03/18/2026
In the hills and canyons within eyeshot of downtown San Diego, with polished urban sprawl and pristine beaches glimmering in the distance, a relatively unseen phenomenon is transpiring - herds of goats and sheep move deliberately across sun-bleached hillsides. These animals reduce fire risk by consuming combustible materials around residential structures. In a time when climate change anxiety can feel overwhelming, this work has become a visual meditation on hope—on the possibility that ancient practices, applied with care, can meet modern challenges.
For more than three decades, LensWork has been a steadfast champion of Black & White photography, elevating the medium through thoughtful curation and deeply crafted editorial insight. Its enduring dedication has helped shape the artistic conversation around monochrome work, giving photographers a respected platform where nuance, craft, and visual poetry are celebrated. I’m honored to share my inclusion in **LensWork #175**. I spent the summer of 2025 photographing these grazing animals, their guardian and herding dogs, and their human overseers. My sincere thanks to **Brooks Jensen** for recognizing this project and for his continued dedication and support to thoughtful photographic storytelling.
See more of this work: www.EdwardFSmithIIIFineArt.com