April 12-14th, I had the opportunity to attend a live stream of Monterey’s annual EG Conference. The broadcast took place at the Field Museum, in an auditorium tucked far away from the mummies and dinosaur remnants; the attendees listened with a hushed awe to speaker after impressive speaker. Being strongly influenced and inspired by photography and its consistent ability to beg greater questions, my attention naturally shifted toward two photographers, Lena Herzog and Trey Ratcliff. Though both photographers differ greatly in their approach and technique, their innovation and experimentation ground them as two truly inspiring artists.

Lena Herzog’s origins in the Ural Region have clearly shaped her approach to the photograph. The black and white film reveals images that emphasize darkness and shade in order to define shape and space. Her images of Venezuelan landscapes and Colorado mountains are almost ghostly in effect and leave the viewer questioning their permanence. Herzog’s focus appears as homage to her history, each frame, in essence, true to the origins of photography itself. Utilizing rarely used darkroom techniques, Herzog freezes time and a dazed world emerges from the shadows. She spoke of her Russian ancestry, uncles and grandparents whose background in engineering and complicated mathematical equations propelled her desire to examine what existed before, and what still remains.

 “Things that held my attention,” she said in closing, “were not obvious.”

Trey Ratcliff loves color and dimension, bold statements and action stopped in its unsuspecting tracks; his photographs are glorious in their grandeur. As Herzog looks to older, well-established processing techniques, Ratcliff’s approach is more futuristic. Using HDR photography, he is able to capture another level of detail. His travels have taken him around the world, and now, with his new app Stuck on Earth, he is able to bring beautiful photography to travelers everywhere; all you need is an iPad. Whether they are organizing a vacation in their home state, or in the remote corners of Iceland, Stuck on Earth users are able to share photographs and create a vacation specific to the landmarks bookmarked on the app.

“Humans are finding new ways to share stories, and it’s not just about words anymore… There’s a new visual literacy.

To tell stories and expose the viewer to new experiences, Herzog resorts to past techniques and reveals how changes in geology reflect our relationship with the earth. Ratcliff looks to new and revolutionary approaches to show how the future of photography is fueling the desire to connect our experiences with a larger audience. However, both revel in telling stories of people and place. They do this in an effort not only to enlighten, but to showcase the human condition and the belief that what is beautiful and creative is always worth sharing.

Further Reading:
Lost Souls by Lena Herzog
Bad Lieutenant by Lena Herzog
Flamenco: Dance Class by Lena Herzog 
Tauromaquia: The Art of Bullfighting by Lena Herzog
Pilgrims by Lena Herzog
A World in HDR by Trey Ratcliff
Composing the Photo: Creating Order from the Chaos by Trey Ratcliff

What inspires Julia? The power of books, documentary photography, the outdoors, and the evolving way in which we learn, share, and digest new ideas.