I dont even remember where I first found this image and I'm not sure who it was taken by. However I do know that this photo has become one of my favourite images ever conceived. First of all I love the fact that this was shot in black and white because I don't think colour would do justice to the bleak landscape through which these soldiers trek. Second, I am a fan of all vintage WWII photographs because of this element of nostalgia they create. Finally, I cant get over the thought of these two soldiers lost among an abstract landscape. As they fight against their enemies they also fight against the hardships of the human condition. Or maybe that is just me over analyzing, but I think this image would be a strong base for a dream sequence in a film.
Greg Crewdson is definitely one of my favourite photographers. The image above is from the cover of his book which exhibits a collection of works from 1985-2005. I own this book and it just so happens that the cover image is my favourite photograph of the entire book. I love Crewdson because of the cinematic feel his photo's present. His elaborate lighting schemes, use of hollywood actors and alternate presentation of suburban American lifestyle, all combine to propel a narrative through a single image. There is also this dark sense of surrealism that I am drawn towards.
This is a still from Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 science fiction film "Stalker"
Tarkovsky presents the viewer with an altered reality depicted through non-traditional landscapes. I loved every element of this film, but most of all the cinematography. The director of photography was Alexander Knyazhinsky, longtime friend and collaborator with Tarkovsky. These bleak, sparse landscapes help to create the notion of timelessness, which Tarkovsky wanted to achieve.
