Northeast of Keota, Colorado Possibly 1969 - 1981

Robert Adams made this photograph “Northeast of Keota, Colorado” with a camera, of course, but I like to imagine him making it with a brush. The composition hangs in the balance, with the horizon line slicing the image into two roughly equal halves. Above, you can see the sky’s churning clouds. The land below stretches out, a flat, unassuming plane punctuated by clusters of buildings. The tonal range is subtle. It makes me wonder about his process, how Adams sought out the light and shadow to capture this scene. I feel like it's one of those images that could easily be overlooked, but that quietly rewards closer looking. It prompts us to consider our relationship to the land and the built environment. The photograph is like a painting—a conversation with the history of landscape. It embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.