Thomas Jordan was faced with a problem. In the summer of 2021, the US-based photographer was actively focusing more on his own health, both physical and mental, and finding respite in nature. He was looking for what he describes as “warm, quiet moments” for his work, but found the pressure of the search was ruining the experience itself.
“I had to stop trying to achieve ‘serious photography work’, and just let go,” he says. “How I live and work is very meditative. Starting out, I thought I had to go somewhere like New York or California to take good photographs. But you just have to be where you are, and be aware.”
That’s not to say that where Jordan lives is disastrously unphotogenic. In fact, he is only a five-minute walk from West Chicago’s Timber Ridge Forest Preserve. “Right when the sun sets there is this incredible pink, almost ombre quality to the sky. I’m a fan of very vibrant colours, so I pushed up the saturation a little, but what you see is very close to the real colour.”
He thinks people will relate to the everyday setting, and be moved by the peace and tranquillity.
“I’m sure that some people look and think it is pretty boring, but that’s OK. I know there is value in these types of photos, too. If I can be an advocate for the simple, warm moments, that’s fine by me.”
