For me, photographing
animals both small and very large in a studio is incredible and
mindboggling. Not only does he
photograph large animals, but also potentially lethal creatures such as lions,
tigers, and bears. Ford also has several
black pelted animals against a black background. This allows the animals’ beautiful eyes to be
drastically magnified. The technique
also lends itself to display the subtle textures of the feather or fur against
the smooth backdrop. Breathtaking photos
have come from these bold decisions, which could have even been the death of
Ford.
Randal Ford makes
his conceptual intentions very clear from his artist statement which says, “The
book is my perspective and portrayal of the animal kingdom. As a portrait
photographer, my intention is for these animal portraits to speak to you. What
they say depends on the conscious and subconscious feelings you embody.” I definitely get that anthropomorphic feeling
from his chosen poses for animals which have human-like features. Overall I
feel his concept is straightforward and strong by removing animals from their
environment and placing them in a neutral setting for the purpose of
humanization and self-reflection.
Lastly, I am a
huge animal lover and was instantly drawn to these images the moment I saw
them. I could truly feel the power or innocence of each animal from the closeness
of the images. Additionally, I greatly appreciate the overall project itself.
Ford has stated that all of the proceeds of his book sales go to Project Survival’s Cat Haven, a park dedicated
to the preservation of wild cats. On top of all these wonderful endeavors, the project
took 5 years of careful decision-making, safety training, and care to make sure
the images were absolutely perfect for displaying the magnificence of each
animal.
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