b. Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, 1975.
A photographer, printmaker, and teacher, Nathan has participated in a number of shows nationwide, and is internationally exhibited and collected. He now lives and works in Washington D.C. for the Smithsonian Institution as a photographer and project manager.
Parsons School of Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), 1999.
All images are taken with a large format view camera (Linhoff 4x5, Rodenstock 150mm lens) and shot with Provia 100 film.
Prints are editioned archival pigment prints.
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CoastLine 2013 - 2024
I was born on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, and grew up along the beaches of Cape Cod, where I developed a deep connection to the radiant light and shifting moods of the coastal landscape. Jutting more than sixty miles into the North Atlantic and bordered by sprawling tidal marshes, the region is suffused with a luminous, salt-laden atmosphere that creates a unique interplay between sea and sky. This dynamic relationship, where the horizon blurs and the ocean mirrors the heavens, inspires my work as a photographer.
Using a large-format film camera and long exposures—often extending up to ten minutes—I am drawn to the stillness and contemplation that such a method demands. This process encourages me to explore the beach not only as a physical space but as a liminal zone where material and ephemeral intersect. The shoreline offers up fragments from the depths, remnants abandoned by the tides, like a fleeting peace offering from the sea to the land. Yet, beyond these tangible artifacts, the beach also yields the intangible: stories, dreams, and ideas shaped by the endless rhythm of waves.
Through my photographs, I strive to capture this convergence of elements—light, time, and memory—inviting viewers to reflect on the ephemeral beauty and deeper narratives embedded within the landscape.
Brooklyn Work 2002 - 2010
Gowanus and Red Hook, two historic neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York, were once industrial hubs zoned for light to heavy manufacturing. Decades of neglect and abandonment from the 1970s to the 1990s left these areas in a state of decay. The Red Hook waterfront became littered with illegally dumped debris, while the Gowanus Canal—a recipient of industrial waste and raw sewage from nearby residential neighborhoods—stood as a symbol of environmental degradation.
Amid a critical shortage of affordable housing, these marginalized spaces are undergoing rapid transformation. Residential communities are expanding into Gowanus and Red Hook, placing them on the cusp of upscale gentrification. Since I began this project in 2002, many of the structures I photographed have been razed or renovated, underscoring the photographs’ evolving historical significance.
My work explores the tension between abandonment and renewal, documenting these changing landscapes as a way of grappling with environmental history and our evolving relationship to the spaces we inhabit. By preserving these moments of transition, I aim to offer a visual narrative of resilience, loss, and transformation—reminding us of the complex interplay between industry, community, and the environment.
