A Love Letter to Florida...
​Day M. Goldsmith captures the untamed beauty of Florida's endangered landscapes through evocative black and white photography, advocating for conservation through her art.
Day graduated with a B.S. and M.S. in Biology from the University of Central Florida and worked as an environmental scientist for local and state government. She bought her first camera to photograph microscope specimens for biology practicals and continued using photography, along with nature journaling, to record the fascinating organisms and complex ecosystems she encountered in the parts of Florida that most will never see.
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​Day fell in love with the untamed landscapes of Florida and made it her mission to advocate for the places that she saw being impacted by development and pollution. Disheartened by the political tides of government science and watching widespread development permanently alter the landscape, she shifted her focus to create art that captures the beauty and innate value of these natural areas to inspire others to appreciate and protect them for future generations. ​Day's work serves as a call to action for the conservation of Florida’s remaining wilderness, the restoration and connectivity of endangered ecosystems, and smart growth initiatives in Florida.
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10% of fine art print sales are donated to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations that are actively conserving land, restoring ecosystems, or advocating for smart growth policy in Florida.
Artist Statement
I use black and white photography to explore the themes of place, change, loss, and memory in Florida's landscapes. The simplicity of black and white photography draws the eye to the contrast in the landscape, whether that contrast is between sunlight and shadows or between wilderness and expanding development. ​My current photography collections are Florida Landscapes {a photographic exploration of Florida’s unique places}; Wildland:Urban Interface {a visual study of the places where natural areas and development meet and the uncontrolled expansion of development in Florida}; and Roadside Florida {a nostalgic look at Florida’s historic landmarks and roadside attractions}.
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​Photos are taken using a Canon DSLR, APS-C camera with wide angle EF-S 10-22mm lens or a Canon full-frame mirrorless camera with wide angle RF 14-35mm lens. Post-processing is completed in Lightroom Classic using techniques inspired by Ansel Adams's Zones System to optimize contrast, shadows, and highlights, while preserving detail. The photographs are printed on Baryta fine art paper, utilizing two barium-sulfate coatings reminiscent of silver halide F-surface darkroom papers. Each photograph is printed in a limited edition of 100 prints, numbered and signed, and matted to archival standards.
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It is my hope that my photography captures the beauty and innate value of Florida's landscapes and the gravity of Florida's widespread development problem to inspire others to appreciate and protect Florida for future generations. ​