The majority of photos and videos on my phone are landscapes.

Capturing the natural world around me is something I started doing in earnest while living in Colorado, where I experienced the severe haze of California wildfires, air quality warnings, droughts, and local wildfire threats. I remember one of my first impressive photos taken there was a sunflower suspended in smoke.

Meanwhile, my apartment was acres away from a brewery siphoning clean water from a local aquifer into light beer cans. But, somehow, there wasn’t a swim-able lake or pond nearby. My climate anxiety spiked in Colorado’s scenic high-altitude desert. My hobby of photography took an unconscious turn.

Now, while I stand on the summit of a hill or mountain, I sink into the gravel of concerned gratitude for the air, the view, the chill. While I hike familiar trails, I’m restored by the abundant routine of Mother Nature. While I wade through rivers and ponds, I revel in the water’s ability to restore life as well as it restores my faith in nature’s resilience and, consequently, my hope.

Follow me on Instagram to see these photos and more come to life.