Yao Lu...

An interesting photographer I have come across is Yao Lu. His work caught my attention due to its contemporary way of showing an environmetal concern. His work is instantly recognisable as something familiar and this is because he use characteristics associated with traditional Chinese painting.
 

The examples above show a photographer that really understands the way people think. His images don't often follow a western rectangular framing and instead he opts for the shapes of traditional Chinese paint surfaces such as plates or fans. This influence from an ancient art form then continues into the composition of the image itself with what seems like the subjects painted about in times long gone recreated. On closer inspection of the image the viewer is presented with a contemporary take on a growing global concern. Beautiful Chinese landscapes that are actually filled with rubbish and a thick haze in the air. Birds we recognise from Chinese fans are not actually set in a mountainous landscape but instead a pile of waste, showing of humanities impact on the natural environment.
Lao Yu's ode to history shows the way he understands the language of photography. By using something familiar to lure the viewer into a sense of security with his work he then presents them with a sense of guilt.
His environmental concern is clearly there for everyone to contemplate, yet it doesn't get portrayed in the same way as commercial campaign from organisations such as the WWF or Greanpeace. The approach to the topic is more delicate and I think this is a deliberate strategy to not directly shame the viewer by employing a more commercial tactic. This isn't presented as shocking imagery but if you look long enough it slowlys dawns on you that we are having a big impact on the environment, because these familiar scenes don't actually look that familiar anymore.
This type of subtle approach to pressing matters allows for potentially a greater audience because it doesn't use the same language as campaign work. We try to switch off to the imagery of campaign work because it come across like a form of advertising and we are bombarded enough with that already.  Lao's work slips under our radar as it doesn't come across as preachy and we are forced to notice the true narrative of his work.

I have tried to experiment with this way of thinking for my own work. In my recent projects I have tried to approach the topics of pollution and also light pollution by creating intrigue in the image with the use of macro and astrophotography, whilst also posing a question to the viewer or opening a subject up for discussion. I aim to continue employing this type of strategy in my own images as I feel there is much more that can be done with it.
By researching photographers such as Yao Lu I am learning about contextual practitioners that can influence my own work going forward. Understand the way other photographers form their practice will allow me to explore more complex narratives in my own photography to help raise awareness to global issues.