In 2022 I began a project inspired by the Champion Tree Registry, which is a list of every tree species in Maine with its highest ranking individual. Trees are scored based on a point system that combines height, crown spread, and trunk diameter. The list is interesting because it does something wrong, and something right. While assigning trees the competitive individuality so familiar to western colonizer culture, and so antithetical to how forests actually exist, it accidently has to recognize trees as having value, distinction, and personality. I designed the camera in the 6x17 format to take formal portraits of trees. Like much of my work, it is a hybrid of very old and very new processes. My intent was to travel to and witness every tree on the list. This hasn’t happened (yet) due to logistics challenges arising from landowner access issues, which is an interesting twist I’ll explore as this work continues to evolve.