Nature 3rd place winner

My love of trees began early in life while living among the majestic Douglas Fir trees. Now, as then, I intuitively knew that trees were extraordinary beings. Recent scientific research reveals that trees have a complex unseen communication system facilitated by a fungal network. We know that nutrients, warning signals, and even history is communicated between trees. My aim in this series is to represent trees not as we think we know them, but rather to probe an expanded understanding of trees. A fortuitous chance occurrence led me to a ten-year investigation into what I call, process printing. I work in a wet darkroom with tree negatives, but I use darkroom solutions in unorthodox ways. I spray, drip and paint darkroom solutions onto exposed silver gelatin paper pushing against the very limits of analog printing. The process of making these images can take up to five hours of allowing and manipulation. I allow an exposed print to rest in the darkroom sink, but when the time is right, I intuit further manipulation of print. For me to be satisfied with the image, it must speak to the deeper essence of trees.

Jane Olin is an award-winning fine art photographer based in California’s Monterey Bay. Working for over 30 years in the epicenter of West Coast photography movement, she originally learned straight photography. Drawn to Japanese aesthetics and Zen Buddhism, Olin’s images originate from deeply intuitive experiences. Known for her experimental printing techniques, she pushes boundaries of analog photography by manipulating solutions on exposed gelatin silver paper. Olin’s photography has been exhibited internationally, has received numerous jurors’ awards, and is held in museum collections.