DAWN CHORUS

Dawn Chorus emerged as a convergence of environmental observation, technical experimentation, and daily ritual. Through laser-cut MDF stencils held against shifting skies, I framed the liminal moments when darkness yields to first light—creating visual portals that simultaneously revealed and obscured the landscape beyond. Each photograph documented not just the marshland awakening but also the physical experience of witnessing: cold hands steadying heavyweight materials, breath visible in morning air, birdsong identified through Cornell University's Bird ID app and later sketched with homemade eucalyptus ink.

The project evolved into a durational practice, my daily walks at dawn becoming a discipline of presence. Though drawing had been my first love, I had abandoned it for two years until this project demanded its return. Working between precision-cut typography and the unpredictable wetland environment embodied the tension between structure and spontaneity that defines my practice. Each frame became both window and mirror—revealing the landscape while reflecting my commitment to finding new ways of seeing overlooked spaces, capturing the chorus of life that exists between darkness and illumination.