First Project: Mapping

Mapping Project Statement
This project for me was not only about the subject of mapping, but also learning to express my ideas through the visual language of photography. My interpretation of mapping dealt with texture, scale and form. For me, this project was not so much about recording a certain place or even a feeling, but it was about creating an abstracted map of the surfaces of trees and logs.
I was riding my bike and came across a pile of cut logs and branches along the side of the road. I thought this was interesting because by photographing several of these logs together I was mapping several trees at the same time: the convergence of wood from different locations which was now creating an entirely different landscape from their original form. While I was photographing, it quickly became clear to me that I was more interested in the close-up texture and detail of the logs than I was photographing the huge pile. I could have a lot more control over what I was photographing without moving anything in order to create a better ‘scene’. Although I am not fascinated by landscape photography, I am interested in close-up shots which become abstracted and possibly alienated from the original context. I have continued to photograph more trees (not just the ones in the pile) over the past few weeks and continue to be interested in mapping texture and detail.