Rock Cut and Spillway, Cache la Poudre River, East of Fort Collins Possibly 1996 - 1997

This black and white photograph is by William Wylie, called "Rock Cut and Spillway, Cache la Poudre River, East of Fort Collins." In the image a cut in the earth runs down the right side of the frame, there's a body of water to the left, and then a spillway in the distance. The photograph feels like it’s looking closely, almost caressing the surface of the cut earth and still water. It makes me wonder what Wylie was thinking when he made this work. Were they trying to capture the rough textures of the rocks and soil, or the soft reflections in the water? Wylie’s photograph has a timeless feel, reminding me of other photographers like Carleton Watkins or Eugène Atget. Perhaps Wylie, like other photographers, is trying to capture the way we shape the world around us. Whether it’s a rough cut in the earth, or a carefully constructed spillway, we leave our mark on the land.