(showing in Denison)

Website: tedfordphoto.com Address: Showing with Randy Carrillo, Luis Guzman Montano, and Ted Mallory, at the Donna Reed Theatre.

Justin Tedford hails from the quiet, expansive landscapes of Dunlap, Iowa, where the sweeping horizons and vast fields first ignited his connection to the land. Raised in the rural Midwest, his formative years were spent in intimate communion with the natural world, and it is this profound relationship with the landscape that continues to inform his work today. A U.S. Army veteran, Justin served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007 with Delta Company 1-168 Infantry, a transformative experience that reshaped his worldview and left a lasting imprint on his creative vision.

In recent years, Justin has embraced contemporary landscape photography, moving toward a more conceptual, project-based approach. His artistic evolution is deeply intertwined with his ongoing mental health journey, where photography has become not just a means of expression, but a vital part of his healing process. Through his lens, he has explored new ways of seeing—experimenting with innovative techniques and editing styles that reflect a shift from straightforward documentation to a more abstract, atmospheric exploration of the world around him.

His most recent body of work marks a departure from traditional landscape photography, embracing a more artistic, emotive lens. What once was a direct capture of the Midwestern landscape has evolved into a nuanced narrative, where light, texture, and form are the central protagonists. His photographs are no longer simply representations of place, but evocative compositions that seek to convey the inner landscapes of memory, emotion, and identity.

For Justin, photography has become a meditative practice—a way to explore, question, and heal. Each photograph is both a reflection of his personal journey and a testament to the landscapes that continue to inspire him. His work now challenges viewers to see beyond the literal, inviting them into an intimate experience of the world that is as much about the artist’s inner world as the external landscape.

Project Statement: “From the Shadows Within” reflects how PTSD, anxiety, and depression hold you in place, preventing progress toward healing. The images embody the emotions that you feel you cannot rid yourself of, yet they are part of the struggle to move beyond.