I invite you to explore the beauty and resilience of trees. Through a black and white high key style, I emphasize the stark contrast between the pure white skies and these majestic subjects, drawing attention to their undeniable presence and the powerful narratives they embody.

I’m fascinated with trees. Their captivating shapes, intricate forms, and varied textures offer endless inspiration, while their age, towering stature, and deep-rooted connection to the earth and sky evoke a profound sense of wonder. Within the form of a single tree, I find both elegance and complexity, mirroring the intricate facets of our own lives.

As I reflect on my own life, I realize that, like the lone trees in these photographs, I too have experienced periods of deeply intense solitude, isolation, and detachment from societal connections. This sense of loneliness, I believe, resonates with many veterans and people from all walks of life who grapple with the very real or perceived isolation that modern life can impose.  

Solitary trees are potent symbols of both isolation and interconnectedness. Just as humans experience loneliness, we also share a profound connection that runs deep, much like the intricate root systems of trees. Like us, trees are part of a vast network of life, where connections are not always visible but are undeniably present. I hope to remind viewers that we are deeply interconnected, even when the immense love and support that bind us cannot be clearly seen.

I invite viewers to recognize their own resilience and strength and the profound interconnectedness that connects us. These photographs serve as a reminder that, like the trees of the world, our strength lies in our ability to stand together, rooted in the knowledge that we are never truly alone in the intricate and wild ride that is life. Even in moments of solitude or loneliness, we are part of something greater, and our individual stories, like the branches of a grand forest, contribute to the richness of human experience.