The ongoing focus of my photographic practice is the space between human connection to place and our dependence on natural resources to sustain our lives and “lifestyles”. At a base level we are fully dependent on the natural resources of this planet: water and the complicated processes of photosynthesis that produce plant matter, our food, and the food for animals most of us consume. But it’s our modern lifestyles and the disconnection that we have developed from the natural resources we need that is creating large scale, long-term and ultimately negative impacts on the environment we are dependent on.
The images I’ve sent you are taken from two different projects, both explore complicated relationships the environment.
‘This River’
I’ve been photographing the 150km length of the (so called) Mersey River in northern lutruwita/Tasmania, the river contributes to a major hydro-electric system for the state and energy export to the mainland, it is also hosts a major port for the state that receives freight and passenger ships. Along with supplying water to farms and industry along its path. Our society has become dependent on electricity, but even the low emission renewable energy produced through hydro-electric schemes has significant environmental impacts, as with Lake Rowallan pictured, loss of the forest and river valley that was flooded. As well as the loss of water and natural systems in the river below the dam, as a significant portion of water is diverted to another catchment and more dams. Additionally, pollution and invasive organisms become more pronounced in the lower reaches of the river where the human interaction with the river increases
