Assignment 2 – The Humanity of Litter
Following feedback from my tutor on Assignment 2, I’ve re-edited, re-shot the images, and re-written the assignment notes, as I felt the latter was one of the weaker aspects of the original submission. Overall, I was pleased with the images, particularly since this project took me significantly outside of my comfort zone.
For Assignment 2 – Collecting, I loosely followed the suggested theme of “views,” specifically focusing on litter in the bustling urban landscape of Hong Kong.
The idea for the project stemmed from a solitary cigarette packet I saw discarded on the street. Litter often goes unnoticed by the general public, and while Hong Kong is relatively clean considering its high population density, it’s the small, solitary pieces of discarded items that have always captured my attention.
Statement of Intent
The intent of this project was to illustrate the throwaway, consumerist nature of modern society by showcasing the “humanity” found in discarded litter. I aimed to capture this idea through images shot during the late afternoon/evening in the Mong Kok and Jordan areas of Hong Kong (later expanding to other regions and times).
Technical Approach:
- Camera: Crop-sensor camera (EOS M3)
- Lens: Fixed focal length of 22mm (equivalent to 35mm on full-frame)
- Settings: All images shot at f4 with Auto ISO (to enable handheld shots without the need for constant adjustments to changing light)
General Overview:
The choice of the EOS M3 was intentional, as it is compact and lightweight, making it ideal for street photography. The tilt screen at the back of the camera also aided with low-angle shots, enabling me to capture the discarded litter from various perspectives. I selected f4 because it provides a shallow depth of field, isolating the subject while still keeping the background in focus. This approach ensures that the viewer can see the subject clearly and draw meaning from the surrounding clues, rather than becoming distracted by an over-exposed or overly blurred background.
The choice of f4 wasn’t arbitrary; I knew from experience that a wide-open f2 would result in too shallow a depth of field for my intended compositions. On a crop sensor, f4 is roughly the equivalent of f5.6 on a full-frame camera, offering enough separation from the background without losing essential details to “complete bokeh.”
After receiving feedback on Assignment 1, I became more conscious of my compositions and made deliberate decisions to eliminate unnecessary cropping in post-production. This ensured that all the images maintained a consistent aspect ratio and reinforced the thematic ties within the set, avoiding the eclectic mix that my first draft of Assignment 1 had presented.
While editing, I felt that my approach was subconsciously influenced by Gianluca Cosci’s Panem et Circenses, although I intentionally incorporated a human element in every shot. While my depth of field isn’t as razor-thin as Cosci’s, I aimed to capture the humanity in the discarded litter and its relationship to the environment and society.
Images
Image 1
These cartons of lemon tea are very “Hong Kong” they are in every 7-11 or vending machine and are the drink of choice for many. Discarded, flattened and forgotten after it has served its purpose it seems to have aligned itself with the yellow lines. Is it looking to hide so as not to be swept away?
Image 2
Here the discard spoon to my eye has camouflaged itself into the scene; its colours echo the background, it’s facing in the same direction as the people are walking. Is it like the lemon tea prolonging its life after use by blending in?
Image 3
Water bottles the modern plague, the world is obsessed with how hydration; but the bottles just are discarded without a second thought. Here the bottles not only camouflaging its self with the blues echoing the background but it sits I water; is it telling us “please re-use me”?
Image 4
A smoker relies on the cigarettes for survival; they are inseparable from the packet – until the last cigarette has burned away. Here a discarded cigarette packet waiting, in hope, to be returned (perhaps by the passing taxi) to its owner, who’s life until a few minutes ago relied up it so much up on it.
Image 5
Torn and discarded a snack wrapper try to attract the passing mini-bus; it doesn’t want to lonely in last moments
Images 6
A lottery ticket is a symbol of hope when discarded its symbol of lost hope. The “body language” of this shows that loss of faith as it awaits its ultimate fate.
Image 7
While lost in a crowd and still ignored, litter sit gathered together for companionship. Is that what the items in the other pictures are looking for?
Conclusion
