Story & photos by Bridget Ye

As admirers, students, educators and conservators of our natural world, nature photographers strive to capture the essence of both the intimate micro and extraordinary macro. We might photograph creatures on the brink of extinction or landscapes in decay, yet rarely do we include ourselves in the portrayal and definition of “nature”. The presence and influence of humanity on the environment has often been detrimental and, sometimes, it seems that the environment reciprocates with natural disasters. A comparison of resilience, though, reveals that nature has a tendency to prevail over time and will probably continue to do so. Try as we might to build and rebuild in notorious flood zones or to erect dams that reconfigure river systems for our benefit, nature does not just meekly surrender to human desires. It often seems as though adaptation, a fundamental skill for survival for all things living in the natural world, is lost on us.