We inhabit a critical moment in which our collective well-being depends on our ability to see one another, recognize our interdependence, and attend to the natural world that sustains us. The Place of Good Water, an ongoing body of work encompassing portraits, still lifes, and images of nature, explores the reciprocity of seeing and being seen, and how perception shapes our relationships with one another and the world around us.

Working with a large-format 8 × 10-inch view camera, I embrace a contemplative process that demands close attention to my subjects. Through formal relationships of light, color, and structure, I create images that invite viewers to look beyond the familiar and reconsider how they see the world. Beauty and harmony are central to this inquiry, not as idealized states, but as qualities that draw us into deeper engagement with what we see.

The work develops around a home I rent in Amagansett, New York, during the off-season, surrounded by biodiverse ecosystems that inform my practice. I make portraits of friends, colleagues, and fellow artists with whom I share meaningful relationships. Each portrait is an encounter between photographer and subject, shaped by the exchange of gazes and a dialogue of perception. These images extend my investigation into relationality: how we perceive others, understand ourselves through these encounters, and experience being seen.

The portraits and images of nature emerge from an oceanside landscape undergoing profound ecological change. Rising tides have severely eroded the beach, while pine beetles have decimated the surrounding forest. Yet new growth persists. Bringing human and ecological vulnerability into relation, the work asks how sustained attention might alter our understanding of the living world and our place within it.

More images available upon request.