© Aya Okawa | Ghost Trees: Vestiges of Change
Ghost Trees - Vestiges of Change
Aya Okawa
In my mother’s home state, South Carolina, ghost forests are evocative reminders of impermanence and constant change.
Words by
Aya Okawa
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In my mother’s home state, South Carolina, ghost forests are evocative reminders of impermanence and constant change. Once nourished by fresh water, maritime forests perish after ocean tides bring saline waters into their roots.
The ghost trees are artefacts of a time passed, of conditions in flux, passing years, change and death. I found the trees’ poses haunting; lapped by waves, they are reminders of once-thriving times. When visiting family in South Carolina after a long interlude, I experienced wave after wave of flashbacks. I was surprised by tucked-away childhood memories, coming back and blending with the present. This personal experience primed me to see stories of flux in the ghost trees.
I made this photo series to connect to family and South Carolina and to explore the stories behind these artefacts of the transforming coastline with quiet, meditative images.
To some, the ghost trees are casualties of climate change - evidence of a rising ocean that brings salty waters into areas once nurtured by sweet water and rain. To others, they are shaped by normal weather and erosion processes, patterns evolving naturally without human contribution.
The narratives here are varied, like many discussions globally. How does individual experience shape our understanding of the world around us?
About
Aya Okawa is an aerial and environmental photographer and visual anthropologist who enjoys shooting landscape transformation, abstract patterns and documenting the interaction of natural and human systems. Her work has been published in National Geographic Magazine, the National Geographic book Spectacle, Newsweek, Natur, Open Skies, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and National Geographic Traveller Magazine. Aya was the Grand Prize winner of the Weather Channel Photo Contest, and her photos have won recognition at International Photo Awards, Photo District News, Tokyo International Foto Awards, The Big Picture, and Smithsonian Magazine. Aya is passionate about exploring the natural world and protecting wild lands.
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