Filmwasters
Which Board? => Photo Essays => : jharr September 25, 2013, 04:08:38 PM
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This is a selection of photos from an ongoing project where I am photographing the struggle of plants to overcome the obstacles and suppressive efforts of humanity. This is nature "finding a way".
I have used a variety of cameras and films in this project and I think that might also add to the theme of disorder overcoming order. Anyway, the complete set can be seen on my BLOG (http://jamesharrphoto.blogspot.com/search/label/pushing%20through) and on FLICKR (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/sets/72157634630985948/). These are my personal favorites:
Yashica Mat 124G on Lomo X-Pro (c-41 processed)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7361/9278876523_87234815e0_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/9278876523/)
Pushing Through I (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/9278876523/#) by James Harr Photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/harrlequin/), on Flickr
Voigtländer Bessa 6x9 on Fuji Acros 100
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3785/9418165701_2eef7f1a64_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/9418165701/)
Pushing Through II (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/9418165701/#) by James Harr Photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/harrlequin/), on Flickr
Yashica Mat 124G on Kodak T-Max
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7319/9590603815_8067fb5250_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/9590603815/)
Pushing-Through-VII (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/9590603815/#) by James Harr Photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/harrlequin/), on Flickr
Yashica Mat 124G on Kodak T-Max
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3709/9590601385_b516238d26_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/9590601385/)
Pushing-Through-V (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/9590601385/#) by James Harr Photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/harrlequin/), on Flickr
Graflex Speed Graphic on Kodak Tri-X
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3830/9636574995_f0f1fd3184_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/9636574995/)
Pushing Through VIII (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/9636574995/#) by James Harr Photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/harrlequin/), on Flickr
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(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7369/9967711674_ce2e826560_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/9967711674/)
pushing through X (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/9967711674/#) by James Harr Photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/harrlequin/), on Flickr
http://jamesharrphoto.blogspot.com/search/label/pushing%20through (http://jamesharrphoto.blogspot.com/search/label/pushing%20through)
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(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2834/10988659714_04df4b9229_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/10988659714/)
Pushing Through XI (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/10988659714/#) by James Harr Photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/harrlequin/), on Flickr
http://jamesharrphoto.blogspot.com/2013/11/pushing-through-xi.html (http://jamesharrphoto.blogspot.com/2013/11/pushing-through-xi.html)
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Great photos and I love the theme, you can do a lot with it. I've always had a bit of a fascination with some of the crazy places vegetation tries to grow.
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Thanks Bryan. It's also a good theme because if you keep your eyes open, it is really easy to find good examples of plants taking over the city.
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I like the theme and the narratives on your blog. It's amazing how nature can claim back what you'd expect to be an impenetrable layer of concrete.
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I like the theme and the narratives on your blog. It's amazing how nature can claim back what you'd expect to be an impenetrable layer of concrete.
I've been looking for something special to wrap up the series, but it is elusive. Thanks for the kind words.
James
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it's my favorite theme in essence! I'm glad to see this collection of shots and I'll be looking forward to seeing more. it always brings a smile to my face to see the plants pushing through and growing in the cracks of our lousy attempts to control the enviroment~
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Great series and theme. Entropy FTW ;-)
I always find this imagery - of the concrete world slowly being countered by nature - comforting. Some people might see it as decay. Maybe it is but it is MY kind of decay. :-)
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The latest in my ongoing photo essay...
http://jamesharrphoto.blogspot.com/2014/03/pushing-through-xii.html (http://jamesharrphoto.blogspot.com/2014/03/pushing-through-xii.html)
(http://u1.ipernity.com/41/44/03/31344403.d5001628.640.jpg?r1)
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Made me think of this...
I am the wilderness locked in a cage
I am a growing force you kept in place
I am a tree reaching for the sun
Please don't hold me down
Please don't hold me down
I am a rolling wave without the motion
A glass of water longing for the ocean
I am an asphalt flower breaking free but you keep stoppin' me
Release me
Release me
I am the rain that's coming down on you
That you shielded yourself from with a roof
I am the fire burning desperately but you're controlling me
Release me
Release me
Here's the vid.
Oh Laura - Release Me (new video) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYfsJ6rXgoc#ws)
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Pushing Through XIII (http://jamesharrphoto.blogspot.com/2014/07/pushing-through-xiii.html)
(http://u1.ipernity.com/44/94/91/33709491.517cf352.800.jpg?r2)
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Pushing Through XIV (http://jamesharrphoto.blogspot.com/2014/07/pushing-through-xiv.html)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3861/14689507721_a013be0483_b.jpg)
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And the final entry for this project.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2927/14506036388_d19a0d1ca4_c.jpg) (http://jamesharrphoto.blogspot.com/2014/07/pushing-through-xv-final-entry.html)
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I just thought I would put these two up as "addenda" to the last two. I forgot I had these on my roll of Ektar in my Voigtlander.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3891/14585513518_066ff27dee_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/odSz21)
Lake Morena Oak (https://flic.kr/p/odSz21) by James Harr's Photos (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3880/14585506449_146a9f3003_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/odSwV8)
Lake Morena Ruins (https://flic.kr/p/odSwV8) by James Harr's Photos (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr
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These are lovely pictures! (that I am only now realizing are here :o ) I appreciate the theme, too. I had started a similar project a few years back but never did anything with it. I called mine "Signs of life." It's a phrase that people usually use when they see evidence of human activity, but like you, I was looking for the reverse - the places where nature was reclaiming those remnants of human activity.
Great work!
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Thank you Leonore. I had fun with this series and it seems to be a common enough thought among photographers that I got some nice feedback. I probably should have thought ahead and made it a little more coherent with the same film and format for the whole series, but instead I shot it with my usual eclectic aesthetic. ??? I'm glad you enjoyed these.
James
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the theme is both a struggle to live and adapt. this is something you overlook when you see any plant growing out of any man made structure. this a great set even though different cameras or films are made. it diversifies each exposure.
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This has been a really nice thread and there's some lovely pictures.
I was actually thinking about this thread yesterday as I was walking around Cambridge. It's amazing, the various university campuses charge money to walk through their grounds (for anyone sufficiently interested) and the lawns / gardens that front onto the city centre / streets are manicured to perfection.
However, some of the bits that face onto side streets are a lot less "kempt" to the point where I thought they'd make an intereting juxtaposition with the billiard-table lawns and walkways in the more obvious places.
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Thanks all. I'm glad people have enjoyed the photos and that the theme resonated with some. I guess that since I have finished my contributions to this set, I should open it up and see if others would like to post something here on the same theme. This is a community after all. I for one would love to see how other people see this or even just how it is happening at other places in the world. So post 'em if you got 'em! :D