Photographer as Witness

2021

This project I had to choose being witness, social change, and inside/outside. I decided to be a witness, which meant that I had to select an issue, person, a place nearby with a story that needed to be told. I had to research the story and immerse myself until I knew enough to function as a witness, remembering that being a witness is to actively see and imagine with intent. I then had to reflect on how the immersive experience of being a witness changes our photographs into pieces of evidence.

The place that I decided to shoot for this project was the Newark Reservoir. The reservoir has a 1.8 mile trail around the perimeter and it holds 317 million gallons of water that is pumped from White Clay Creek. The amount of water that the reservoir holds can supply the city for up to 100 days. The Newark Reservoir was constructed between 2002 and 2005 after a major drought that happened in 1999. After the drought it made the need for a reserve water supply clear. At the reservoir aquatic activities are prohibited except for special events.

I chose to document the reservoir at night because that is when the wildlife is more active and I also really enjoy the view. I find being there at night lets me see the beauty but I also notice some of the environmental issues as well. When going to the reservoir at night it should be pretty dark but the light pollution from the city and factories has caused the sky to be brighter. Even though there are issues like light pollution and some trash that people leave behind on their walks, I tend to find myself in a calm state of mind when walking around up there. While documenting I could hear and see the ducks, crickets, and frogs. The reservoir has a few access points to the water but they are gated and closed off. The reservoir is a place where my friends and I like to go. I have a lot of memories there but most of my memories from there are from nighttime adventures. I didn’t know about the reservoir until my junior year of college and it has been a place that I like to visit often.