2019 Micro-Grant Winner: Garrett Shepard
About Garrett:
Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, and a graduate of the Oregon State College of Forestry, I have pursued a life in the outdoors through a variety of jobs in land management. In 2012, I began working as a Wilderness Ranger in the High Sierra and Stanislaus National Forests, as well as the Ventana Wilderness above Big Sur. After reading “Fire on the Mountain” by John Maclean, a book that details the events of the Storm King fire in 1994, which tragically ended in the deaths of 14 firefighters, I was inspired to join the men and women who spend their summers fighting fire. Over the course of five seasons, I have worked on a wildfire use module in Northern California, a fuels crew in Northern Arizona, and currently serve as a member of a Hotshot crew in Central Oregon. This on-the-ground experience in the forests, grasslands, mountains, and deserts of the American West has given me a strong belief in the duty we all have in protecting and enriching our public lands. By carrying a camera I hope to include those who follow my story in the adventure of fighting fire in the American West.
Grant Category: Photography
Project Vision:
My aim is to show what a season of fire looks like from a crewmember’s perspective. By sharing scenes of daily life on a hotshot crew, I hope to break down some of the common misconceptions about wildfire, and to reinforce the importance of managing our nation’s forests with fire.
Previous Work:
Favorite thing about wildland firefighting:
My favorite thing about wildland fire is getting to witness the power of fire first hand. Words can’t do it justice.