The New Topographics movement emerged in the 1970s, challenging traditional landscape photography. It focused on documenting the intersection of natural and built environments, shifting from idealized depictions to a more objective approach. Photographers like Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz captured suburban sprawl and industrial development.

This movement reflected growing concerns about land use and human impact on nature. It coincided with the rise of conceptual art and responded to post-World War II changes in the American landscape, including highway expansion and suburban growth. The New Topographics redefined landscape photography for the late 20th century.

Origins of New Topographics

• New Topographics emerged in the 1970s as a significant movement in the History of Photography, challenging traditional landscape representations
• Photographers sought to document the changing American landscape, focusing on the intersection of natural and built environments
• This movement marked a shift from idealized depictions to a more objective, detached approach in landscape photography

Influences from earlier photographers

• Walker Evans' documentary style informed the New Topographics' straightforward approach
• Edward Weston's precise compositions and attention to form influenced the movement's aesthetic
• Eugène Atget's systematic documentation of Paris streets provided a model for urban landscape photography
• Influenced by Ed Ruscha's conceptual photo books (Twentysix Gasoline Stations)

Reaction to romanticized landscapes

• Rejected the sublime and picturesque traditions popularized by Ansel Adams and others
• Focused on ordinary, often overlooked aspects of the contemporary landscape
• Aimed to present a more realistic view of the American environment, including suburban sprawl and industrial development
• Challenged viewers to reconsider their relationship with the built environment

Social and cultural context

• Emerged during a period of rapid suburban expansion and environmental awareness
• Reflected growing concerns about land use and the impact of human activity on nature
• Coincided with the rise of conceptual art and minimalism in the broader art world
• Responded to the changing American landscape in the post-World War II era, including:
  • Expansion of highway systems
  • Growth of suburban developments
  • Proliferation of shopping centers and parking lots

Key photographers and works

• New Topographics photographers shared a common approach to documenting the landscape
• Their work collectively redefined the genre of landscape photography in the late 20th century
• These photographers' images often focused on the mundane and overlooked aspects of the built environment

Robert Adams

• Photographed the changing landscape of the American West, particularly Colorado
• Notable works include "The New West" and "denver: A Photographic Survey of the Metropolitan Area"
• Captured the tension between natural beauty and suburban development
• Adams' images often featured:
  • Tract houses
  • Shopping centers
  • Barren landscapes altered by human intervention

Lewis Baltz

• Focused on the industrial landscapes of Southern California and Nevada
• Known for his minimalist aesthetic and geometric compositions
• Key works include "The New Industrial Parks near Irvine, California" and "Park City"
• Baltz's photographs often depicted:
  • Warehouses and office parks
  • Construction sites
  • Stark, featureless building facades

Bernd and Hilla Becher

• German photographers known for their systematic documentation of industrial structures
• Created typologies of water towers, grain elevators, and other industrial architecture
• Influenced a generation of German photographers, including Andreas Gursky and Thomas Struth
• The Bechers' work featured:
  • Black and white images
  • Frontal, centered compositions
  • Consistent lighting and framing across series

Stephen Shore

• Pioneered the use of color in art photography during the New Topographics movement
• Documented the American vernacular landscape through road trips
• Notable works include "Uncommon Places" and "American Surfaces"
• Shore's photographs often captured:
  • Roadside motels and diners
  • Small town main streets
  • Intersections and parking lots

Aesthetic characteristics

• New Topographics established a distinct visual language in landscape photography
• The movement's aesthetic approach influenced subsequent generations of photographers
• These characteristics defined a new way of seeing and representing the built environment

Deadpan style

• Adopted a neutral, seemingly objective approach to subject matter
• Avoided dramatic lighting or compositional effects
• Emphasized straightforward, frontal views of subjects
• Aimed for a sense of emotional detachment in the images

Man-altered landscapes

• Focused on areas where human intervention met natural environments
• Documented the expansion of suburbs, industrial zones, and infrastructure
• Highlighted the transformation of the American landscape through:
  • Urban sprawl
  • Commercial development
  • Resource extraction sites

