Bumblebee of the Blueridge is a short story series of just that: bumblebees in the blue ridge mountains. To be more specific, here in Harrisonburg. The main concept of this shoot was to showcase the beauty in the small things, and the impact on the world around us. When most people see a bee, they’re usually worried about being stung, not its importance in our natural world. Locally, our bee population helped keep our SFI gardens thriving as well as providing honey! These small things do good for our well-being, but most of the time are overlooked.
I wanted these small creatures to be seen, to show the beauty in what they do before the weather changes. During my lifetime, I wish to acknowledge the smaller players in our ecosystem through conservation photography, and this was my way of starting that trend. It feels like such a simple subject, but the complexity of our natural world and the insects that keep it afloat should be recognized for what they are: essential.