Lost in America

So part of my research towards each landscape involves searching the internet (soon books) focusing on particular environments for photographs and information that depict the types or certain areas that I might want to mimic in my landscapes or just use as references. While searching the internet for these inspiring images I stumbled upon an artist, Troy Paiva, who uses ambient moonlight, multicolored strobe pops and light painting with a flashlight to create a eerie surreal like mood to rundown abandoned junkyards, buildings, etc. out in the American desert.

I really like his night photography and use with ambient moonlight, but the use of strobe lights particularly the color red reminded me of the idea surrounding aliens especially out in the desert. Growing up in Nebraska and watching a couple movies, one in particular, I had a small fear of aliens and spent a small period of time sleeping in my parents room because of this fear that I was going to be abducted in the middle of the night. The movie was called “Fire in the Sky” and what really set it off was at the end of the movie my friend told me it was based on a true story. Then the slumber party turned into a night of scary aliens stories, the most coming from the girl whose house we were at which was a large farm and her dad had had people calling in the middle of the night claiming there were lights in their fields and so on. Then when I went home the next day I asked my dad, who was in the air force at that time, if he or anyone had seen aliens? He said that they did have people calling in about seeing things in the sky and he said that he had heard stories from pilots claiming they’d seen things while flying at night. Although the thing with sleeping in my parents room faded away I guess I still do somewhat have a small fear of aliens.. :)

Anywho, back to his work I like that he uses the American desert as well as abandoned places, but above all I really enjoy the surrealist mood and possible narrative that he creates with his use of multi-colored strobes and choice of location.

When it comes to my work I’ve been thinking about incorporating night time into all of my landscapes as well as touching on one of my childhood fear of aliens, but perhaps saving that for my landscape of the Midwest.

Inspiring Desert Landscapes:

Tony Paiva’s work:

http://www.lostamerica.com/