In the Air

For this project I photographed a variety of airborne particles. These include byproducts of conservation, energy production, natural disasters, or agriculture. This is not a local phenomenon; particles can travel a few feet, a few miles, or circle the earth. They can rise up into the stratosphere and fall back down to the troposphere.
 
Air seems invisible, however it is a thriving ecosystem teeming with solids, liquids and gases. When enough small particles accumulate, they become momentarily visible in smoke, smog, spray, and dust plumes and the residue can be seen on surfaces and filters. Despite their tiny size and seeming invisibility, they have serious repercussions including respiratory problems and death.
 
With this work I am thinking about what goes into the air, where it travels, and the impact it has. I am curious about protections that are in place, ones that are needed and ones that are being removed. During research into this project, I was astonished to discover that we breathe in almost 3,000 gallons of air a day. The goals of this work are to raise awareness, to make the invisible visible, and to make the ephemeral permanent.