Ice Fishing Shacks

For the last few years I have been working on a project photographing ice fishing shacks in the lakes region of Maine. These shacks illustrate the primal elements of shelter, food, warmth and an ongoing battle against the caprices of nature. They are entirely utilitarian in their purpose, using lightweight windproof materials such as foam insulation sheet metal, plastic or wood, yet put together in surprisingly ingenious ways, appearing as crude minimalist sculpture.

The photographs are taken on milky days in rain, fog and snow, when the light is filtered and the range of color is extremely narrow. This makes the shacks appear all the more mysterious, as if they have been airlifted onto the scene, opening them up to secondary narratives beyond the strictly functional.

scott peterman