The Trees Speak for Me
I have always had feelings of affections and peacefulness when I am surrounded by nature and as a young child enjoyed stories that explored the beauty and inherent value of nature. Because of this, one of my favorite books was “The Lorax” by Dr. Suess. Like the Lorax, I too feel dread and frustration in seeing the continuous deterioration and destruction of our environment. Especially when that destruction is driven by a force as broad and overwhelming as climate change. The Trees Speak For Me is a series of photographs that explore my developing understanding of both the unease and beauty I find and feel within an environment that is always changing.
As I attempt to fight with myself about the importance of my reusable bags, sustainable shopping, and metal straws, it becomes draining to continue to see our oceans polluted and massive developments being built in the name of profit. It begs the question of how much impact do we really have? Can we really have an effect on climate change and the destruction that it brings?
In “The Trees Speak for Me” I draw inspiration for the natural world around me the ways in which I attempt to bring myself closer to it. By physically being engulfed in trees and open fields while also bringing plants and flowers into an indoor environment I am attempting to hold onto the feelings of affection and peacefulness I once had. By walking the thin line between good and bad ways to interact with nature I attempt to take back control of how connected I feel to the environment.
what makes a croo
This project began in the summer of 2017. I have been hiking the Appalachian trail in New Hampshire since I was three years and old and have found that the experience of staying in a AMC hut was difficult to describe to people who had not yet experienced it. So in 2017, I made my annual hike with my family and began to document the croo and the work that they do within the hut. In 2019, I happened to be photographing when one croo member proposed to another, the reactions in those pictures show how special it is to work as a croo member and be with in the hut with them.
the kids aren’t alright
The kids aren’t alright. Nothing is going to plan. There is so much out of our control and as a self-proclaimed control freak, it feels as if the world is spinning around me. So how do we push through? How do we cope? In this project I look to explore how the people around me support one another and how they keep up their rituals. As the roles of people and the function of places shift during this unprecedented time, as we do our best to adapt our rituals when there is so much to lose. Here, I find comfort in the uncomfortable as I try to make sense of the disorder and uncertainty of every day life.
Nature
If it was not clear already, nature and spending time within nature is a large part of who I am and what I photograph. Though I love life in the city, nothing brings me more peace than being surrounded by forestry.
Film
My first semester in college I was taught how to process film and it was something I fell in love with instantly. There is something so special about knowing your hands physically created an image.
Topsfield Fair
Since 2018, I have been a staff photographer at the Topsfield Fair, in Topsfield Massachusetts. I am tasked with photographing fair go-ers, rides, food, events, and everything in between. It is truly one of my favorite times of years.
