The Photograph as Contemporary Art: Chapter 8 Response

   The following images are part of my backup plan for the documentary project in case my main idea ends up not working out. For the past couple of weeks, I have been very interested in the recent U.N. climate report that has given a 12 year deadline on how long world industries have to change their coal emission habits before catastrophic damage is done to the environment (at least noticeably more than what has already been done). The Armageddon-esque rhetoric has sparked a more passionate and aggressive discussion on climate change, and many people are becoming more aware of the adverse affects of fossil fuel emissions and poor agricultural practices (sea levels rising, human conflicts, etc). With this in my mind, I have become hyper-aware of the trash and litter in Howard Amon park where I walk everyday. I like how most of these photographs turned out, but what I am really struggling with is the idea of making a documentary rather than a themed series. The concept of climate change can be quite abstract when thinking about how to photograph it in our everyday lives, so thinking of ways to express this idea in our area while simultaneously retaining a candid and natural feel is difficult. The majority of coal plants are on the east coast, so some creative planning will be needed to express obvious and recognizable iconography of climate change in our area through images.