Finally, I want to share two images made in Port Griffith, PA. These images were made using Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) gathered from the Susquehanna River. AMD is water that drains from abandoned mines. It's highly acidic and filled with heavy metals. It turns waterways red, orange, or yellow, kills wildlife, and pollutes drinking water. Pennsylvania has over 11,000 abandoned mines. Over 80% have caused some form of environmental or health impact.
These images were made at the location of the 1959 Knox Mine Disaster. Negligence on the part of the mining company resulted in the Susquehanna River flooding a mine. Twelve miners died, and the disaster largely marked the end of deep mining in the region. Although the breach was sealed, AMD continues flowing from the flooded mine into the Susquehanna.
I've begun a project called Waters of the United States. I'm creating photographs at locations impacted by human industry using a hollow lens that only functions when filled with liquid. I photograph each location using water collected on site from an impacted water source.
The name of my project comes from language within the 1972 Clean Water Act, the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Any body of water considered part of the 'Waters of the United States' are federally protected under the Act. Federal protection gives the EPA more power over pollution control and provides federal oversight on mining, dredging, and construction projects.
There's been consistent debate over the exact definition of 'Waters of the United States'. Some want a wide definition that includes wetlands, small tributaries, and seasonal waterways. Others prefer a more narrow definition that includes only larger waterways such as rivers.
#contemporaryphotography #landscape #resourceextraction #watersoftheunitedstates #wotus
These images were made using Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) gathered from the Lackawanna River in Duryea, PA. The Lackawanna joins the Susquehanna in Duryea; this pollution is carried into the Susquehanna.
AMD is water that drains from abandoned mines. It's highly acidic and filled with heavy metals. It turns waterways red, orange, or yellow, kills wildlife, and pollutes drinking water. Pennsylvania has a long history of mining and over 11,000 abandoned mines. Over 80% have caused some form of environmental or health impact.
I made these images for my project Waters of the United States. I'm creating photographs at locations impacted by human industry using a hollow lens that only functions when filled with liquid. I photograph each location using water collected on site from an impacted water source.
The name of my project comes from language within the 1972 Clean Water Act, the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Any body of water considered part of the 'Waters of the United States' are federally protected under the Act. Federal protection gives the EPA more power over pollution control and provides federal oversight on mining, dredging, and construction projects.
#contemporaryphotography #landscape #resourceextraction #watersoftheunitedstates #wotus
These images were made using Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) gathered from the Lackawanna River in Duryea, PA. AMD is water that drains from abandoned mines. It's highly acidic and filled with heavy metals. It turns waterways red, orange, or yellow, kills wildlife, and pollutes drinking water. Pennsylvania has over 11,000 abandoned mines. Over 80% have caused some form of environmental or health impact.
I've begun a project called Waters of the United States. I'm creating photographs at locations impacted by human industry using a hollow lens that only functions when filled with liquid. I photograph each location using water collected on site from an impacted water source.
The name comes from language within the 1972 Clean Water Act, the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Any body of water considered part of the 'Waters of the United States' are federally protected under the Act. Federal protection gives the EPA more power over pollution control and provides federal oversight on mining, dredging, and construction projects.
There's been consistent debate over the exact definition of 'Waters of the United States'. Some prefer a wide definition that includes wetlands, small tributaries, and seasonal waterways. Others prefer a more narrow definition that includes only larger waterways such as rivers.
#contemporaryphotography #landscape #resourceextraction #watersoftheunitedstates #wotus
These images were made using Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) gathered from Silver Creek Mine Tunnel Discharge Project in New Philadelphia, PA. AMD is water that drains from abandoned mines. It's highly acidic and filled with heavy metals. It turns waterways red, orange, or yellow, kills wildlife, and pollutes drinking water.
I've begun a project called Waters of the United States. I'm creating photographs at locations impacted by human industry using a hollow lens that only functions when filled with liquid. I photograph each location using water collected on site from an impacted water source.
