#309 ASSIGNMENT: NICK BRANDT
We’re very lucky to have Nick Brandt, the internationally respected environmental photographer as my special guest to set a unique photography assignment and as you’re about to find out, this one may well be a challenge on many levels; for its message, for its wider meaning, for perhaps some writing, for the fact that you have more than the usual week. It's great to see the pictures you have been making from the assignments set so far, so please keep sending your photographs for inclusion on today's show page.
Send your pictures in to studio@photographydaily.show - 2000 pixels wide, any orientation you prefer; square, portrait or landscape.
My thanks to our wonderful Patrons and MPB.com who sponsor this show; the number one company in the UK, the US and Europe when it comes to buying, selling and trading used camera kit online – it’s a safe place to do business, with guarantees upon what you buy and pertinently, sustainability and the circular economy are essential values and beliefs of their company.
One of Nick Brandt’s powerful pictures as featured in episode 269.
BY JOHN MILLAR
I have to confess, I did have to rack my brains on assignment 309 set by Nick Brandt. I didn't want to get political (I'm not really the political type) I didn't want to be cliche with my chosen subject. So, I did find something that I feel passionate about on a small level perhaps, but nonetheless, it raises the blood pressure a little, though to some extent could be seen as something lighthearted too. Not big on the grand scheme of world events, but on a local (and across the UK) certainly a problem.
With that in mind, the attached image is called "Tree Rat" (Grey Squirrels as they're more commonly known). Anyone who has perused my Instagram feed will probably know I'm quite keen on dabbling with a bit of garden bird photography. We've done well with our feathered visitors, from Robins to Tits (Great, Coal, Blue & Long Tailed not any other types!) plus Dunnocks, Sparrows, and Woodpeckers amongst others. This has been achieved with feeders for the birds, hung in the garden in good places to be able to photograph them without too much difficulty.
Of course, where birds are feeding, squirrels soon catch on. The grey squirrel though cute in appearance isn't all that nice. As I'm sure most people are aware, this invasive rodent damages trees contributes to the decline of red squirrels, and preys on the eggs and chicks of songbirds, not to mention damage to property in urban areas. Quite the thug of the rodent world!
I was interested to see scientists had come up with an ingenious way to control the greys population with feed laced with contraceptives. As for the ones visiting our garden, a well-aimed squirt of water usually sees them off for a short while!
BY KIERON BEARD (above and below)
As you will see by my Instagram, I don't post many colour photos so this is really a break from my comfort zone but I think colour was required in this instance.
What does the environment mean to you?
Stop and think for a moment. What comes to your mind?
Do you consider local events? Are you thinking about your house, village and community?
Are your thoughts more about regional events like flooding or extreme weather conditions?
Or are you wondering about a larger-scale impact such as global warming or the effect of plastics on the environment?
I’m not going to answer these questions in this short photo essay. However, I would like to draw your attention to a local environmental impact event affecting my small commune recently.
My village is a small place in France nestled between the foot of the Jura mountains and the Swiss border. The nearest city is Geneva, just a stone’s throw away. In my commune, there is a popular shopping centre and as a result of its location, it attracts large numbers of shoppers on Saturdays.
On Sunday mornings I noticed discarded waste around two dustbins situated at the bus stop just across the road from McDonald’s restaurant. The mess was habitual occurring on a weekly basis and really upset the local environment. One Sunday morning I decided to stop, park my car and take some photos.
But now what should I do? I wasn’t sure so, as a considerable amount of waste was coming from the McDonald’s restaurant, I decided to write a direct message on my Instagram profile to McDonald’s France with some of the photos shown here. I didn’t expect any feedback but at least I’d done something.
The story doesn’t end there though! A couple of weeks after my direct message (that I suspect had no impact whatsoever) it appears that the issue had been solved, well at least there’s less mess on a Sunday morning now. How did they achieve this you may well ask? Well, I’ll tell you, they removed the two bins completely from the bus stop.
This certainly reduced the waste building up but I can’t help wondering what is happening to the rubbish now? Is it being disposed of in a more sustainable way or is it just being kicked down the road in someone else’s commune?
