| Title | : | Nick Brandt: This Empty World |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0500545146 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780500545140 |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 120 |
| Publication | : | Published February 5, 2019 |
Each image is a combination of two photographs taken weeks apart, almost all from the exact same camera position. The starting point of each composition is always the animal photographed in its native savannah landscape. Brandt then designs and builds sets in the precise location of the original photograph depicting the human developments, such as gas stations, highway and bridge construction sites, and bus stations, that are invading the East African landscape. A second sequence is then photographed with the completed set, populated by a large cast of people drawn from local communities and beyond.
The final images are powerful composites of the two source photographs, which presents the wild animals and the people as equal victims of the environmental—both now aliens in their once-natural, once-native habitat.
Including an introductory essay by Nick Brandt and a descriptive behind-the- scenes section, this new book is a must-have publication for all fans of Brandt’s work.
Nick Brandt: This Empty World Reviews
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Nick Brandt collections have always been books that one should not blaze through quickly, but that instead require a degree of zen like concentration to fully take in. I think that is even more true about this project, This Empty World. Brandt aims, in all of his photos, to present more than "just a pretty picture." He looks to communicate realities whether it be the stateliness of individual elephants, lions, rhinos, etc. that were the focus of the first three projects or the conflict/relationship between these majestic creatures and humans. It pays off to slow down and pay attention when picking up a Nick Brandt collection.
Especially with this and Brandt's previous volume, Inherit The Dust, it is also helpful to be cognizant of the concept of the project and how that concept was brought to life. With This Empty World the focus is on places in East Africa that are shared, to some degree, by the wildlife and humans. The photos are all composites of photos of wildlife in a place and humans occupying the same places in settings that include petrol stations, bus stations, and construction sites. To accomplish this without relying on photo shop Brandt set cameras up, semi permanently, so he could capture different scenes with different occupants with the same exact camera angles. The process is detailed in this book and worth reading. The amount of work it took to create this project is amazing, but the results make it clear that it was worth it.
