Wombmates
A photo essay to accompany my personal essay exploring the intricacies of being an identical twin. This photo shoot was an attempt to represent the identity crisis and lack of personal identity I felt I had growing up. The idea came to me when I was looking at childhood photos and couldn't tell who is who between me and my twin. To look at a photo and know I'm in it, but not be able to say with 100% certainty where I am in the photo comes with quite an uncanny feeling. It makes me feel like the photo isn't mine, rather it's our photo. Just like most everything else was growing up.
Nooksack Falls - Winter 2024
Heliotrope Ridge - Summer 2024
Heliotrope Ridge - Summer 2024
Heliotrope Ridge - Summer 2024
Coleman Glacier - Summer 2024
Engineered Log Jam - Nooksack River, Middle Fork - Winter 2024
Brain Bowl x Mt. Baker Sesh Up - May 2024
A series of photos I shot for a story featured in The Planet. Quote is from Henry David Thoreau.
(Below) Traditional Makah Salmon Bake - Peninsula College - 2023
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe (LEKT) surveying outgoing salmon - Spring 2023.
I had the pleasure of working alongside LEKT for a quarter long project that included building, maintaining and surveying weir fish traps along a handful of waterways on the Olympic Peninsula. I'd rather not disclose the exact locations in order to protect the systems LEKT has in place. Every native tribe in Washington State takes it upon themselves to survey smolt (juvenile salmon) on their way out to the ocean. This data helps play a role in determining fishing regulations for the upcoming season.
Tools of the trade. The device on the left scans for microchips found in hatchery fish.
Scanning for hatchery fish.
Four adult Steelheads stuck above the trap. When this happens LEKT will disable the trap until the adults can pass through. Steelheads will usually make two spawning trips up river during their lifetime.
Gathering sandbags that will hold down the foundation of the trap.
All in unison the crew place sandbags on the tarp they've laid down in the river. Make sure the mouths of the bags face downriver.
Slamming the funnel down into the foundation.
Establishing the weir fence shape.
Fastening weir fence to the support beams.
Planting the collection box into the riverbed.
Stringing support wire across the trap.
Finishing touches.
Cutthroat or "Cuttys" - Distinguishable by the orange coloring of the gils, hence the name "Cutthroat."
Learning how to distinguish a steenhead from a coho. The details are in the fins.
Scanning for hatchery smolt.
