Every waterway starts somewhere. They often start in in overlooked, underappreciated, and difficult-to-explore places; perhaps these are the very qualities that have kept some of those places wild and untouched. These starting points seen from above present the tipping point where water begins to flow downhill, slowly at first. Some are murky with the mucking around of beavers, others are perfectly clear with just a thread of current to move them along. All of them are pristine and untroubled by the ideas and designs of humans; all of them represent a new start with the potential for us to keep them flowing, unfettered, and just as clean as they were when they began their elegant passage to the ocean.

These images show just how unique and complex headwaters are. They are not the true headwaters of a river system, but they are the beginning of individual streams and brooks that eventually make their way to the river. 

Wetlands seen from foot or driving by in a car are almost always missed or dismissed as uninteresting. When seen from above, they take on a whole new abstract appearance. Vast networks of animal trails become obvious when seen from a bird’s perspective. A mosaic of wild plants and shrubs shows off a complex and varied piece of the earth. Together these small spaces nudge water from small trickles to larger and larger flows, eventually joining the ocean completely changed. 

As earthbound creatures, we tend to focus on what is right in front of us and under our feet. Creating images from above opens up new paths to explore and new ways of thinking about the ground we pass by. By exploring these places and highlighting their beauty and uniqueness, we can all begin to better appreciate what these places represent and perhaps begin to think about them as hidden jewels to be saved and protected.