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May 6, 2011
This is an interesting idea:--photographers exploring what climate change means for the UK by capturing the effects of climate change through the lens. The question that is asked is: 'What does climate change mean for the UK?'
Working with Magnum Photos, the National Trust challenged 10 of the UK’s top photographers to answer this question by representing the impacts of climate change that are already visible in the landscape.
Paul Wakefield, Blakeney National Nature Reserve and Scolt Head, Norfolk, 2007
The rising sea levels means that the vast area of sand, mud and saltmarsh home to globally important populations of birds is covered more frequently by high tides.
Images of climate change usually depict polar ice caps or parched deserts. But climate change is happening in the UK, and it’s also happening in Australia. There are the effects of climate change on our coastline, landscape, trees, wildlife and houses and this is beginning to create a feeling of unease amongst us.
I have started to explore the effects of rising sea levels on the coastline down near Victor Harbor, albeit in a minor or low key way:
Gary Sauer-Thompson, erosion, sand dunes, Victor Harbor, 2011
The results are not that interesting photographically speaking--especially when compared to the UK work in the National Trust exhibition. I'm considering how to develop this.
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All of this stuff needs to be seen...how better it is that an august body like the National Trust sponsors leading photographers, and gets the arts/media involved. We need to know climate change isn't a future threat, but a threat happening now.