Inspired by the diffusion of light distinctly created by fire, In the Amber Season is a visual representation of my relationship with the father-figure. These images pay homage to Dan Martin, my stepfather, and the life he’s created through the season of the year when smoke ambers the sun, dissociating the colors of everyday life. From a young age, I was introduced to fire through Dan’s life-long passion for wildland firefighting, a career he’s had for over 30 years. I’ve been working alongside him as a wildland firefighter myself since 2016 and together we’ve bonded during this crazy and unpredictable time of year known as “fire season.” Being with him in this environment changed my perspective on almost everything in my life, but especially my understanding of the word “father.”

It has been a surprise to me that I've healed some of my own trauma while being surrounded by so much destruction. This work was propelled by my want for a relationship with a father-figure, when I couldn’t have one with my biological father. The journey of healing is never linear and my time as a firefighter has taught me just that. In 2018 I asked Dan to adult-adopt me, and legally he became my father. We continue to work together as a team during fire season but now as father and daughter.

The documentary approach to this work aims to help the viewer understand and share the experiences of a seasoned wildland firefighter. We become a direct witness to forest destruction due to climate change. I now make this work to explore these questions: Can we heal with a landscape that is currently being destroyed? How can the landscape continue to heal us when it isn’t able to heal itself? Although being in the amber season has helped heal my familial relationships, it has forced upon me the realization that the landscape as we know it is forever scarred.

Archival Pigment Print, 19” x 24.5”.