"Andy Hughes is an English photographer whose photographic works reflect a concern with the ocean, beach and environmental issues. Born in 1966 in Castleford, Yorkshire, he developed an interest in the seascape and landscape after learning to surf whilst at art college. He studied fine art at Cardiff University and photography at the Royal College of Art, London." "He was an early and continues to be an active member of Surfers Against Sewage. He moved to Cornwall in 1993 where he worked as the first artist in residence at the Tate Gallery St Ives." My personal favourite, of Hughes' projects, is his 'Dominant Wave Theory' project. "In 1991 Hughes began photographing the plastic waste he observed on the beach, after surfing along the coast of south wales. For over 25 years he has studied and photographed along the coastal zone. In the late in 90′s he started photographing various item of trash along the intertidal zone. Hughes recalls seeing the exhibition Rubbish and Recollections, by Keith Arnett, co-organised by a renascent Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno and the Photographers’ Gallery, London. As a young student Hughes saw this show, the content of which connected with his experiences living and surfing in South Wales. Between 1999 and 2006 Hughes was consumed by making images of the plastic waste matter that came to rest along the beaches where he surfed."
Mood board for Hughes' 'Dominant Wave Theory' project
Image Analysis for Andy Hughes
The image is littered with a broken polystyrene tray. In which, was a food that was lavished with a red coloured sauce. I admire what Hughes is trying to achieve here, the sauce that has been spilt on the ground looks remarkably like blood; personifying a person getting badly injured. Everyone makes a big deal when a person gets badly injured, but ironically nobody cares when litter is scattered, badly injuring a beautiful environment. In terms of the technicality of the shot, Hughes has used a relatively small aperture in order to be able to identify the silhouettes in the background. The use of the warm colours, from the sunset, depreciates the harshness of the blue and red in the litter. The shot has been taken at ground level, with the litter being the main subject in the foreground of the image. This could be because Hughes wanted to depict the significance of the litter, which would not have been portrayed if the shot was taken looking down on it. Postcards claim to depict what a place is like, overall, though the 'ideal' aspects (landscapes or famous monuments etc.) specific to that place. However, Hughes uses litter in this way to show a facade and to portray a picture of the city as a whole. The fact that there are more 'shabby' areas that are not shown on a postcard.
My Response
Bibliography
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