Postcard 1 - Flock of Cranes [Updated 9/19/2017]

This postcard focuses on repetition as well as the chosen place. I created this piece on repetition from two images of a Crane standing near the reeds. Taking the first picture, I copied and inverted it to create a long landscape and used the second image to populate the image with more cranes (varying their sizes and orientations).

I thought this was a good statement on the chosen place in regards to wildlife, as I've only seen cranes as solitary creatures on the pond. I've often seen ducks and swans in flocks and wanted to create a scene where cranes existed in the same sense, to see how it might alter the experience from seeing a single crane.

[Update] To make the postcard more unique to Croton Pond, I altered the backdrop to include the Dam that it is known for. This also helped to create more repetition among the cranes and create a better sense of a flock.


Problem Posing Assignment
Chosen Place: Croton Pond

Definition of place: A small pond caught between the Croton and Hardy Dams located in the Croton Township (Newaygo County) on the Muskegon river. Home to multiple islands and riverside creeks, and a popular destination for fishing and water sports.

Define the problem:Where does wildlife affect the experience of a pond?

What it is (explanation): Does the experience or value of being on a pond come from the pond itself or is it a combination of the natural environment and the animals and life that inhabit it?

Why this is a genuine question or problem for you: I have a history with the pond, having spent over a decade of summers there. I want to understand how the wildlife around the pond has affected my experiences with it.

Why the question or problem is likely to be relevant to others: Wildlife seems to fade into the background for most people. I think this project bringing the life in nature to the forefront of thought is important and can help people recognize the impact of wildlife in their experiences.

Why the question or problem matters to some significant issues related to our understanding of the chosen place: Croton pond is a mixture of nature and influence by man. I want to better understand its value, and whether this perceived value is inherent or something that grows and changes with time. If the beauty and essence of it is something that only comes through past memories of the location or if it something universal to all observers.

Why the question or problem is important, why should this problem be solved, and how could this problem be solved: It's interesting to think about how a location could cause different experiences with a key piece missing or how those features have affected past experiences. Because wildlife fades into the background of peoples minds and it is important to understand its impact. By examining the chosen place and altering the wildlife involved in such a way to elicit thought on the matter.