Contextual photographic research

The story line begins with the character disliking her society as a representative of actual society and Waltham forest before London's borough of culture (in relation to our theme.) Through research and development of ideas, I have related the idea of a  'disruptive' society to wider world issues, adding further depth and relevant meaning behind my work. These wider world topics including many economic and environmental issues, such as water pollution and rising sea levels causing land loss, climatic change, wildlife issues such as a decrease in bee populations, vanishing glaciers, etc. Identifying these problems and representing them through the art form of photographing could introduce awareness towards my proposed audience, along with expanding secondary audiences to those looking to raise awareness about such issues. Overall contrasting worldly issues between her society and dream keeps the story relevant, and could further challenge themes for mature areas of my audience.

Independent research I have conducted under climatic issues are as followed, with information about how I may photographically represent them at the start and end of the book, possibly within the 4 themes -

Water and plastic contamination - 
One of the most modern, concerning issues environmentally is plastic contamination and the increase of sea turtle and further sea-life deaths due to plastic consumption. Thousands of materials including plastic bottles and bags are being dumped into the ocean and seas of the world, with further companies trying to help this issue, such as Adidas & Parley and The Ocean Cleanup. Low lying Pacific islands such as Tuvalu and Maldives are at risk of due to rising sea levels, by 2030, the Maldive population are predicted to be moved to India and Sri Lanka.
Further developing and supporting my idea from this research, I aim to include photographs of plastic bottles and bags in water, phrasing accompanying about marine life. As I aim to use a pond, there may be issues when photographing near water and gathering bottles to fully demonstrate the mass amounts of real plastic wasted. To overcome this, I may have to use photographic techniques such as framing and shallow depth of field on one bottle or plastic bag, not making the rest as evident but producing the same visual impact. Precautions of using the camera shoulder strap to avoid droppings will also be taken.

Glaciers and ice -
Glaciers are a type of land form, formed over a period of time where snow remains in the same place and turns into layers of ice. As a result of climate change, including rising sea level, the worlds glaciers and ice caps are shrinking and retreating affecting wildlife such as polar bears. Some glaciers may disappear by 2035,  with thinning of the Arctic Sea by 65% since 1975.
To show this within my project, I will insert a photograph taken in the snow, and possible pictures of icicles and amounts of snow / ice in a landscaped area. Researching the impact of climate change onto further issues about melting ice and glaciers has provided me with insight and a meaning of portraying different weathering at the beginning of my book, and further making the audience think deeper about issues around them, rather than just an aesthetic photograph.
My example photographs:




Emission pollution, buildings and smoke -

An increase in population has caused an increase in transportation methods and an increase of buildings/building infrastructure rather than landscaped greenery, emitting harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. High amounts of these emissions and carbon dioxide, according to research, suggest that certain important clouds such as Stratocumulus clouds, also known as one of the world most important type of cloud, will become extinct. The lack of clouds further causes an increase in the globes temperature, increasing global warming with the knock on effects glaciers, desserts, sea's and wildlife face.
To represent this issue in my book, I will include a photograph of buildings with word phrasing linking to the suffocation industrialisation causes for the wider world, and the neglect humans have towards it.


Endangered bees - 
A lack of vegetation and destruction of habitats, along with land use changes and disease is causing endangerment for certain bee types. Without bee's and pollination, other species who are dependant on them will not survive, along with humans crop production and plant communities decreasing massively. To reduce the extinction, research suggests helping communities clean up and become green, along with having a green garden.
Within my book, the representation of bee's will be present in the 'nature' theme, with a final close up photograph using shallow depth of field of a bee next to a flower in a vibrant, green environment. With further thoughts required, the word phrasing will follow a wildlife / insect extinction theme, though positive - describing a way in which these insects and bee's can flourish. Other insects I have photographed may also be included, these photos taken in the landscaped location I have previously used, being Hainault country park.