His project Confluences: Circumnavigating the Territory is the project of his which I am using as inspiration and development for my own practice. DeHarts project is a photography based series of images which focus on the Columbia River drainage basin. The river travels through multiple US states and parts of Canada, which means the water directly connects with hundreds of different communities and ways of life.
He states that, "While many of my images are focused on landscape, I am interested in weaving together an expanded idea of place, which includes photographing built and natural spaces, in addition to creating portraits of people. The landscapes and portraits function together as characters in the broader story of 'Confluences'.
This idea that DeHart talks about, photographing landscapes and portraits, connects with my work closely because thats what my practice is moving towards. He states how the two ways of capturing images work together, to show the viewer the broader story, which is what I want to create through my work.
He goes onto say, "I am interesting in creating thoughtful narrative that avoids over simplifying complex issues and ideas about the west. I feel it is important to create contemporary images that are sensitive to issues of representation, while celebrating and acknowledging the richness of diversity and culture. In employing a multidisciplinary approach, I am attempting to create a multifaceted vision of the west that simultaneously questions and illuminates varying aspects.
I think this statement by DeHart ties in my ideology for both halves of my project, because in both I have tried to show the viewer a different outlook to a story they have read and seen pictures about for most of their life. And through multiple techniques of capturing these hidden views, I have brought them to light.
DeHart lastly speaks about his portraits, stating that he tries to capture his subjects in a way that is in-between staged and candid. Firstly he speaks to his subject and asks permission, before easing them into the photoshoot and trying to uncover the inner person.
I am going to use DeHart's 'Confluences' as inspirational development for my project, because I can closely relate to the way he takes pictures, in ideology and technique. I think the way he captures his subjects is one that highlights their true personality, and pulls away from the image looking false. I am also going to take his mix between landscape and portrait images as development, for uncovering the wider story behind the different sets of images which come together in an intertwined body of work. DeHart uses the river to take him on a journey through different landscapes and groups of people, I use the Coventry food bank system to uncover my own journey.
