Finnish photographer Sanna Kannisto produces images of animal specimens in make shift studio spaces which are located within the natural habitat for that species. This becomes a 21st century break with what would be typically considered from Victorian era explorers. Collecting specimens and bringing them back home often entire worlds away from their natural habitats.
The crisp white backgrounds are stunning and leave the viewer little elsewhere to look than at the specimen itself. From an aesthetics point of view I would like to recreate images of this style using my dads aviary of finches and canaries.
Set upon the single colour background, and with a specimen taken from its environment makes me think of the cyanotypes of Anna Atkins. Using light sensitive medium to produce blueprints of botanical specimens to take home. An initially practical process which have come to be things of beauty in the modern era.
An area of Kannistos practice which I find inspiring, and aligns itself with some of my recent thoughts, is on the definition of what a studio actually is. We often consider it to be this complete fabrication where within that space one can create anything. I would like to test this in coming practice by establishing tabletop studios in location spaces and photographing still life scenes on them. To begin with I’d like to try car parks, public parks, beaches and forests. This could be most effective during the nighttime but daytime could also be worth experimenting with. Below is a gallery of examples where the apparatus of the studio is visible but, as we know, these images were not taken in what would typically be considered a ‘studio’.
Kannisto, S. (n.d.). Sanna Kannisto. https://www.sannakannisto.com/
Andrews Masters Journey 