This series of photographs is a personal reflection on human connection and resilience, expressed through the lens of nature. Where my previous works revel in the beauty of human connection through our shared experiences, this series contemplates the absence of that connection and seeks to find beauty in the midst of loneliness.
In its most literal form, this is a story of the isolation I faced when the world first went into lockdown due to COVID-19. Shot in my Oakland apartment at the height of the 2020 pandemic lockdown, these images were my attempt at finding meaning and peace while I processed the sobriety of an existence void of any physical human connection for 42 consecutive days.
Nature became a form of escape for me during the pandemic. I found a strong sense of humanity in her simultaneous beauty, resilience and vulnerability. Unique leaf patterns resembled the individuality of fingerprints. The varied shapes and forms – even among the same plant species – underscored an amorphous sense of beauty: a perfection within imperfections, which we can easily recognize in others but often struggle to see in ourselves.
These feelings called for a more focused and intimate photographic approach to elements of nature which would normally include more scale or context.
The plants here are mostly photographed as single leaves to reflect the physical and emotional separation I faced. I also examine a more complete view of whole plants as a reminder of the beauty of the togetherness I looked forward to experiencing again.
From these vantage points, vulnerability, resilience, and hope are all brought to the forefront, allowing the plants to serve as an accurate representation of what it means to be human.
In the midst of peak global connectedness, my 42 days of isolation reminded me that isolation and connection often coexist and both have an important and necessary place in our lives. Though we often need the former to appreciate the latter, we are never removed from each other but rather we are always connected.