My fascination with Redwood trees began in 2003 when Amber took me to the Redwood National Park for my birthday. As we hiked through the Tall Trees Grove, a printed trail guide encouraged me to imagine how tall the trees were when this country was founded; how tall they were when the Roman empire ended; what the world was like when they were saplings.

I was truly hooked after reading The Wild Trees, a book that made Redwoods seem otherworldly. There are entire ecosystems up there, woven into the branches of the world’s oldest trees, hidden from our view and nearly wiped out by logging and pollution.

The photo above is my first attempt at making a picture of a Redwood grove that reflects the kind of wonder I feel when I walk through them. This little stand of trees is in Soberanes Canyon in Garrapata State Park in Big Sur. I had help making this picture from Travis and Nic and Ellen, and I thank them for their flashlight skills and companionship.

This picture will be on display at the group art show in San Francisco that I’m part of.