Frank Gohlke

Frank Gohlke's photographic work has always tended towards the unadorned. He conducts an excavation of the present and undertakes without artifice and a with a scientific diligence. He is drawn to landscapes marked by their legacy of human habitation. He is drawn to landscapes which are marked (and at times, marred) by their legacy of human habitation. Although seldom is seen in his spare compositions, the human figure is not absent from Gohlke's pictures, it is latent within them. There is a sense of the human presence lingering, though there is no one visually seen in the photographs themselves. Shadows are a key element in these photos; as the scenes are outside there would have been direct light from the sun the light can be harsh and the photographer would have a lack of control over the lighting. Some of the photos appear to be taken at shoulder height, looking out at the scene before you and up slightly as they seem to be taken from a lower angle. There is a strong contrast in light and dark tones within the images, this helps to define the shapes seen in the objects that fill the frame; partially giving harsh edges to things, making the contrast harsh. There is also lots of geometric shapes that fill the images and at times there is a repetition to the shapes, and create patterns within them.

Sources:
http://www.frankgohlke.com/Bibliography/About