Nature nominee

The series Upstream is an imaginary conversation with the American poet Mary Oliver whose selection of essays Upstream is the main source of inspiration.

Following Mary Oliver’s footsteps, this is an invitation to leave behind the heavy burden of our lives, to break free from our caged lives and to walk upstream, whilst most of those around us will follow the current, travelling frenetically downwards.

Guided through the undergrowth into the shadowy milieu of the water’s edge, we are encouraged to lose our sense of direction or time and linger in unexpected places which hold a hidden presence. These photographs remind us to be curious, to reconnect with a vivid imagination that most of us leave behind overtime. Feeling alive and connected, we remove our shoes and delight in standing in the cool water of the stream!

Should we finally retrace downstream, Upstream is an invitation to keep this enriched memory as ‘In difficult time you should always carry something beautiful in your mind’ (Blaise Pascal).

Wingfield is a self taught fine art digital photography artist based in London. She draws her inspiration from the natural world. Concentrating on long-term projects, her practice is driven by an urge to uncover and explore the purity and deep mystery of our ecosphere throughout the world and to monumentalise the small and often overlooked flora and fauna that are intrinsic to life on this planet. The work is characterised by an unashamed quest for the beauty infused in landscape and the feeling of awe that it triggers and nurtures. She was awarded bronze in the PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris 2023 in the Nature/ Earth category.