I took these photographs in August 2010 in The Dolomites – a section of the Alps located in northeastern Italy. The Dolomites are named for a type of carbonate rock that has a distinct pale rosy-orange hue. Within this series of photos I have tried to capture the specific grandeur of this range, as well as present a document of the myriad ways in which people interact with and experience it for themselves.
In these images, human visitors perform a range of playful, extreme, reverential and absurd activities against the awe inspiring natural backdrop of the mountains. Further — in the absence of the human figure — traces of humanity persist throughout the landscape. The topography is marked by excavated tunnels, mowed lawns, grazing cattle, chairlifts, signage, and a crucifix. The ways in which we traverse, map, maintain, and enjoy land are evident throughout; even as the producers of these marks on the land are often absent themselves.