This body of work has been inspired by Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick. Each photograph gives reference to an excerpt in the book, quotes that connect me with the many characters and their plight for survival.

Although I live in the dry desert, and the novel takes place on the rocky sea, I feel a similar connection between the opposite harsh climates and a kindred spirit with the characters, trying to live in a place that holds so many obstacles for survival.  The desert, a dry and arid place with little water to be found has a commonality with the ubiquitous ocean and it’s endless amounts of water but none sustainable for human consumption.

Both natural environments are full of life, yet nothing that can be easily detected on the surface.  In our human plight for survival, whether in the city, the Sonoran Desert, or the ocean, there exists a hopeless feeling of loneliness and separateness. Yet, when looking beneath the surface of turmoil, one can usually find a place sustainable for survival.

All images where captured with a large format camera and traditionally printed in the dark room.