For the past two years, Lynda and I have been exploring the use of canvas as a backdrop for our subjects. Canvas has a historical significance in photography; for well over a century canvas has been used by photographers as a means of isolating the subject from their environment.
Before photography became main stream enough for the general public to attend at a photographer’s studio, early photographers took the studio with them to photograph their subjects on the spot. This often included draping a piece of canvas over the side of a wagon or stringing the canvas up with a piece of rope.
It is important to note that the canvas I am referring to is a heavy cotton material that when painted adds a richness and depth, a “patina” like quality to the final photograph. This is not be confused with the commercially produced, scenic-painted “backdrops” made of lightweight fabric, often muslin, that are widely used in photographer’s studios today.
In the 20th century, there has been limited use of the traveling canvas backdrop. From the 1940s through the late 1980s, American photographer, Irving Penn journeyed to remote locations of African with his portable studio where he captured the authentic beauty of the tribal costume and aboriginal families. More recently, the French photographer Yann Altrus Bertrand has used canvas extensively to photograph both people and animals.
And so this is where Rare Breeds come in. Rare Breeds Canada is an organization whose objective it is to “conserve, monitor and promote heritage and rare breeds of Canadian farm animals.”
The purpose of our project is to document in words and photographs, the relationship between Rare Breeds in Canada and their owners and to use this material to help Canadians become more aware of their agricultural heritage. Much of this livestock is bred on small independent farms across the country by people who have a genuine interest and concern in both the rarity and preservation of the animals, some of which are in danger of extinction.
In addition to exploring photographically the uniqueness of the breed and its historical significance, we shall examine what compels an individual to raise a particular breed, who these individuals are and where and why they live where they do.
Having grown up on a farm where my father and grand father worked a team of horses I am interested in exploring that connection between owner and animal and celebrating their mutual respect and companionship. Canvas creates the quietness and stillness to allow this relationship to be captured.
This past Saturday I had the opportunity to address Rare Breeds Canada at their Annual General Meeting in London, Ontario. It was wonderful to meet so many enthusiastic and dedicated breeders and to share the vision of our project with them. Here is our first subject. Jackson is a breeder of rare poultry.
Please add a comment
Leave a Reply