2023
in the light of the burning world
Understandably lucky to be born a white male into a white family in America, which is essentially all that truly separates me from any human in any country, just a bit of chance, I am fully aware of the safety and freedoms I am able to take part in, including practicing photography. In times such as these, while we drown in an endless stream of content, vitriol, hate, greed, and merchandise it’s often challenging to find the surface to catch a breath of air. And in just stating that I am afforded that opportunity to swim to the surface, is not lost on me. I participate in global events when possible but the desire to, no, the need to, create is exceedingly important to me. It is my personal liberation, my personal freedom (a philosophical debate in itself), my path to some kind of understanding. There are moments to grasp; to hold on to while your surroundings collapse. I am given opportunities others do not have and I do my best to make the most of them. This process, of making a photograph, of collaborating and creating with others is how I choose to make sense of everything, and even make something, hopefully engaging to not only myself, but to others, in the light of the burning world.
The fourteen photographs in this series were made in collaboration with Rachel in two different regions of the Pacific Northwest over two sessions, each separated by one year, almost to the day.