Trent Parke -> Light & Shadow Research

Trent Park is an Australian photographer born in 1971. Parkes’ work reflects his life/ how he sees things and how his life is affected is reflected through his photography. He uses only monochrome for his picture making which for me makes him stand out as I am a fan myself of the use of monochrome. The overall feel of his work is very sinister with the mood and atmosphere that is portrayed through the use of light and shadow with his picture making.  Below are a few of my favourite pictures made by Parke himself.

The first image caught my eye because of the way Parke has composed the white line on the ground with leading down to the light, with the man/ boy in the corner looking towards the light. This could connote that the man is looking ahead where ‘things are brighter’ – taken literally. The eye is automatically directed to the white textured line on the concrete where is leading to the light, rather than the shadowed area. The use of fast shutter speed shows the detail/ texture of the rain hitting the concrete ground.

The second image has a clear use of slow shutter speed representing how life is going on around this located in the picture, the use of the blur due to the show shutter creates a blurred light around the male. His shadow on the ground is very prominent compared to the lighting around him. I really like the overall feel and erie feel to the picture he has created.

The third image caught my eye because of the extremely over exposed man in the middle. I really like the use of reversed light and shadow with him compared to the other people in the frame. His shadow is more prominent than him which in my opinion makes him appear like a ghost – which creates an erie atmosphere within the frame.

Last but not least this image is also uses great lighting and shadowing within. You get a sense of direction at which the light comes from, creating fantastic shadowing in the right places, directing towards us closes to the front, the slow shutter speed creates this effect with blurred cars and people too directing in a straight line. The only shadows that are in complete focus are the three at the front, showing these are the only ones not in motion when the picture was captured.