints, printed through Free Prints. I chose this company as I have been ordering images from them for a while now and I trust their quality and turn around time. I also get free 6x4s with the 8x10s. Free Prints is also easily accessible. To keep my prints clean, I bought archival sleeves from amazon. I found it extremely difficult to find 8x10 sleeves so in the end I went with A4 because I could get a hold of any 8x10 sleeves. From Amazon I also purchased an A4 archival Box for my prints to go in, ready to hand in. The box keeps everything clean and looking professional. Once I had my prints, I screenshotted each images meta data, printed it out, cut it to size and placed them behind each image in the archival sleeves. I decided not to glue or stick them to preserve the photographs quality. This term I have been getting better at editing meta data as I have had to use them for two separate modules. 

Human Impact 

Our walls, show us as humans taking ownership of the Earths land, that we are only borrowing whilst we are here. The more the wealthy you are, the more land you can own, more houses, cars, roads, walls, signs etc. This is more development on nature, this scars the environment and changes its, thus climate change. In the beginning we started out with grass, which progressed to dirt tracks/roads, then stone/cobble roads, finally they developed into tarmac roads. 

Scars of Humanity 

The Landscape in the era of humanity has become scared and damaged. Where there was once grass, became dirt tracks and then roads, drainage had to come into place because of tarmac, concrete and stones lack of absorption. The water needed to be drained. As the world evolves and grows so does the litter and land fills, creating eye sores and more danger to wildlife. The factories that create our food, packaging etc is keeping the flow of litter ever-growing. Those factories and other sources like cars make pollution. The world thinks its making the earth green again but its means are still polluted. If you compare how the world changes over the years you can see how uglier it gets year by year. 

Influencers such as Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough have been working over the years to globally spread awareness of climate change and its effects. Environmental photographers such as, Ashley Cooper, SL Shanth Kumar, Cristina Mittermeier and Aaron Huey, have all worked to show the world our beauties such as wildlife but also our down falls such as pollution, litter and drainage.

Why digital and not 35mm Film?

Unfortunately through this module we have been living in a pandemic. Due to COVID-19, resources these last 18 months have been limited, along with social distancing and other COVID restrictions. This meant for those not living at university access to the stores were hard, if not impossible at times. I do however own my own FM2, Nikon 35mm, but it needs cleaning and I don't have access to any developing labs. Therefore I shot digitally and changed my images to black and white in post. 

20th Century vs 21st Century - Imagery 

Over the last 1,000 years the means and use of imagery has grown significantly. From painting in caves using blood, berries and sap etc, to digital photo/videography. 1,000 years ago making images was much harder mentally and physically. It was raw. But now it comes as second nature. It consumes us and is easily accessible. 

Distribution, Dissemination and Professional Practice