Klamathea
The Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California is an economic center and agricultural region on the east side of the Cascade mountains.
Geographically and culturally isolated, the Basin immediately presents as decaying, abandoned and lonely, surrounded by the beauty of forests, mountains and high desert plateau. The region has several pejorative nicknames. One of them is Klamathea.
Inherent tensions such as the strained relationship between whites and American Indian tribal members, the desires of farmers and ranchers over those of environmentalists and federal officials and economic inequality brought on by decades of industrial stagnation and decline and exacerbated by more recent events such as the Great Recession are constantly in play
But the Basin’s isolation and struggles has bred defiance, strength and determination in its residents who have a deep-seated pride in their home.
These photographs are part of a larger series of digital and film images, most taken in 2010 and 2011 at the tail end of more than five years I spent working as a journalist at the Basin’s daily newspaper.
Before, During & After Parades
These photographs were taken at the crux of two events: the arrival of my second child and my transition to primarily using film in my photography.
