I am a California photographer who recently moved to Central New York.
I come from Los Angeles, a diverse landscape of ocean, mountains and desert, uniting with a congested population. Perhaps those of us who live in mega cities often see no farther than the car ahead in grid lock. We define “natural” subjectively or conveniently.
Escaping the city meant crossing perhaps 50 miles of desert to find a pine tree. En route, the surroundings become harsh and isolated. Yet, I couldn’t escape the interaction of man upon the land.
We all seek beauty and that’s why I am a landscape photographer. Yet, I can be as excited about an abandoned building as I am when I see a giant sequoia. Perhaps there is something to be said for the secrets that they both hold, witnesses to forgotten stories that existed before I arrived.
— Renee Akana, Oneida, New York, USA
