Zachary Burns

Zachary Burns is an experimental photographer who lives and works in Redmond, Washington. As a native of the region who grew up in Carnation, many of his projects are tied to and inspired by the Pacific Northwest. While studying at Bellevue College, Zachary was introduced to the work of Mark Klett and Paho Man. Their work inspired him to explore the limits of what is possible with photography. While finishing his degree at Seattle University Zachary created his project Footprints of Water, which allowed him to experiment with techniques different from traditional photography. After graduating Zachary has continued to create works relating to human interactions with their environments. Common themes across these works are critiques of cell phone culture and the fragmentation of our past.

Zachary Burns received 2016 GAP funding for Candid, a series of images taken from the point of view of the cans that he has collected. The tintype process allows the cans themselves to be used as both film and camera. This makes them an integral element of both the process and presentation. Candid explores the themes of consumption, gentrification, and ecology by looking at what society leaves behind. The study of trash is common is archaeology, but not often applied to modern American cities.