We Are Nature

As a media arts teacher, I am always on the lookout for interesting, immersive, and inspirational projects for my students. While perusing my social media feed one day, I came across the work of Finnish photographer Christoffer Relander. His series We Are Nature caught my attention immediately. The dazzling display of multiple exposure photographs blurs the line between the natural world and the human form to create stunning images.

Excitement and Apprehension
I enjoy challenging my freshmen students both creatively and technically, and the thought of doing our own take on Relander’s work excited me. I was sure it would excite my students as well. I usually finish our curriculum with a multilayer project using layer masks and other effects. I immediately knew this would fit the bill nicely.

After a brief presentation of Relander’s work followed by my own example, I could tell students were both intrigued and a bit apprehensive. For me, this is the best possible reaction. I donʼt want them to be totally comfortable because a bit of apprehension usually yields extra effort, enhanced creativity, and ultimately, immense satisfaction.

The Assignment
The first part of the assignment was to take at least four portrait-style photos of a friend or family member in four different poses (e.g., front view, two profile views, and a three-quarter view). The shots needed to be framed fairly close, from shoulder to head. Students were reminded about proper lighting and to make sure the shots were in sharp focus.

The second part of the assignment was to shoot at least twelve nature photos. These were to include closeups (foliage, flowers, and natural textures that fill the frame), as well as natural landscapes. Because the theme was nature, photography of humanmade structures and people other than the subject of the initial portrait were excluded.

Portrait Retouching
First, students converted their images to black-and-white and adjusted for brightness and contrast. I have found that starting with a grayscale portrait provided an advantage by establishing an immediate contrast with the colorful nature photography that would eventually be layered on top.

Next, students removed the background from their chosen portrait by using an image layer mask, being careful to obtain a soft natural edge.

Achieving the Multiple Exposure Look
Once their portrait photo was ready, students created a new document and placed their portrait image. Their next step was to look through their nature photography to find images for their digital collage. I advised students to consider the structure of their portrait subject, the flow and direction of hair, facial features, and bone structure when choosing images and deciding on their placement in the collage.

The process of adding image layers and layer masks was next. I demonstrated how to scale, rotate, and manipulate an image, then showed them how to use layer effects, such as Hard Light, Vivid Light, Linear Light, and Opacity to blend image layers to achieve the look of a multiple exposure photograph.

Since the final artwork would be composed of many elements, the importance of good design was stressed during the entire process, with an emphasis on creating a strong focal point in the collage layers, middle-ground elements, and background interest. Students were reminded that using proportion, color, shape, and value (opacity) to create contrast was essential to producing a pleasing, well-designed piece.

Conclusion
At the close of the project, students completed a self-assessment rubric and exported a JPG file for grading and presentation. The finished pieces were displayed on HD monitors located throughout the school. Young people tend to take greater notice of these vivid digital images compared to work that is displayed traditionally. When these artworks were projected on large screens and in vibrant color, the entire school took notice, and everyone was truly impressed.