Photo essay: the joy of being in wilderness

Images and words by Kamilah Martin

The photos in this series represent, quite simply, peace and joy. It's a group of strangers who came together to enjoy nature, and, by typical happenstance of spending time in nature, appreciate and reflect on life. The experience inspired us to learn more about the land, the people who have inhabited it for centuries, the relationship between past and present and this public land's significance for all of our futures. We also enjoyed the beauty—massive and miniscule, gnarly and soft—getting fresh air and exercise, encountering wildlife and wilderness, and speaking gratitude for finding ourselves together in this place at this time.

I officially declared myself a photographer in July 2021 during what I would now call a life-changing fellowship where I was invited to live in a yurt on a farm in Vermont with about 10 strangers. I had worked for some years in conservation, and always knew my happy place was anywhere outside. I really feel that this stemmed from my childhood where my siblings, neighbors and I would spend endless summer days and nights playing badminton across the fences that separated our yards, catching "lightning bugs," playing Capture the Flag in the woods and fields behind our houses and turning to epic rounds of dark tag between our houses once the streetlights came on. Looking back, it was all magical. Those early experiences made me "outdoorsy" without even realizing it. Do kids experience childhood like this anymore?

When I was presented with the opportunity to design a project that would allow me (a Black, female nature photographer) to be behind the camera photographing people like me, experiencing and enjoying nature for the sheer joy, appreciation and adventure of it, I jumped on it. We walked and talked, stood in awe of the landscapes, and shared so much during our short time together:

"I wrote a research paper on gratitude. Being present. Monitoring your breathing and just being in the moment. It's just hard when you have to constantly go on to the next thing."

"We need experiences that force us to be still." 

"Gratitude doesn't have to be a big sweeping gesture. Just something as small as someone taking the time to hold the door for you, just talk to you. Someone driving you through a National Park :)."

As I was putting everything together, I was just thinking how rare these images are, and how needed they are. No pretense, no "diversity" jargon, no fakeness, just us existing and enjoying. I hope that is the spirit that is captured in these photos.

Everyone who joined the hikes expressed independently how refreshing and safe they felt exploring and opening up with a Black woman behind the camera. There's definitely something to this "representation" thing :)



I like to see us just being and existing with no special attention being drawn to it, just living life like everyone else. I'm also a firm believer in representation at the top, at the front and behind the camera(s). Folks just want to feel seen.

I say all of this to say that nature, wilderness, "the outdoors"—whatever you want to call it—is something special. I'm so honored to be able to take you along with me on the journey I was so fortunate to experience gathering a group of strangers to explore the North Cascades National Park.

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

"The grandness of nature shows how beautifully insignificant you are."

"Animals and other life forms just exist. They don't exist for this reason, but they're here for the simple purpose of being."

"Your quiet time is filled with your anxiety around it."

"Your quiet time is filled with literal sounds. Cell phone buzzes and dings. Podcasts. It's so important to be in spaces every now and then that just force you to be quiet. My cell phone doesn't even work here, and it's amazing."

Each of these quotes was captured during the times we strangers came together to walk along a new path, meander toward the sounds of a waterfall or raging rapids as snow melted from the higher elevations. None of us had the latest hiking gear. Some weren't even planning to experience this until they met me at the lodge that we were all sharing. But we got outside, and we built community and got all reflective during our exploration of the wilderness. What do these quotes—and these images—bring up for you? 

I reflect back often on this experience, on the friendships made, on the vulnerability that was shared among literal strangers in a matter of hours. I hope that this experience continues to be one of appreciation and inspiration for everyone who said yes to this little adventure. Every single person on this planet deserves this kind of healing, safety in community and joy, which I firmly believe leads to a greater appreciation of our shared public lands and understanding of the connectedness of our shared ecosystems.

About Kamilah Martin

Connecting with friends and strangers and building community in nature has been part of Kamilah's life since she, her brother and sister would spend their summers catching lightning bugs in their front yard in a suburb of Washington, DC. The combination of a hike in Los Angeles in 2010 and the period of the pandemic and public racial reckoning in 2020 changed everything for her.

Kamilah is a professional nature, natural life and homestead photographer where she proudly enjoys using her gifts to "capture the spirit of a place." She has served as leader at a nonprofit conservation and humanitarian organization and today also serves as a nonprofit executive consultant, stabilizing teams and organizations during executive leadership transitions.