Viewfinder: Man vs. Wild

I have always been fascinated by—and sometimes critical of—the human struggle to conquer wilderness through domestication and industrialization.

I believe that this drive correlates in part with a desire to establish ourselves as our own masters, beings that have transcended the limitations that nature places upon us. By the same token, nature’s tendency to overcome the rules and restrictions we impose upon it is indicative of the futility in our goal; we cannot escape the influence of the natural world, or our ancient origins.

The tension between modern society and its environment to be especially apparent in the streets of New Orleans, where unrestrained growth and decay fuse the natural and the artificial to form unique, evocative entities. These points of tension provided the inspiration for Man vs. Wild, a photo series which specifically focuses on interactions between plant life/decay and human constructions in New Orleans.

All photos were shot in Uptown New Orleans, especially in West Riverside and the Irish Channel.