The Silver Creek Mine Tunnel Discharge Project is a series of pools that remove iron, aluminum, and manganese from water flowing from a nearby mine before allowing it to enter the Silver Creek, a tributary of the Schuylkill River. The project can cleanse 1200 gallons of water per minute, and can remove as much as 170 pounds of iron a day.
#contemporaryphotography #landscape #resourceextraction #watersoftheunitedstates #wotus
These images were made using Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) gathered from Silver Creek Mine Tunnel Discharge Project in New Philadelphia, PA. AMD is water that drains from abandoned mines. It's highly acidic and filled with heavy metals. It turns waterways red, orange, or yellow, kills wildlife, and pollutes drinking water. Pennsylvania has over 11,000 abandoned mines. Over 80% have caused some form of environmental or health impact.
I've begun a project called Waters of the United States. I'm creating photographs at locations impacted by human industry using a hollow lens that only functions when filled with liquid. I photograph each location using water collected on site from an impacted water source.
The name comes from language within the 1972 Clean Water Act, the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Any body of water considered part of the 'Waters of the United States' are federally protected under the Act. Federal protection gives the EPA more power over pollution control and provides federal oversight on mining, dredging, and construction projects.
There's been consistent debate over the exact definition of 'Waters of the United States'. Some prefer a wide definition that includes wetlands, small tributaries, and seasonal waterways. Others prefer a more narrow definition that includes only larger waterways such as rivers.
#contemporaryphotography #landscape #resourceextraction #watersoftheunitedstates #wotus
I've begun a new project called Waters of the United States. I create photographs at locations impacted by human industry using a hollow lens that only functions when filled with liquid. I photograph each location using water collected on site from an impacted water source.
These images were made during a recent three day trip through the Pocono Mountains of northern Pennsylvania. Northern Pennsylvania has a history of coal mining dating back to the late 18th century. Most mines reached a depth below the water table. Once abandoned, they filled with water that became highly acidic and rich in heavy metals.
When this water reaches the surface, it's known as Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). I used AMD to make my images on this trip. The heavy metals in AMD turn waterways red, orange, or yellow; the metals and high acidity kill wildlife and pollute drinking water. Pennsylvania has over 11,000 abandoned mines. Over 80% have caused some form of environmental or health impact.
These first images were made at the Silver Creek Mine Tunnel Discharge Project in New Philadelphia, PA, a series of pools that remove iron, aluminum, and manganese from water flowing from a nearby mine before allowing it to enter the Silver Creek, a tributary of the Schuylkill River. The project can cleanse 1200 gallons of water per minute, and can remove as much as 170 pounds of iron a day.
I went to three locations over three days, and I'm excited to share some of my images. First up, I'll be posting three small collections made at Silver Creek.
#contemporaryphotography #landscape #resourceextraction #watersoftheunitedstates #wotus
I'm excited to share some images from a new (still unnamed) project I've started! I'm exploring using water as a camera lens to make photographs, with a particular interest in bodies of water that've been impacted by human activity.
For these images, I collected water from a stream running through a wooded lot in Sellersville, PA, and used it as my lens to make these images. A radium processing plant operated on this site in the early 20th century, and it later served as a municipal landfill until around 1960.
Radioactive paint, toxic metals, and carcinogenic chemicals were found throughout the site beginning in the 1980's; TCE (trichloroethylene), a solvent and known carcinogen, was found in the water of a stream on site.
Residents were alarmed; the site has been surrounded by housing for decades, and many had long relied on well water for drinking. Their children also played in the woods and streams covering the former landfill site.
Locals became frustrated with the speed of the clean up efforts and the level of transparency offered by authorities. The resulting distrust remains to this day, with some continuing to see the site as a direct cause of local illness such as cancer.
Attempts have been made to redevelop the lot in various ways, including as a shopping center and a housing development.
