Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/723999
t m c » p u l s e | s e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 6 10 Q | What did you learn from this project? A | It was a life-changing experience. I always had an appreciation for the outdoors and nature, but now I have just a really deep connection and appreci- ation for the earth and all of the cycles. I didn't believe in global warming before I started this project, but there is definitely a warming cycle happening and I think seeing how many glaciers have melted in the past 100 years is a reminder that we all need to be more aware of our responsibility to protect this land. Q | What do you hope visitors will take away from your exhibit? A | Nature is a great soother and healer and, in a lot of ways, it is a total contrast from the normal busy world of iPhones and schedules and appointments. When you are able to go into a park and spend a few days in nature with that sort of solitude, it is just a great thera- peutic experience. I want to increase awareness of what the parks offer and I want people to be aware of the value of protecting natural lands. Q | How does it feel to have your work on display in a major Houston museum? A | It's almost surreal because when I was growing up here in Houston, we would come on field trips to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. And now, today, I see kids from all over being bussed into the museum and they are coming to see my photographs! So it is a huge honor. Q | What is your next project? A | My next project will start this fall in the Grand Canyon, which celebrates its 100th anniversary as a national park in 2019. I will do both black and white and color, and I'll be using different sizes of cameras to get an in-depth look at all angles of the canyon. Mark Burns, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Credit: Craig Robbins 'Rialto Beach Seastacks,' Olympic National Park, Washington. Credit: Copyright © Mark Burns – All Rights Reserved Nature is a great soother and healer and, in a lot of ways, it is a total contrast from the normal busy world of iPhones and schedules and appointments.