Absence of human figures

• Generally excluded people from the frame, emphasizing the built environment
• Created a sense of emptiness or abandonment in many images
• Allowed viewers to focus on the structures and spaces themselves
• Implied human presence through the visible impact on the landscape

Emphasis on banal subjects

• Turned attention to overlooked, everyday aspects of the built environment
• Elevated mundane scenes to subjects worthy of artistic consideration
• Focused on subjects such as:
  • Parking lots
  • Suburban houses
  • Strip malls
  • Industrial buildings

Technical approaches

• New Topographics photographers employed specific technical methods to achieve their aesthetic goals
• These approaches contributed to the movement's distinctive visual style
• Technical choices reflected the photographers' desire for clarity and objectivity in their images

Use of large format cameras

• Many New Topographics photographers favored large format cameras for their work
• Large format allowed for:
  • Exceptional detail and sharpness
  • Greater control over perspective and depth of field
  • The ability to make large prints with high resolution
• Photographers often used view cameras (4x5 or 8x10 inch formats)

Black and white vs color

• Both monochrome and color photography were used in the New Topographics movement
• Black and white photography:
  • Emphasized form and texture
  • Created a sense of timelessness
  • Used by photographers like Lewis Baltz and the Bechers
• Color photography:
  • Introduced by Stephen Shore and William Eggleston
  • Captured the vibrancy of the American vernacular landscape
  • Challenged the dominance of black and white in art photography

Compositional strategies

• Employed formal, often symmetrical compositions
• Used the frame to isolate and emphasize specific elements of the landscape
• Frequently incorporated:
  • Strong horizontal and vertical lines
  • Geometric shapes found in architecture and infrastructure
  • Repetitive patterns in suburban developments or industrial structures
• Avoided dramatic angles or experimental techniques, favoring straightforward views

Theoretical underpinnings

• New Topographics was grounded in broader artistic and cultural theories of the time
• The movement engaged with contemporary debates in art, photography, and environmental studies
• These theoretical foundations helped shape the photographers' approach and reception of their work

Critique of modernism

• Challenged modernist ideals of progress and utopian visions
• Questioned the impact of rapid urban development and industrialization
• Reflected a growing disillusionment with modernist architecture and urban planning
• Engaged with postmodern ideas about representation and meaning in art

Relationship to conceptual art

• Shared conceptual art's emphasis on ideas over traditional notions of artistic skill
• Employed systematic approaches to image-making, similar to conceptual art practices
• Explored the nature of photographic representation and its relationship to reality
• Connected to conceptual art through:
  • Use of seriality and typologies
  • Interest in the vernacular and everyday
  • Questioning of authorship and artistic intention

Environmental concerns

• Reflected growing awareness of human impact on the natural world
• Documented the rapid transformation of landscapes due to urbanization and industrialization
• Raised questions about sustainability and the long-term consequences of development
• Engaged with emerging environmental movements of the 1970s, including:
  • Conservation efforts
  • Critiques of consumer culture
  • Awareness of pollution and resource depletion

Exhibition and reception

• The New Topographics movement gained recognition through a landmark exhibition and subsequent critical discourse
• The reception of the movement evolved over time, influencing its place in photographic history
• Initial reactions varied, but the movement's impact grew significantly in subsequent decades

1975 George Eastman House exhibition

• Titled "New Topographics: Photographs of a Man-Altered Landscape"
• Curated by William Jenkins at the International Museum of Photography
• Featured work by ten photographers, including:
  • Robert Adams
  • Lewis Baltz
  • Bernd and Hilla Becher
  • Stephen Shore
• The exhibition catalog became a highly influential document in photographic history

Critical response

• Initial reactions were mixed, with some critics dismissing the work as boring or uninspired
• Over time, critical appreciation grew as the movement's influence became apparent
• Scholars recognized the exhibition as a turning point in landscape photography
• Critics debated the movement's:
  • Aesthetic merits
  • Political implications
  • Relationship to earlier photographic traditions

