Those Who Cannot

“There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot. These essays are the delights and dilemmas of one who cannot.” - Aldo Leopold

These lines were written as an introduction to A Sand County Almanac, authored by the man that many consider to be the father of modern wildlife conservation, Aldo Leopold. His ability to capture the workings of nature and weave philosophy into the bluegrass of the plains or the removal of predators from the mountains in the Almanac to me is the definition of art, and it is far greater than a book of natural observations.

Leopold's writings take a reader beyond themselves to consider where we are going as a society, what our impacts have been, and, perhaps greatest, he never leaves redemption of the wild things and wild places out of reach. He paints pictures with paragraphs that inspire one to get out and experience untamed places for his or herself, and to take responsibility for the world around them. 

This style of his I hope to emulate with photography, though the scope of my work is slightly different. Leopold focused on wildlife and the utilization of science to bring about their health and correct management, whereas my focus is from a larger world perspective to inspire people to lean into a vivacious, well-lived life. 

The metanarrative of our work is where we intersect though. Leopold used natural observations and even stories of individual animals to illustrate and inspire larger principles of life, and I hope to do the same with my art. The a happy dog, the wonder of a sunset, or the majesty of a snow-capped mountain speak to something great: a world that can experience glimpses of redemption amidst harsh reality, and one in which there is much to be grateful for if we remember to look for it. For me, this is the legacy of Leopold in A Sand County Almanac, and it is why he is an inspirational figure for me today.