'Through Our Eyes' Exhibit Highlights Nature Writing and Photography
At the beginning of the Fall ’24 semester, David Taylor and Chris Paparo began co-teaching a new class called Nature Writing and Photography (SUS 350). The goal of the class was to take students with backgrounds in photography, writing, or environmental science and give them the opportunity to bridge those interests through the practice of nature writing and photography.
In early December, the first students to take this class put what they learned on display in an exhibit called “Through Our Eyes,” showcasing their photography and short writing samples. The exhibit was held in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences’ (SoMAS) Endeavour Hall.
“With this class we wanted to teach students about the technical aspects of outdoor photography as well as the genre of nature writing,” said Taylor, an associate professor and faculty director of the Environmental Humanities track in the Sustainability Studies Program in SoMAS. “Assignments and projects included essays, poetry, and photographs, and students were given the chance to revise and improve their work after input from their peers and professors.”
Paparo, a professional photographer, brought his experience combining photography and science to students.
“I’ve worked with researchers talking about everything from algal blooms to whales,” said Paparo, manager of SoMAS’ Marine Science Center in Southampton. “I’m also an experienced photographer, and I can bring a different perspective to the writing and photography world. Most of my publishing has been national magazines, regional magazines, local magazines, newspaper columns, things like that, so I can bring a different spin on writing and photography options that are available to these students.”
In the end, Taylor and Paparo gave the students an opportunity to tap into creative outlets, and a glimpse at what is possible at the intersection of art and science.
“It was great to have a class that let me explore my creative outlets again and get me back into writing more creatively and taking photos on a more regular basis,” said Antonio Mochmann ’25, an environmental studies major with a minor in journalism. “This class was ideal because I envision myself going into writing and photography about the environment. This was a great way to explore that.”
Sustainability Studies major Sarah Thomas ’26 embraced the challenge of finding compelling scenes on campus.
“I live on campus and I don’t have a car, so it was a fun and interesting challenge to try to find what great photos I could take being limited to campus,” she said. “Being part of the exhibits was a great experience. I’ve never been part of anything like that before. I’ve always been ‘artsy,’ but now, as a sustainability studies major, it was very cool to tap back into that and just take photos again. The writing was also fun and it was really great to be inspired by my classmates’ work. I took a couple of photography classes in high school but it could be hard to stay motivated. This class really helped me do that.”
“I enjoy photography where you get up close and personal with plants or animals,” said Megan Hunter ’24, environmental studies. “It can be a little nerve-wracking if you’re photographing bees, but I like getting close and seeing the details the animals or the plants have, especially plants that have fractals. Daisies and broccoli have the Fibonacci spiral, and it’s fascinating to see math in the natural world.”
Caidence Nigro ’25, marine sciences, exhibited three Long Island water-themed photos.
“I’m from upstate New York,” she said. “I don’t live on the ocean and I don’t get to experience it a lot. Most of my classes are at Stony Brook Southampton, and I spent my days there sitting on the dock with my camera. So the theme I had about the waters on Long Island was based off the photos that I collected sitting on the dock every day. I like photography, and this class really gave me a chance to step outside the science box and do humanities and also tap into the creative side, which I really enjoyed.”
“I think with a class like this, when it’s combined with the science, it makes them better communicators,” said Paparo. “That could be through photos, video, or writing. Many scientists have a hard time communicating their science. So in a class like this, if you can teach that and get students to start learning how to communicate, I think a lot of the bigger environmental problems would go away because people would have a better understanding. Tell the story. Be a storyteller. It was exciting to watch the students grow over the semester. They really got it.”
“This exhibit was an opportunity for these students to show friends, family and Stony Brook faculty the outstanding work they have done throughout the semester,” said Taylor. “At the exhibit, I had the chance to meet our students’ parents and friends and marvel at our students’ works and their work ethic. I am incredibly proud of them.”
– Robert Emproto