Natural Progress

A photographic journey always starts with a decision. Are we observers, story tellers, activists or influencers? Do we allow our personal beliefs and values to influence the work we make? Or do we work in a middle ground in which we do both. I find myself in a situation where the work that I am making wonders and explores ideas that influence me as a human as well as a photographer which may consequently create a bias towards the images that I am making. So perhaps this makes me an activist, a story teller, an observer and an influencer as the ideas that I am capturing and highlighting through photography are ideals that I have towards the way in which humanity should interact with the land.

For ninety nine percent of humanity’s existence on planet Earth we have lived nomadically as hunters and gatherers. Self sufficiently living off the land and sea to provide for ourselves and our families. Roughly ten thousand years ago the first farmers put down their roots and humanities development of life became settled in permanent dwellings that later expanded into societies and systems across the world.

Bringing you back to the 21st century. Alternative living is a topical term being used by many to describe ways of living that are outside of the bricks and mortar norm that Western society has found itself dwelling in. The expectations and conformity of living in a bricks and mortar life often comes with a nine to five job and mortgage that you spend your working life paying off. This way of life is not focused on the happiness of the soul. Instead, normalised by the influential, crushing and squeezing the majority to send money to the top of the capital world. A realisation and decision of non-conformity from certain corners of society has led to a natural progression of individuals and communities dropping out of the expectations and destruction of society to live a life of peace with the land.   

Natural progress is a term that I have created that describes the journey that one is on to find ultimate happiness and connection towards life and the natural world. Over the past few years I have found myself being pulled closer and closer to the natural spaces that I have access to. Locations of silence where you can find peace within yourself and happiness away from the busy world that we often find ourselves in. Humanities evolution on the planet has become destructive. Humans are destroying the land and sea as much as they are destroying each other through conflict, capitalism, greed and anger. Natural progress is a journey of non participation in the evils and inequalities that human systems have created. Self sufficiently humans can live in harmony with the land as it is our provider and protector, a source of knowledge and wisdom. If we are kind to it then it is kind to us and it will provide us with the necessities of life.