5. Rut Blees Luxemberg

RUT BLEES LUXEMBERG

I really like Rut Blees Luxemberg's work as she photographed things at night with light, she experiments with reflections and symmetry. I like how her photographs are very urban and explore the solitariness off city landscapes. I will respond to her photography out in the city centre of Nottingham at night time. 

I think that this photograph is very powerful as the composition of the photograph creates an almost symmetrical reflection. I also think that the angle the photograph has been taken from is powerful in creating a bold and empowering image, the photographer has positioned herself at a low angle and is looking up at the building which therefore adds to the power of the composition. 

The untold story of this photograph captures my attention through the lights of the building. From a personal visual perspective my eye is immediately captured by the leading line straight through the middle of the photograph. I think that this leading line is very important as the rest of the photograph then steams out of this line through other lines leading in other directions. 

The desaturation and the right angle of the image adds to the idea of this image being quite imposing. The radiance of the light coming from the building creates a force of interest where in the outline of the building itself becomes vivid and dark. I think that the way the photograph has been cropped has worked in its favour veining out the building on both sides assisting the audience to be drawn in my the symmetry of the photograph. 

I have chosen to look at Rut Blees Luxemberg's work as photographs such as this are something I would like to explore in my photography. I think this links in well with my initial thoughts of developing my project in relationship to human trafficking as at first glance at this photograph I personally immediately wonder about who is in that building and what they are doing, what their stories are, why their lights are on or off, what their situations are like and then it makes me think of human trafficking and that human trafficking is something which is occurring all over the world. 27 million lives, almost every city. It makes me wonder and want to explore the happenings at night, the things that are occurring all over the world every day that no one talks about, the things that happen in the dark and that are left in the dark.

I think this image represents the nature and the manmade and is a contrasting image. I love that the puddle and the leaves are something natural and yet they have fallen onto a manmade pavement and reflect a manmade light source. This photograph similarly captures my attention in regards to human trafficking as it captures the concept of reflections and when I think of reflections I think of the reality that people tend to disregard the things that reflect the truth, people step in puddles and rarely appreciate their reflections, people tend to look in the mirror and change what they see with makeup, and sometimes that is what peoples attitude to human trafficking feels like, people tend to see it as a reflection not something that is physically there and real but rather a reflection which can be disregarded. This is something I would like to explore in my photography and see how I can bring human trafficking to light through reflections. I would also like to explore finding beauty within urban gritty landscapes as part of my responses and development to Rut Blees Luxemberg.

I think that this is a very striking image as it is symmetrical and contains life. The whole concept of 'The city never sleeps' becomes so real in this photograph as some lights in the building are on and some are off but the surroundings of the building are lit up by hundreds of lights. The composition of the photograph is perfect as there is the same amount of distance between the side of the building and the edge of the photograph on both sides. This precise symmetry creates a much more powerful and striking image than if it were to have been taken and from another angle and not cropped. The lights in the flats and the lack of lights capture my attention as I find myself wondering what the situation is in those rooms and what their stories are. At a first glance I find my eye jumping around from bright light to bright light and then referring back to the lights that are off and wondering about their circumstances. I think that the buildings architecture is really strong and powerful as it stands out and is very clear.

This photograph taken by Rut Blees Luxemberg was taken for an album cover called 'the streets'.

RESPONSE