Taormina Coast #1 Photograph - Limited Edition of 5

The photographs in this series reveal the relationship between humanity and nature to be delicate and interdependent. Small human figures within the image are neither masters of nor intruders upon the landscape they inhabit. Simply another element of nature, their existence, like the landscape itself, is in a constant state of flux. There are California mountains that have been thrust into the sky by the ever-shifting earth. And there are Spanish hills that once were mountains, no less beautiful in their diminished form. Ever-changing cloud formations in France are captured as they were at a single moment in time before that form was lost and replaced by another. New England fog hovers in the air, temporarily enveloping the landscape with its eerie beauty. Inevitably, there are human-made elements: buildings, wires, fences, roads. All of these, made from natural materials and temporarily suspended in their current form, are destined to return to the earth. By using a 35mm camera to create these images, I am allowed the freedom to follow my instincts and impulsively capture these quiet scenes rather than trying to will an image into being. The grain of the film brings to life images of a lyrical world that is both peaceful and soothing. While not eliminating the significance of human suffering, the lessons of the natural world do offer a sense of perspective. Our physical selves are as much a part of this world as the mountains and the clouds and the light given by the sun. All are in flux. All are fleeting. Only by viewing human life within the cyclical context of nature can I begin the process of understanding and accepting human mortality. My photography is a record of this journey.