Jetty at Sunset / Raritan Bay Slag Superfund Site, Laurence Harbor, New Jersey
This image is part of The Waste Stream, a series of pinhole photographs created at former industrial waste sites that've been repurposed for residential and recreational uses. Each site is photographed with a pinhole lens made from consumer waste found at that location. The pinhole process results in blurring of the scene, drawing attention to the treatment of the land as an expendable commodity.
This is the last of three new images I recently made in Laurence Harbor, NJ, a Raritan Bay beach community. Large amounts of lead waste from a local blast furnace was used to reinforce a local seawall and jetty in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Testing done in 2007 found high levels of lead, antimony, arsenic and copper in the soil and water. The seawall and jetty contained up to 80% lead slag, with parts of the waterfront having lead levels 100 times greater than those considered acceptable. The site was designated an EPA Superfund Site in 2009 and remediation is ongoing.
#matthewbender #mattbender #photography #captureone #canon #contemporaryphotography #landscape #landscapephotography #art #artphotography #thewastestream #pinholephotography #waste #zerowaste #wastefree #wasteless #wastemanagement #wasteland #lesswaste #landuse #humanindustry #humanimpact #environment #environmentalphotography #climatechange #climatecrisis #raritanbay #newjersey #jerseyshore
Nightfall / Raritan Bay Slag Superfund Site, Laurence Harbor, New Jersey
This image is part of The Waste Stream, a series of pinhole photographs created at former industrial waste sites that've been repurposed for residential and recreational uses. Each site is photographed with a pinhole lens made from consumer waste found at that location. The pinhole process results in blurring of the scene, drawing attention to the treatment of the land as an expendable commodity.
This is the second of three new images I recently made in Laurence Harbor, NJ, a Raritan Bay beach community. Old Bridge Waterfront Park is in the foreground, with the lights of Staten Island visible in the distance. I'd highly suggest checking this one out on my site (link in bio) - the darkness and small size of Instagram makes for a bit of a challenging viewing experience on here.
Large amounts of lead waste from a local blast furnace was used to reinforce a local seawall and jetty in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Testing done in 2007 found high levels of lead, antimony, arsenic and copper in the soil and water. The seawall and jetty contained up to 80% lead slag, with parts of the waterfront having lead levels 100 times greater than those considered acceptable. The site was designated an EPA Superfund Site in 2009 and remediation is ongoing.
#matthewbender #mattbender #photography #captureone #canon #contemporaryphotography #landscape #landscapephotography #art #artphotography #thewastestream #pinholephotography #waste #zerowaste #wastefree #wasteless #wastemanagement #wasteland #lesswaste #landuse #humanindustry #humanimpact #environment #environmentalphotography #climatechange #climatecrisis #raritanbay #newjersey #jerseyshore
Grass and Raritan Bay / Raritan Bay Slag Superfund Site, Laurence Harbor, New Jersey
This image is part of The Waste Stream, a series of pinhole photographs created at former industrial waste sites that've been repurposed for residential and recreational uses. Each site is photographed with a pinhole lens made from consumer waste found at that location. The pinhole process results in blurring of the scene, drawing attention to the treatment of the land as an expendable commodity.
This is the first of three new images I recently made in Laurence Harbor, NJ, a Raritan Bay beach community directly across from Staten Island. Large amounts of lead waste from a local blast furnace was used to reinforce a seawall and jetty in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Testing done in 2007 found high levels of lead, antimony, arsenic and copper in the soil and water. The seawall and jetty contained up to 80% lead slag, with parts of the waterfront having lead levels 100 times greater than those considered acceptable. The site was designated an EPA Superfund Site in 2009 and remediation is ongoing.
#matthewbender #mattbender #photography #captureone #canon #contemporaryphotography #landscape #landscapephotography #art #artphotography #thewastestream #pinholephotography #waste #zerowaste #wastefree #wasteless #wastemanagement #wasteland #lesswaste #landuse #humanindustry #humanimpact #environment #environmentalphotography #climatechange #climatecrisis #raritanbay #newjersey #jerseyshore
