Poetic in nature, these images capture the elegance of light and mystery of shadow. The work was made with a four by five inch wood field camera and hand crafted in a traditional darkroom. Historically, the view camera was the dominant photographic tool of the nineteenth century. Now, large format photography stands for an image making philosophy that is: slow, thoughtful, and methodically precise. Technically, the photographs are direct and sharply focused, sometimes fading into soft, ethereal backgrounds. The imagery exemplifies a smooth clarity that highlights the inherent visual characteristics of black and white large format film photography. The greyscale tonality heightens the formal qualities of landscape and challenges our perception of reality. Conceptually, the work is focused on creating its own poetry through the personification of landscape. The joy of discovery can be felt through the brilliantly lit geometric abstractions of rock faces and tangle strands of grass. The burden of sadness is celebrated through fallen trees and empty vessels. The work tries to represent these elements in a balanced rhythm that oscillates between formalism and pure abstraction. The silver gelatin prints were hand made by the artist in a darkroom. The equipment and details of the process are highly specific, complicated, and sensitive. Although these historic methods are slow and cumbersome, they offer the viewer an authentic experience to view the landscape and appreciate the objectivity of light sensitive materials.