I’ve embarked on a new personal project. It’s actually a mashup of an existing project and a new tool in my kit. The new tool is a drone, and the existing project is my Americana series. While I don’t see this as a continuation of that existing body of work, it’s still early days.
I love travel and exploration. When I’m on the road I’m happiest far from the interstates or main thoroughfares. Give me a byway or back road any day. That’s where my Americana series has lived for the better part of 2 decades. The through line to this new body of work is a curiosity of humankind’s interaction and imprint on earth’s natural landscape.
I’ve been flying as much as possible lately to log hours and practice. Recently, I noticed I’m gravitating to an old familiar subject matter – quirky or unique occasions where humans have inserted their stamp onto the natural landscape.
I’ve noticed this new perspective lends itself to the subject matter I was exploring in my Americana series. It’s different, but I like what I’m seeing so far. There’s something magical that happens as the camera lifts from the ground and the wide expanse opens up. It reminds me of the same feeling of anticipation I’d get in the darkroom as a black and white print would start to emerge in the tray. In both cases, I know generally what’s coming, but that doesn’t diminish the magic of the reveal.
I’m at the point where I want to revisit some of the original locations I shot from the ground. I want to see how the aerial perspective changes the mood or impact of the images.
The aerial perspective has also got me thinking about subjects that didn’t necessarily work from the ground. Urban sprawl is a great example. I always found it difficult to convey this concept from the ground. The image here of Koko Crater on Oahu and the hint of the housing development in the foreground is exactly what I’ve always seen in my mind’s eye, but could never convey from a ground perspective.
I think these images are an interesting start to a new phase of this project.
Let me know what you think?
Koko Crater, east side
Salinas River, San Ardo Oil Field
South Bay Salt Works
Koko Crater, west side