This old blacksmith shop, located on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula, has become a local history museum. When I first saw this building, the lighting was wrong; under gray skies the photograph would have looked drab. So I went on to photograph other places, all the time keeping the old building on the back burner of my mind. A week or so later I returned, this time on a sunny morning, and was thrilled to see a tree shadow crossing the plank siding.

I have always liked the contrast of natural and human forms. Nearly every building is comprised of straight lines; nature, in contrast, doesn't design with straight lines. Nature's shapes are created by a chaotic interweaving of molecular, genetic, and environmental influences. When the regimented lines of a structure are combined with the chaotic forms of nature, the results can be charming. (We plant shrubs and trees around our homes partly because we enjoy the visual contrast.)

I also love the simple pleasure of seeing old white-framed windows contrasting with red boards. On this level I feel a pure nostalgia for our rural past.

Lee Rentz