Renowned nature photographer explores the unnatural world of construction sites in new book
Peter Essick is no stranger to capturing the world around him. Outdoor Photography magazine named Essick one of the 40 most influential nature photographers.
He was a frequent contributor to National Geographic Magazine for over twenty-five years. And now, he’s documenting the ever-evolving city around him: Atlanta.
In Essick’s new book “Work in Progress,” he photographs construction sites from his drone—examining the various textures, colors and environmental impact of development. “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes recently sat down with the renowned photographer to learn more about this newest project.
The book wasn’t planned, says Essick; “It just happened by accident” between 2017 and 2021. While working on a project to document the Fernbank Forest, he noticed serious construction along his commute between Decatur and his home in Stone Mountain, which led to some deeper investigation via a drone that he’d been exploring with.
“I was just amazed at the designs and the patterns of the soil… and realized that it was a pretty big environmental issue,” he shared. “Work in Progress” highlights these environmental issues and the fleeting nature of such anthropogenic landscapes. “Constructions are like that. They’re fast changing – really by the week.”
This is his first project shot entirely on a drone, and he remains a steady advocate for the use of drones for artistic projects. Too often, he says, drones get a bad rep for their uses in war zones and population surveillance. “There’s a real freedom if you own a drone, you can go out [and] you can find these pictures to express yourself in a creative way.”
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