Landscape: capturing the presence of nature

When capturing a landscape, the presence of nature is key; we expect the fundamental elements of nature: land, sky, water, weather, life. But what we have to consider in today's "natural landscape" is the inevitable impact of "life." The landscape then becomes a question of intrigue: is it a visual representation of nature or culture?

In these landscape images, we see where land and life interact. In contrast to an earthwork, which is a deliberate construction of earth materials within their natural environment, a landscape is the intersection of nature and culture, as they have evolved together. In a landscape, the focus is on the natural scenery, whereas in an earthwork, the intention is for the cultural construction.



Each image I included consists of both natural and artificial visual elements. All of the images were taken on the gorgeous grounds at HoneyRock. As I sauntered through the wilderness, I was so affected by my natural surroundings, but as I am now reflecting on the images, I am overwhelmed as I admit that most of the landscapes I captured were in fact somehow altered by man. In today's landscape, we must assume that in some way, all of the "natural" elements are in some part tainted by "culture," whether it be for good or for bad.

I think what I realize is significant about these landscapes is that all of them capture the natural landscape, or more specifically, the interaction among those key elements of nature: land, sky, water, weather, and life. The landscape I ultimately captured was the visual representation of this interaction, which I think is significantly moving to me as a photographer, as a viewer, and as a human being existing within a both natural and cultural creation.