Nathan Roth Final Photography Project

Nathan Roth

Final Photography Project

William Henry Jackson in the Tropical Rain Forrest

            William Henry Jackson was a pioneer in advancing photography to the point it can be used to conserve the world.  Jackson was a photographer whose duty was to demonstrate to America that we shouldn’t over process the West.  He was invited by Gregory Hayden to be a part of the Hayden Geological Survey.  Jackson’s photos went on to be the quintessential items that convinced Congress to establish Yellow Stone National Park.  The park led the way for many more national parks in the United States.  Jackson can be credited as being one of the fathers of the national park system that still protects nearly 400 places in America today.  William Henry Jackson’s was a great entrepreneur in the conservation of the beauty of the world.  In a time obsessed with expansion Westward, Jackson stood up for the world that could not defend itself.  Armed with his only camera, he was able to save the natural scenery for all of us and for generations to come.

            Jackson’s style is specifically appealing because of his frequent use of people and man-made objects in his photographs.  On a recent trip to Central America I used  a William Henry Jackson lens to make a photo series.  The series is expressing the perfect balance between the people and nature in the land is in and the necessity to maintain it.  The series delves into the delicate way that human life coexists with nature.  Most importantly with the idea of protecting the balance from being harmed in the future.  The land was so beautiful and the culture was so strong that I became passionate about keeping it the way it was.  Much like the feeling William Henry Jackson felt while first exploring America.

 This photo represents an animal being forced out of his natural habitat by the human interference already in his rain forest.  The frog rests on an umbrella with straight rigid unnatural patterns and lines.  He stands out like soar thumb on the repetitive pattern.  However he also shows how nature can coexist with humanity.

 Although there is no explanation of which came first, the building or the tree, this photograph shows how the people in the community and nature live off of each other in perfect coexistence.  At the same time, the photo shows how the limits and boundaries of nature have already been pushed and cannot take anymore assault.

 This picture shows a fisherman rowing his boat to the dock.  Behind him you can see the ships the tourist use which look luxurious with their motors and covered tops.  The boats made for the tourism business are clearly having more success then the old fisherman.  The tourist industry is overpowering the food industry.

 This image is of a young local boy playing in the water.  He was pretending to be a ninja and his stick was his sword.  There are two figures in the water behind him relaxing but he has a big smile on his face.  The picture shows how the simple things in life can be the most gratifying.  Americans are so obsessed with computers and video games that they forget scenes like this exist.

For this image I was able to freeze the humming birds wings while feeding at a feeder. This picture shows natures occasional dependence on humans.  It also represents the human-nature interaction and balance between the two. 

This young boy and his friends captured tiny red frogs and then kept the leaf closed.  They then charged tourists whatever they could get out of them to look at the frog.  He keeps the frog safe by filling the leaf with water to make a moving habitat.  The boy needs the frog to try to make money and knows how to manipulate it.  Again we see a delicate balance exists but without the tourist interference this frog could have lived on in peace.