The Greenbrier River was first introduced to me by my parents, who took us to Watoga State Park for summer vacations when I was a boy. I was taken in by the Greenbrier's beauty and aura, and over the years made many trips back for fishing and relaxing. Several years ago, we acquired a small cabin on the Greenbrier near Lewisburg, West Virginia. My love affair with the river, though never having ended, was urgently renewed.

Our first year with the camp, I basically made no photographs. I was content to float in my inner tube, ride bikes on the trail, and watch an evening campfire. In August of 1994, I began seriously photographing the basic elements of the river valley: water, rocks, leaves and trees. These elements transcend the Greenbrier River Valley, reflecting the basic rhythm and harmony of life.

Photographing these elements of nature is a spiritual experience for me. I am overcome by my surroundings, losing track of time and the rest of the world. I engage in a form of visual meditation, or prayer, with the universe.

This work has changed my outlook on many things. When I made many of the photographs, I thought the conditions offered little promise of great beauty. That is, I thought it was either too late in the season, or that the conditions weren't perfect enough for great photographs. Instead, I found that the autumnal changes -- which are actually a dying process - let me see, and photograph, my surroundings in a way which resulted in not only incredible photographs, but I learned from these experiences to always look deeper - you may find what you seek, you may find something even better.

The photographs you see here represent a part of this work to date. I will never really complete this project, and it will probably take on many faces over the years. I feel that these photographs represent some of the best work of my career. I look forward to making many more -- not just for the resultant photographs, but because of what I'll experience while I make them.

- Steve Payne