The Exploited Forest - A Little Update

A few people have been asking to see a bit of my work in progress so it’s probably time to give a little update. Originally, Clive (my tutor) and I went through some test shots and we discussed how I wanted to approach the project. To summarise the discussion, Clive felt that he wanted to see the forest shot in a way that he hadn’t seen before and that my test shots were too traditional. This is understandable with a subject that he has worked with so much and knows so well.

Initial Strategy

Over the next few weeks I focused on a new strategy where I captured mostly detail shots, shooting small segments in a kind of forensic way. I then had a brief discussion with Paul (another tutor) who now wants me to go back to the original strategy because he finds it a lot more interesting and reveals a lot more about the landscape!

Second Strategy

So now I’m in a bit of a pickle. Do I revert to the original strategy that Paul enjoyed but Clive didn’t, carry on doing what I am doing until I can get an updated opinion from Clive or develop an entirely new strategy?

Guess it is time to follow my instincts…

All photographs by Scott Martin.

Kyle Ford - 'Forever Wild'

Whilst doing research for my project I came across this great little piece of work still in progress by Kyle Ford. The project is about an area of land in northern New York that has been governmentally sanctioned as ‘Forever Wild’. This means that the land enjoys the highest level of protection of wild land of any state.

‘Forever Wild’ is such an interesting phrase to me. It sounds so optimistic but is ultimately misleading. Through the tiny bit of research that I did before writing this (a 2 minute Google search) it is clear that this was never the intention, at least in the purist sense. Over the years it has been used more and more to attract tourism and recreation.

Through Ford’s work, It becomes clear that much of the beauty of the area remains (and he celebrates this) but over the years it has begun to be tamed by man to the point where I don’t believe it could be called ‘wild’ ever again.

I feel like the work has been constructed with real concern for the area. It simultaneously enables me to appreciate the landscape as it is now whilst also raising doubts about its future. I can’t help but wonder what will be left untamed in 10, 20 or 50 years’ time, and I feel that this makes it a real triumph. I look forward to seeing the work completed.

All photographs by Kyle Ford.