The Great Wide Open

Following on from my personal photography project last year, Looking Into The Depths, that explored the impacts humankind are having on the environment, particularly the oceans, I have found that other issue-based photography or films capture my attention much more than they previously may have done.  I pay particular attention to the visual narratives being created, comparing their techniques with those I aimed to portray in my project to caution my audience of the effects of our actions.

My objective was to create beautiful images that confused the viewer so that they took a second look at the photograph and questioned what wasn't quite right about it.

As I was scrolling through the National Geographic Instagram feed the other day, I came across a post of Jared Leto's Great Wide Open videos made last year to celebrate America's National Parks and the incredible adventurers who explore its beauty.  Leto is described as an actor, musician, entrepreneur and environmentalist, and so I had to take a look at the videos to see if there was any link to preserving the National Parks.  However, rather than focusing on the environmental aspect, these videos tell the stories of the people who choose to push themselves to the limit through extreme rock climbing.  Rather than focusing on destruction and ruin, the Great Wide Open emphasises the stunning expanses and wilderness to be found in the National Parks, and the experiences felt by the people who visit them.

The fourth video in the series, The Wolfman, has to be my favourite.  It tells us about the wild animals found in Yosemite National Park and features interviews with more normal people than the fearsome rock climbers, showing that it appeals to all people from all walks of life, and the haven that it offers them, and the wildlife.

They are beautiful videos telling stories of how the parks have had an influence on the lives of the central characters and the sense of wanderlust to be found in this wilderness.  I like to think that seeing the beauty and benefits the parks bring to these people will influence others to take more care of the environments they encounter.