Painted Rock
Trash Bag
Party Tray
This is a new series of landscape photographs I started last week for my 2nd book for design 2. This project is documenting the landscape of Azusa Canyon in the Angeles National Forest. I've been going here for a few years now for the fishing and because its a nice get-away spot thats only about 40 min away from me. When I first came to the canyon about 4 years ago, I was shocked at how beautiful it was for being so close to L.A. and the fact that there is a natural flowing river in L.A. County with fish. When I really started to explore the canyon, I immediately noticed the garbage and graffiti from people who hang out at the river with family or friends or camp there. I was so sad and shocked to see all of this trash polluting the river and the graffiti on the rocks, that will be there forever.
I photographed the Canyon according to how I first experienced it 4 years ago, being taken away by its beauty but always seeing the trace of human beings upon take a closer look. The human trace is supposed to be a second read in the photographs. I intentionally photographed the landscapes in a very traditional manner to not only focus on the trash/graffiti, but definitely showing my awareness of it in the photographs. Some photographs are more subtle than others. This was the first day I went to shoot for the project.
traces of humanity, in the fullness of nature. but hasn't human hands and feet touched this? what mark have we left on these scenes? and what does it mean for you the photographer to leave his mark on these places?
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