Woodland Double Exposures.

After completing my 4th assignment I knew I need to return to the start of this course and re-evaluate how I'd original approach my photography, having discovered how creative I can be using my double exposure technique I wanted to go back and see if the same or similar process would work as well in this case. As with the last two parts of this course I've found it opens up for me a far more creative way of portraying my message while at the same time creating photos that have far more stopping power then a more conventional photo that I'd originally tried. In the photo's below as before I've used layer's and blend modes to combine two images creating a double exposure that best illustrates a point about woodland conservation, in some cases I've also used a small amount of the eraser tool just to fine tune the results but my main aim was to keep the end project as true as I can to the original. The end results are pretty pleasing but take a look and judge for yourself.

Here I've combined two images that both depicted the issue of deforestation with the pile of cut timber acting as a perfect canvas to show the effects of this process on the landscape. Its the rich habitat that is lost during this process that's the real point of this shot trying to get the point across that destruction on this scale needs to be managed in a much more friendly way to avoid losing anymore of this most diverse habitat.

A good image which illustrates the life that can be found within woodland habitat combining the trees and undergrowth with the bird flying out of the tree.

Again its an image highlighting the damage industrial scale deforestation has but what I liked about these to images combining is the way you get the feel you're looking at almost a ghost image of what the view looked like before the forest was cleared and then the results of the action. I think its a powerful image because of the contrast created between the green and pleasant view and the desolation with just a single tree stump remaining. Add to this the sign advertising timber for sale but clearly it's all gone and the end result is something I'm very happy with. If I am being a little more critical I could have slightly weakened the forest image to make the scene below more viable but I didn't feel then the forest view worked as well.

If you take this above image and the earlier shot of the woodland and the bird it strengthens the idea of how important the wildlife and the forest are to one another in forming a symbioses in that one needs the other to survive. For example the birds need the trees to live in and feed while the trees need the birds in the Jays case to spread their seeds around the area, then in the case of the deer the seeds need the forest floor kept relatively clear of undergrowth so they have a chance to grow which the deer do while moving around and feeding where the trees provide them with shelter and a place to hide away from  us and the British weather.

Here its about a story of having these forested areas for both the wildlife to thrive and for us to relax and enjoy the freedom that these places provide. Finding the right balance so we can both take from the surroundings what we need without effecting each other in ways that are detrimental to the other.

It isn't just animal life that a woodland provides a home for but a vast array of fungus and mushrooms that like the damp warm climate create on the forest floor. Would work better if I can find a good photo of just the leaf covered floor as this is more vital for growth because of the way it fertilizes the forest floor.

This is an older photo I did a while ago, what it captures is the essence of what changes in a woodland during a year. I like the way it captures the changing character of the landscape again showing what'd be lost if developers were let lose on the landscape. It was an interesting process creating this view as I had to make sure I was stood in the same spot during the winter and summer and it took me a few trips to get the end results I wanted.

This works much better for me as it gives the impression the mushroom is actual made up of leaf matter (which I suppose in fact you could say it is), its defiantly one of them images which you have to take a second look at to be sure of what you're looking at.

With this image I wanted to look at one of the bigger issues regarding woodland conservation in that should we be planting new areas of forest or using the land for agricultural uses. We have a ever growing population that is slowly stretching our resources so why take perfectly good agricultural land and use it for new forest. On the other hand we need to protect our natural habitats which are most under pressure so by planting new woodland we can help many species that we'd lose with out this environment to live in. Its one of them arguments that you can see both sides have a point and neither is wrong it's just we have to find that happy middle ground where we can all be happy.