Third Nature:
Representing the human-altered landscape
Yiorgis Yerolymbos
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the
requirements of Derby University
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
May 2007
Table of contents
Abstract
Introduction
1. ‘Reading’ the history of landscape photography: From ‘The Pencil of Nature’
to the New Topographics
1.1 Landscape and Beauty: Introducing the question during the early
years
1.2 The modern photographers of the West – before the modern
1.3 American landscape photography: The epic and the sublime
1.4 Post Modern: The introduction of the vernacular landscape
1.5 New Topographics
1.5.1
Bernd and Hilla Becher
1.5.2
Robert Adams
1.5.3
Stephen Shore
1.5.4
Joe Deal
1.5.5
Frank Gohlke
1.5.6
Nicholas Nixon, John Schott and Henry Wessel Jr.
1.5.7
Lewis Baltz
2. Identifying ‘affinities’ in the different approaches. Review of the literature.
2.1 The starting-point for the ‘self-referential’ question: Park City by Lewis Baltz
2.2 DATAR, the European response: the social dimension in landscape
photography
2.2.1 Between the aura of time and the aura of space. Cahier No. 6 by
Josef Koudelka and L’esperienza dei luoghi by Gabriele Basilico
2.3 The ecological concern: Nuclear Landscapes by Peter Goin
2.4 Post-industrial Sublime: aestheticizing the human-altered landscape:
Manufactured Landscapes by Edward Burtynsky
2.5 The contemporary view of the manufactured landscape: Traffic Projects by
Hans-Christian Schink
3. Terza Natura (Third Nature): Framing a personal perspective
3.1 The journey: starting point, route and destination.
3.2 Earlier steps: panoramic photographs of the English coast
3.3 Terza Natura: Photographing the Egnatia Motorway
3.3.1 The road itself: its significance and history
3.3.2 Shaping a personal approach
3.3.3 On site
3.3.4 The methodological approach
3.3.5 Editing the work. The creation of the narrative
3.3.6 Conclusion. Some personal remarks
4. List of Plates
5. Bibliography
6. Appendix 1
7. Appendix 2