A Landscape Under Threat

Minnesota, a land of unique and breathtaking natural beauty, serves as a poignant reminder of the delicate balance between human life and the environment. Its vast expanses are adorned with pristine lakes, winding rivers, dense forests, and thriving ecosystems, each contributing to its immense cultural, historical, and environmental significance.

Minnesota encompasses many federally managed lands, such as Voyageurs National Park, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the Superior National Forest, and the River Valley National Wildlife Refuges. Together, these areas form one of the most visually stunning and ecologically vital regions in the United States.

A Landscape Under Threat intends to show that this fragile sanctuary confronts increasing threats from federal political decisions and industrial pursuits, including copper-nickel mining, logging, and urban development, and is a visual overture to examine the delicate and complex balance between humankind’s and nature’s needs.

These photographs were submitted as a project for my Master of Arts in Photography at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

All photographs were made using Ilford Delta 100 Professional film on an Intrepid Black Edition 4×5” view camera with a vintage Nikon 135mm f/5.6 lens. The film was developed using Ilford DD-X. The negatives were scanned using a Nikon Z7ii and a Nikkor Z MC 50mm f/2.8 lens. The scans were converted using Negative Lab Pro v3 and edited in Nik 7 Silver Efex.