Passing Through
This body of work displays the hidden details of Michigan’s state parks during the winter season. In Michigan we are gifted with thousands of acres of beautiful land devoted to recreational outdoor use that often get overlooked during a harsh winter. These parks are constantly undergoing visual and structural changes due to maintenance issues and a narrowing budget. As an avid outdoorsman I have always felt I have a duty to preserve these lands in photographs.
Through photographs I am able to tell a story of my time spent in these places, and in my own way preserve them in the images. The prospect of facing the elements in search of the details that make Michigan parks so great can be daunting. My work tells the story of that search and the reward that comes along with it. These images show that nature can be beautiful even when the weather is harsh.
Choosing to shoot this body of work on film allowed for a more personal approach to the process. This was part of a concerted effort to step away from the idealized landscape photographs often seen and create a more personal relationship with the space. Each step along the way from film choice to final print impacts the way the images speak to the audience. My hope is that each viewer can make a connection to the parks through my imagery.