Nature has been heralded as a place of respite for centuries in almost every imaginable artistic medium, from literature and visual art to everyday conversation. During the pandemic, all that nature has to offer only became more salient, with many people finding rejuvenation, relaxation, and reflection in the outdoors at a time of crisis. In the process, we remade both nature and ourselves, each emerging from the exchange with something new or previously unknown.
In this spirit, this photo journal is a gallery of the places in which I have immersed myself and have most cherished traversing over the course of the pandemic. All the photos were taken between December 2021 and January 2022 after I undertook the project in an effort to revisit these sanctuaries and the people, things, and moments that made the experience of peace amid pandemic so poignant. The images feature several places across the California coast and Greater Boston Area and are organized thematically by the ways in which each location interacts with humanity. In four sub-galleries, I will explore, first, nature and humans as solitary entities, second, human intervention in nature, third, natural and anthropocene beauty, and lastly, natural intervention in humanity. For it is not just that we go into nature to escape the world: We find the world in nature. It is that very encounter — the mutual shaping and reshaping of humanity and the earth — that allows us to continue to redefine what it means to live on this planet, in this era.
As such, I hope this photo journal provides an opportunity to reflect on all that nature has to offer, the ways in which humans and nature both encroach upon and coexist with one another, and the spaces, both mental and physical, that bring us the most joy. Whether it be in the vast expanse of water, gracefully gargantuan groves of trees, or seemingly endless sands stretching along an eternal coastline, wellbeing finds its vessel everywhere we find beauty in reflection, space in community, and belonging in solitude.
Section 1: Carving out Solitary Space for Nature, for Humans
Consciously or not, we make rules about where nature will remain undisturbed by humans – and where humans will remain undisturbed by nature.
Taking in the views, but from the ground 
Places for hiking are not places for archery (Fremont Older, CA) 
Tree blocking path, Stevens Creek County Park, CA. Sometimes, nature will have its way, and a trail will be reclaimed. 
On one side, houses; on the other, Andrew Molera State Park, CA. 
The Stanford Dish, CA: Hiking in COVID times 
Stevens Creek Reservoir, CA: damming the creek for boating 
Crossing Memorial Drive…safely! 
Make way for the turkeys! (Cambridge, MA) 
And make way for horses 1 (Saratoga, CA) 
And make way for horses 2 (Saratoga, CA)
Section 2: Intervening In and Re-Creating Nature
Our interventions into nature dictate our ideas about what is and is not natural. Here, we examine the extent to which these interventions remain distinct from the nature they are seeking to change and how those boundaries define “nature” as an actor in an evolving world.
Whale oh whale (Half Moon Bay, CA) 
Standing on (tree) stumps (Santa Cruz, CA) 
Experiments with solar power, boating, and birds (Shoreline Lake, Mountain View, CA) 
Conducting an ecological experiment! (Sanborn County Park, CA) 
Graffiti Rocks (Saratoga, CA) 
Frog Pond Ice Skating (MA) 
Who let the dogs out (Fresh Pond, MA)
Section 3: Seeking Beauty
For all its intellectual value, sometimes, it’s nice to just revel in the sheer wonder that is what exists on this planet — even if some of what exists is manmade.
Section 4: Moving Humans, Humans Moving
Humans are always on the move, and, by mandating that we slow down, the early stages of the pandemic only emphasized how much that is the case. In celebration of movement, though, it’s important to recognize that, while nature is often still, it continues to spur humanity forward and provide us with the momentum necessary for progress.
