Hot Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 1998

Curator: Marion Belanger's 1998 gelatin silver print, "Hot Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming" arrests you, doesn’t it? It's quite large, demanding your attention. Editor: It feels… ethereal. Like looking at the earth exhaling. A ghost landscape. There's a softness to it, almost blurring reality, don't you think? Curator: Absolutely. Belanger uses black and white to really amplify the otherworldly aspects of the thermal landscape. There's no distraction from color, allowing us to focus on texture and form. Yellowstone, of course, has always been this charged site for artistic investigation— its preservation a complex entanglement of tourism, scientific research, and conservation. Editor: The way the steam envelops the trees in the background…it makes them feel almost spectral. You sense the immense geological forces at play, but filtered through this quiet, almost mournful lens. I almost feel as though it speaks to a vulnerability of the natural world, even in its power. Curator: I find myself thinking about the history of landscape photography and its role in shaping our understanding of national parks. Ansel Adams presented a vision of pristine wilderness; here, Belanger seems to be showing something less romantic, more fragile. The framing almost suggests this pressure for perfect nature is being disrupted. Editor: Yes! It's definitely not your typical postcard view of Yellowstone. There’s a grit and realism, the texture of the mud and the steam's heavy presence is undeniable. It’s very immediate, even while capturing something so vast and enduring. Curator: Belanger's realism encourages a pause. The politics of representation—how we present and preserve these spaces— become evident. What aspects of nature do we choose to highlight, and what do we obscure? Editor: Well, seeing it, now, I’m also reflecting on what we leave out of the shot – who gets to decide which parts of this grand vista deserve our focus and attention. Curator: Exactly, a photo like this makes you question the complete story. Editor: Beautiful—gives you something to think about long after you’ve moved on, doesn't it?