[ music ] >> IF YOU'RE A PHOTOGRAPHER, IN A WAY, YOU'RE A STORYTELLER, AND I JUST THOUGHT THE LAND HAD SO MANY STORIES TO TELL, AND NATURE IS [ music ] [ music ] >> AND I WOULD SEE IT MORE AND MORE IN NATURE, SO I ALSO WANTED TO FIND A WAY TO TELL ITS STORY AND HOPE LEVEL MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH SOME PEOPLE IN HOW THEY PERCEIVE IT.

[ music ] [ music ] [ music ] >> THE NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE HAS A PROGRAM WHICH IS FOR ARTISTS AND RESIDENTS WHERE YOU CAN APPLY TO BE AN ARTIST, LIVE IN THE PARK.

SO AT NIGHT IT WOULD BE JUST YOU AND THE COYOTES.

SO EVER SINCE I'VE DONE 16 RESIDENCIES IN 16 DIFFERENT NATIONAL PARKS AND MONUMENTS.

I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT GOING SOME PLACE FOR ONE DAY TO TAKE PICTURES.

I WANT TO CON STRAIGHT PERSONALITY AND THE ENERGY OF A PLACE.

SO TO BE IN A NATIONAL PARK FOR SIX WEEKS.

THE LAND STARTS TO TALK TO YOU.

YOU SEE IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

[ music ] [ music ] [ music ] [ music ] [ music ] [ music ] >> I'M GIVING THANKS TO THE LAND FOR WELCOMING US, TELL IT WE WILL BE CONSIDERATE AND RESPECTFUL OF ALL OF ITS CREATURES AND ALL OF ITS PLANTS AND SHOW IT IN THE BEST LIGHT POSSIBLE TO OTHERS NOT JUST IN THE BEAUTY OF THE LAND BUT FOR ITS PROTECTION IN THE FUTURE, I HOPE.

SO LET'S WALK A LITTLE.

>> THIS IS LIKE GOING TO CHURCH FOR ME.

IT IS.

THERE'S SO MUCH BEAUTY.

I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT CALLS TO ME.

NOT VISUALLY, BUT ENERGETICALLY, SPIRITUALLY, JUST SOMETHING THAT SAYS STOP AND LOOK AT ME.

IT IS JUST A BEAUTIFUL PORTRAIT OF A TREE THAT STOOD THERE FOR DECADES.

>> I BELIEVE THERE'S THE SPIRIT AND AN ENERGY IN EVERYTHING WHETHER IT'S A FLOWER OR A TREE OR A ROCK, AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO LISTEN QUIETLY TO THE LAND AND ALL THESE LITTLE BEAUTIFUL PLANTS OR CREATURES TO SAY, HEY, LOOK AT ME.

I MEAN, EVEN THESE LITTLE DAISIES.

WELL, I JUST SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL ARRANGEMENT.

IT'S LIKE THIS FAMILY OF CONTRAST.

NORMALLY FLOWERS DON'T TALK TO ME AS MUCH, BUT THESE HAPPEN TO, AND IT'S JUST LIKE GREETING THE DAY.

THE SUN IS OUT.

THEY'RE JUST, LIKE, LOOKING UP AT THE SUN.

IT LOOKS GLORIOUS TO ME.

THERE IS A SACREDNESS TO THIS, ALL OF IT, AND THIS SUPPORTS US AND LIFE.

PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT IT.

WE'RE SO DEPENDENT ON NATURE LIKE THIS.

YOU JUST WATCH THE CREATURES AND THE CALM, TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES AND THEN IT KIND OF DECOMPOSES AND IT FEEDS THE EARTH WHICH CREATES NUTRIENTS AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CYCLE AND IT IS ALSO IN DANGER WHICH IS HARD TO WATCH.

[ music ] [ music ] [ music ] [ music ] [ music ] >> THE NATIONAL PARKS ARE LARGE.

THEY'RE SPECTACULAR AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TRAVEL TO THEM, BUT METRO PARKS ARE A LITTLE PIECE OF NATURE THAT EVERYONE CAN GET TO EASILY.

IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO GO TO A NATIONAL PARK, BUT THE METRO PARKS LIKE RIGHT HERE.

MOST CITIES I GO TO, THEY HAVE SOME KIND OF PARK AND SO PEOPLE CAN QUICKLY GET AWAY INTO NATURE AND JUST HAVE A LITTLE PART OF IT.

IT DOESN'T HAVE A MUCH DIFFERENT FEEL, IF YOU CONNECT WITH NATURE.

I'M AS MUCH HOME HERE AS I WAS IN YELLOWSTONE.

[ music ] [ music ] >> THERE'S SOMETHING ANCIENT ABOUT THIS.

>> TREE ROOTS ARE LIKE THE HISTORY OF THE PARK.

THEY'RE SO GROUNDED.

THEY HOLD THE EARTH TOGETHER AND YOU CAN SEE THIS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW OLD THAT TREE IS.

MAYBE A HUNDRED YEARS?

AND YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S SURVIVED.

IT'S LIKE FINGERS OR TOES THAT ARE JUST GRIPPING THE EARTH.

>> THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL WATER DROP ON THIS LEAF.

THE SUN IS HITTING AND THEY CATCH THE LIGHT LIKE DIAMONDS.

EVEN THIS LITTLE LEAF RIGHT HERE.

JUST THE DROPS AROUND THE EDGES AND THIS ONE HERE, IT'S ALL ACROSS IT AND THEN IT'S FUNNY.

I CAN GET SO HAPPY LOOKING AT DROPS OF WATER ON A PLANT AND I'M JUST -- IT'S NICE TO SEE.

IT'S JUST DROPS OF WATER, BUT NO MORE BRILLIANT THAN THE GRAND CANYON.

GLORIOUS.

>> THAT IS GORGEOUS.

>> IT'S ABSOLUTE EXCITEMENT.

I'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

I'VE BEEN ACCEPTED AND NATURE IS WELCOMING TO ME.

THERE ARE PLACES WHERE I GO AND IT'S NOT RIGHT AND I ALWAYS ASK PERMISSION TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH.

THERE ARE OTHER TIMES I DON'T FEEL I HAVE PERMISSION AND OTHER TIMES LIKE THIS THAT'S JUST -- IT CAN MAKE YOU A LITTLE TEARY.

IT COULDN'T BE MORE PERFECT.

[ music ] [ music ] [ music ] >> I'VE BEEN PHOTOGRAPHING FOR A LONG TIME, AND I'VE NEVER HAD A SINGLE DAY THAT WAS LIKE THAT, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE I ASK PERMISSION TO BE THERE FROM THE BLESSED LAND, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S PART OF IT.

[ music ] [ music ] >> SO THE LAND HAS STORIES TO TELL, AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME UNUSUAL STORIES.

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