Then and Now: A Look at America’s National Parks examines the anthropogenic effects on America’s national parks.

For this study, I photographed and analyzed anthropogenic changes in three of America’s national parks. I chose to examine Congaree National Park (NP), Yellowstone National Park, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In each park, I photographed evidence I saw indicating direct or indirect changes caused by humans. That evidence includes, but is not limited to: litter, vast paved parking lots, and impeding on animals’ land via the act of getting too close to an animal near a trail. In addition to the evidential photographs, I collected vintage photographs that were taken close to when the parks were opened to the public. When I visited the parks, I found the exact or approximate locations of those photographs and captured a modern rendition of them. The photos provide a side by side comparison of the change caused by humans, for better or worse. My goal with the photo essay is to answer the question of how man has impacted America’s national parks and to pose new questions about what we can begin to do to rectify our visible mistakes.