Steve Babbitt
Photographer
2023 - 2024 Pando Artist In Residence
A Year in Pando: Steve Babbitt
I arrived at the Pando to spend my first day photographing in August 2023. I felt overwhelmed at the prospect of photographing this single organism with thousands of stems shooting up from its common root system in a way that transcended repetitive photographs of aspen trees.
After being honored as a recipient of a year long Artist in Residence at the Pando, I set out to develop a relationship with this incredible organism. I am fortunate to live 45 minutes from the Pando, and I knew I would need to visit it multiple times over all 4 seasons to understand its beauty, vulnerability and impact on the surrounding environment. Each day I arrived from August 2023 to July 2024, I began seeing this organism differently. One day, the light and sky would lend itself to photographing expansive views of the Pando. Other days, the conditions would direct my eye towards more intimate photographs of the many abstract qualities that are inherent in the beauty of the Pando stems. Even the shade and shadows created by the aspen stems became subjects in my photographs. I often focused on the many living and dormant objects thriving at the base of the stems. As each season passed, I felt drawn to return to this beautiful forest.
During the Fall, I was excited to be there for the rapid change in leaf color that occurs as a result of this being one giant organism. I was truly astounded at the rapidity of the color change and the transformation from Fall to Winter. It was choreographed and the leaves danced, twisted and ultimately fell to the ground, creating more opportunities for photographing their final resting place. Everyone loves to see Fall leaves change in color. I felt protective of the Pando at this point and in some ways, was relieved to see passers by drive on to Fish Lake and enjoy the beauty just down the road. Fish Lake during the Fall is unparalleled in its beauty. Photographing Fish Lake in the background of the Pando added a depth to the more vast landscape images. This allows the viewer to spend time with the image and follow the layers from the foreground light reflecting on a single leaf to the background light reflecting off the lake.
I needed to be with the Pando and watch its transformation through the winter. I needed to be there to watch the tree tops disappear into the clouds. I was often surprised by the Pando. I would photograph the light filtering through the bare branches and bouncing off the aspen eyes watching me from the aged trunks, then turn around and have my breath taken away by the light and atmosphere completely transforming in a 180 degree turn. I was in paradise. On another day during the winter, I was driving up to the Pando and the clouds had completely settled over the pass. I was photographing inside the clouds. Rays of sun began to break through and I admit, there were moments when I forgot I had a camera. I just had to watch and experience this beautiful scenery.
"I needed to be with the Pando and watch its transformation..."
When Spring approached, I repeatedly returned to the Pando anticipating the arrival of buds and new leaves. I felt the tree teasing me. Spring just didn’t want to arrive. And then, finally at the very end of May, buds and a green sheen of new life developed over the tree-tops. I thanked Pando for the gift of Spring (I’m fairly certain no one saw me talking to my friend). I was reminded that patience is a virtue and one cannot rush beauty. It will simply appear. Fairly rapidly, Spring transformed to Summer with fully bloomed leaves and I felt my friend, in full bloom, reappear from our first meeting the prior August.
I’ve often recalled a passage in John Sexton’s book, Listen to the Trees. “As I stand within an aspen grove I am reminded again of the rejuvenating quality of trees, how being surrounded by them can cleanse the mind, body, and soul of the distractions of what we call the real world.” I’ve lived near the Sierra Mountain range, the Black Hills of South Dakota and now in the beauty of Capitol Reef National Park and near the Pando. I understand how my relationship with nature and trees have guided my life to contemplate and photograph beauty. I sincerely appreciate Lance Oditt for his guidance and support during this exploration of the spirit of the Pando.
A Year In Pando by Steve Babbitt
Copyright Steve Babbitt, Used with permission
Artist Statement
I am honored to be invited to be an artist in residence at the Pando for the coming year. I have been photographing nature in some form for over 40 years. I look forward to the relationship I will develop over the next year with the Pando. I live in the region of the Pando
and have been photographing and exploring the surrounding area for 25 years, however, I have not fully explored the Pando. It is a place like no other and I look forward to interpreting the Pando through my photography.
Bio
I am an artist, teacher and commercial photographer specializing in fine art and architectural photography. My art often focuses on the abstract quality of the natural world and the awkward and humorous way we coexist with nature. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area and currently live in Torrey, Utah. I had the great fortune to study at the San Francisco Art Institute where I earned both a BFA and MFA in photography. I taught photography at the university level for three decades and am a professor emeritus of Art and Mass Communication at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota. My photographs can be found in the permanent collections of The Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris; the Getty Museum Library; the San Francisco Art Institute; Yosemite National Park; South Dakota Art Museum; Lessedra Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria; University of South Dakota; University of North Dakota and the Dahl Art Center in Rapid City, South Dakota. I am represented by Gallery 24 in Torrey, Utah.
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