Ron Jude- "12 Hz: Forest Floor"

Ron Jude, is an American photographer and an educator from Eugene Oregon often creates bodies of work based around the conceptual idea of the relationship between people, place, nature and memory. Not only is Jude a photographer but also a professor at the University of Oregon in which he wants to share his knowledge and understanding with his students.

I took notice to Jude's work mainly due to the fact that he is also looking at the connection between us and the land in his own way. For me if i can find such a strong link to my own work, i definitely must explore it deeper. Jude takes a very democratic and nuanced approach to his work and looks to create these images not through one idea but incorporating many viewpoints and opinions in order to create a piece on a much larger scale that everyone can connect with in their own way. By exploring how we connect to the physical and natural things around us allows for Jude to create a multitude of different ideas that will create different opinions and thoughts rather than just his own beliefs.  This is very similar to my own work in which i want my viewers to not only understand why i chose to take certain images but to also develop their own response and opinions to what lies in front of them.

However, apart from the conceptual mind behind his work the selection of images from "12 Hz: Forest Floor" was what i was inspired by the most out of all his other bodies off work. Firstly, the use of black and white images allows for us as the viewer to look much closer at the various shapes, objects, textures and also how he has composed his photos without the distraction of any colour washing out important parts of the image. The images Jude comprised give me mixed thoughts and feelings which by putting in black and white i feel as though the forest looks quite scary with the twisted branches crossing one another over the scene and the darkness and hidden scenery in the background makes me question and wonder what is out there or what could be or was. It makes me feel a bit anxious but on the other hand, questioning the reality of what i see before me makes me feel almost relaxed and curious. I begin to imagine this area in my head while only seeing what i assume to be a very small percentage of the whole area. Jude has now been able to control the way you view these images just by covering a multiple of ideas rather than one and narrowing his train of thought.

Overall, i feel as though the images he made were not technically difficult to produce and i feel as though some of my own images are fairly similar. However, his conceptual understanding is what has allowed him to produce such high quality work that provides a purpose and meaning that anyone can relate towards.