This is an ongoing body of work that emerged from many hours of hiking in the woods during the months of the Covid-19 pandemic. My photographic practice is one of outdoor exploration, but limited to areas close to home, I found myself revisiting the same walking trails over and over in a meditative practice. Seeking peace in a time of anxiety, I was also looking deeply into the familiar terrain to discover something new.

Drawn repeatedly to small ponds, streams, and marshy areas, I observed that in areas of still water, the surface often contains iridescent colors and metallic textures. Upon researching the phenomenon, I learned that these are the product not of pollution or petroleum, but of iron-oxidizing bacteria naturally produced in groundwater-fed streams. The colorful surfaces, fallen leaves and other organic matter, distorted reflections of trees and sky, and the shapes of rocks, sand, and streambed, all transform the water we take for granted into a source of mystery awaiting discovery. The change of seasons brings new shapes, textures, and colors, and the water sometimes turns to ice. The terrain is in constant transformation, so there is always something new to discover and reveal. This work is a reminder that small moments can contain great beauty and significance when attention is paid.

Now that I have resumed travel beyond my local area, I am continuing to develop this series of photographs in water that I find in locations ranging from the swamps of the Tidewater south to the streams of the desert southwest.