Collateral to Progress: Environmental Destruction

In contemporary society, the impact of humans is largely evident on the natural world. As people live their daily lives we continually develop, produce, and consume resources and it is often detrimental to the natural landscapes. As a result, the environmental habitats are decaying and have the potential to become lost and forgotten.

Through my project I am experimenting with destroying and manipulating my photographs the same way as development destroys nature. In a way I am collaborating with my subject matter as the outcome is determined by the materials evident in the photographs. The use of black and white 120mm film and darkroom printing methods allows the most flexibility in editing. In the majority of my work, the process is key and it has become invigorating to manipulate the photographs in the darkroom and in post-printing.

The photographs are fragments of places I encountered while exploring neighboring areas. At the location of each shot, I collected debris and other materials to use in the process of manipulating the photographs. This project is in response to a desire to not let nature disappear and to not let humanity take over the earth’s richness. It is a representation of how humanity is disturbing the tranquility nature holds.