The John Dellenback Dunes on the Oregon Coast are one of the most magical places I’ve explored. Between the soft horizon lines, sensual sweeping curves of the dunes, and pockets of water hidden among the sand, it is an amazing place to wander with a camera.
On a 2011 road trip with my cousin, we were able to visit these dunes and even camp overnight there. When we discovered this incredible reflective pool, I immediately saw the minimalist photographs that could be made there. I checked with my cousin to make sure he was comfortable with me creating nude self-portraits, and he was totally fine with it.
That was meaningful for me in a way I probably did not fully understand at the time. I had spent years being afraid of people even finding out that I photographed myself nude, and suddenly I was creating the work with someone I trusted nearby. It was surprisingly easy and non-judgmental. I began to realize that maybe people were not as afraid of the nude form as I had been afraid of being seen.
I call this Nude Traveler, because we are all travelers on planet Earth. Going from place to place, space to space, and from emotion to emotion. To me, there is something profound about being able to slow down and appreciate the present moment — to stand completely open in body and soul and recognize God’s love here and now.
Camping out there was both incredible and horrible. Incredible because we were able to spend so much time surrounded by this strange, beautiful landscape. Horrible because sand was absolutely everywhere and in everything.
Exploring again the next day, we found another set of pools tucked among the dunes, and I created a few more self-portraits. The whole place seemed to change every time we climbed another ridge: new curves, reflections, little islands of grass, and shapes carved by water and wind.
On the way back, we also discovered sand liquefaction, where the saturated sand moved under our feet almost like quicksand. Such a strange little natural phenomenon, and one more reminder of how much there is to discover when you actually slow down and wander. This also became one of my most watched video on my nature and hiking YouTube Channel.
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