Photo Synthesis

6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2 The chemical reaction represented by the combination of letters and numbers above is the basis for all life on earth: photosynthesis. Green plants absorbs photons in sunlight to power the creation of glucose, which provides energy all the way along the entire food chain. “Photo Synthesis” is a reflection on this transformation of light into matter that is at the heart of our existence. Echoing the photosynthetic process, silver halide molecules in photographic film are transformed into metallic silver when exposed to light, bringing an image into being - and we can see the forest as a photosensitive surface, the collective result of each individual leaf recording its exposure to sunlight. Intrigued by the moment of pause between capture of sunlight and the trees' night-time growth, I made images at twilight, on a wooden, large format, analogue camera, beside the Lot River in southwest France. Over a period of 5 years, I worked in autumn, when yellows and ochres, visible manifestations of the light that leaves have absorbed during the growing season, mark the turning of the plants’ energies towards the earth. At this time of year, the bodies of trees are revealed, showing the tangible results of their alchemy. As concerns about climate change become increasingly urgent, a visual reminder of the fundamental importance of trees to our lives on earth is particularly timely. www.rebecca-marshall.com/photo-synthesis/