I make tree portraits. What began for me as a simple exercise in creating a photographic series of a subject matter that attracted me emotionally (Louisiana live oaks) has become a calling and a life’s work. Over the past 40-plus years, my relationship with oak trees has led to the creation of six books, numerous magazine articles, exhibits, and multiple commissioned projects.

My images take the form of black-and-white film and color digital photographs printed on paper and canvas and often hand-painted. My work is grounded in the belief that if an oak, or any tree, can be seen as a unique individual, a living thing with a history and personality, it becomes harder to minimize its significance and easier to recognize its value to the average person. In today’s world, this is a crucial step toward protecting an elder oak from thoughtless and senseless removal.