There’s something about being by water that brings a sense of comfort to me. Growing up on the east coast a stone’s throw from the Atlantic with summers spent on Cape Cod, my childhood frequently revolved around water based activities. From building sand castles at the beach to swimming at the pond, tubing the estuary or canoeing the river, these aquatic adventures shaped some of my fondest memories. Even as an adult, my relationship with water has remained steadfast and I spend as much time as I can adventuring out to the opposite coast or kayaking along my local river.

It was during one of my countless summer kayak outings where my peaceful paddle was interrupted by the sounds of boisterous laughter and loud splashes generated by a gaggle of children flocking to the local rope swing.  With reckless abandon they would take turns leaping into the water, each time swinging farther and higher and ejecting at the last possible moment as they reveled for hours in this act of pure joy.  Upon witnessing this scene, I was instantly hit with pangs of nostalgia for my own childhood, and became inspired to create my own version of it as a photograph.

To bring this scene to life, I knew I wanted to draw on some of my favorite American artists for visual inspiration—notably Norman Rockwell, the master of character, and Thomas Cole, the preeminent painter of American landscapes. To create the background, I combined photos of the rope swing location with other river scenes I’ve photographed through the years to create a seamless archetypal river scene. This composition allowed me to create a tableau vivant of the kids, grouping them as vignettes and creating smaller stories within a larger one.

Blending personal and historical nostalgia has always been a passion of mine, and this particular project was such a fun way to capture the essence of my own memories while paying homage to the rich tapestry of American history. It was an incredibly fulfilling image to create, and I can’t wait to embark on more projects like this in the future. Stay tuned for more adventures and stories to come!