Public reception

• Initially, the general public found the images challenging and difficult to appreciate
• The deadpan style and focus on banal subjects contrasted with popular notions of artistic photography
• Gradually, the movement's influence spread, affecting how people viewed their everyday environments
• Public understanding evolved through:
  • Increased exposure in museums and galleries
  • Inclusion in photography textbooks and curricula
  • Influence on commercial and editorial photography

Legacy and influence

• New Topographics had a profound and lasting impact on the field of photography
• The movement's influence extended beyond photography into other visual arts and cultural studies
• Its legacy continues to shape contemporary approaches to landscape representation

Impact on contemporary photography

• Influenced generations of photographers in their approach to landscape and documentary work
• Popularized a more detached, observational style in art photography
• Expanded the subject matter considered suitable for artistic exploration
• Inspired photographers to examine:
  • Urban and suburban environments
  • Industrial landscapes
  • The intersection of nature and human development

Shift in landscape photography

• Redefined the genre of landscape photography, moving away from romantic idealization
• Encouraged a more critical examination of human impact on the environment
• Broadened the definition of what constitutes a landscape in photographic terms
• Led to new approaches in depicting:
  • Urban landscapes
  • Altered natural environments
  • Spaces of everyday life

Influence on documentary practices

• Informed new strategies for documentary photography
• Encouraged a more nuanced approach to representing social and environmental issues
• Influenced the development of long-term photographic projects and typologies
• Impacted documentary practices through:
  • Emphasis on objectivity and neutrality
  • Interest in systematic documentation
  • Focus on the built environment as a reflection of social conditions

New Topographics in context

• The New Topographics movement emerged within a broader artistic and cultural landscape
• Understanding its relationship to other movements helps contextualize its significance
• The movement's place in photographic history continues to be reevaluated and discussed

Relationship to other art movements

• Shared concerns with Land Art and Earthworks regarding human interaction with the landscape
• Connected to Minimalism through its emphasis on formal qualities and reduction of expressive elements
• Paralleled Conceptual Art's interest in systems and seriality
• Engaged with Pop Art's fascination with vernacular American culture, especially in the work of:
  • Stephen Shore
  • Ed Ruscha (an important precursor to the movement)

Place in photographic history

• Marked a significant shift from modernist to postmodernist approaches in photography
• Bridged documentary traditions with contemporary art practices
• Influenced the development of the Düsseldorf School of Photography, including:
  • Andreas Gursky
  • Thomas Struth
  • Candida Höfer
• Contributed to the elevation of photography as a respected medium in the art world

Contemporary interpretations

• The ideas and aesthetics of New Topographics continue to evolve in contemporary photography
• New technologies and global perspectives have expanded the movement's original concepts
• Contemporary photographers reinterpret New Topographics principles in light of current social and environmental issues

Neo-topographics

• Contemporary photographers revisit and update New Topographics themes
• Explore new forms of man-altered landscapes, such as:
  • Data centers
  • Renewable energy installations
  • Gentrified urban areas
• Photographers like Alec Soth and Simon Roberts continue the tradition while adding their own perspectives

Digital adaptations

• Use of digital technologies to capture and manipulate landscape images
• Exploration of virtual and augmented reality in representing altered landscapes
• Incorporation of satellite imagery and drone photography to document large-scale environmental changes
• Digital techniques allow for:
  • Stitching multiple images into panoramas
  • High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging to capture greater detail
  • Composite images that blend multiple perspectives

Global perspectives

• Extension of New Topographics principles to landscapes beyond North America and Europe
• Documentation of rapid urbanization and industrialization in developing countries
• Exploration of global environmental issues through photography
• Contemporary photographers address:
  • Climate change impacts on landscapes
  • Globalization's effect on local environments
  • Cultural differences in human-landscape interactions