Nich Hance McElroy’s latest photography series, titled ‘The Great Divide,’ brings forth the age-old epistemological conundrum of a tree falling in the forest. If no one’s there to hear it, does it still make a sound? The series observes and documents pristine, untouched spaces. McElroy does his best to capture moments without disturbing them for the purposes of preservation. Indeed, you can almost feel the silence and serenity in each image.
The photos focus on spaces such as fences, horizons, edges and abrupt topographic transitions throughout America. The geographical divisions can be read as figurative, especially considering America’s history of disjuncture.
McElroy ultimately merges elements of philosophy and photography to create a profound, meditative series that reminds us of the world’s vastness.
Quiet Landscape Photography
Nich Hance McElroy Photographs the Great Divide
Trend Themes
1. Preservation Photography - Opportunity for photographers to capture and document pristine, untouched spaces without disturbing them, emphasizing the importance of preservation.
2. Embracing Silence - An emerging trend in landscape photography that focuses on capturing moments of silence and serenity to evoke a meditative experience.
3. Figurative Geographical Divisions - Photographers exploring the metaphorical aspects of geographical divisions as a reflection of social and historical disjuncture.
Industry Implications
1. Photography - The photography industry can leverage the trend of preservation photography to attract eco-conscious clients and promote the importance of environmental protection.
2. Wellness and Mindfulness - Wellness and mindfulness industries can collaborate with landscape photographers to incorporate images of silent and serene spaces into their marketing materials, creating a sense of tranquility for their target audience.
3. Fine Art - Fine art galleries and collectors can explore the trend of figurative geographical divisions in landscape photography to showcase thought-provoking and conceptually rich artworks.