Debris, Anaheim Hills, California 1984

Joe Deal made this photograph, "Debris, Anaheim Hills, California," using black and white film, catching a Southern Californian landscape in a state of, well, disarray. I can just imagine Deal setting up his camera, maybe a large format, and carefully composing this shot. It's all about textures and tones. Look at the way the light catches those scraps of debris scattered across the hillside – paper? Plastic? It’s hard to tell, but they’re like little white flags against the dark scrub. You almost feel like you're trespassing, stumbling upon a secret, shameful scene. But there's also something beautiful in the composition, the way the hillside rises and falls, the contrast between the man-made trash and the natural growth. It's a real push and pull between the hand of man and what's left of nature. It reminds me of Robert Adams’ work, but with an even more intimate, slightly confrontational edge. In the end, Deal's work invites us to reflect on the landscapes we inhabit and the impact of our presence on them.