africa

Brandt captured the animals from very close, so he could "see their souls." I think that is really cool, especially because he appreciates the animals. The pictures reminded me of the film noir black and white sort of grainy style. I really liked the photos and the meaning behind them.

This is a photo of a wrinkly elephant. I really like how simple the background and I think it adds a certain element of dynamics. The elephant also looks like it is walking, its kind of cute also. I like how long the trunk is. I didn't know elephants' trunks reach down to the ground until now.

The rules that are evident here are simplicity and a little bit of rule of thirds. The simplicity is in the plain background that accentuates the foreground. The rule of thirds is the horizon of the ground. Its not in the middle of the frame. 

Brandt refuses to use the telephoto lenses. This is because he wants to get close enough to the animals to see their personalities and their souls. He wants to capture the fullness of their spirit. 

The reason for taking the photos of the animals is that he wants to take photos of them in the state of Being. Brandt feels that every animal, whether it be human or non human, has an equal right to live. He wants to capture the fullness of their existence. He realizes that there is an existence problem among the animals, all caused by us. 

I think his hope in taking these photos is that people will get it. Maybe by capturing these animals in such a real way, such a real setting, we as a race would stop applying tragedy to ourselves. 

"There is something profoundly iconic, mythological even, about the animals East and southern Africa. There is also something deeply, emotionally stirring and affecting about the plains of Africa-those vast, green rolling plains punctuated by graphically acacia trees under the huge skies."