Photography & Digital ArtAUG 22, 2024

How I Captured Human Connection Through 37 Photos Of Route 66

Aristotle proclaimed that human beings are inherently social creatures. Since his time, the development of biology and sociology has become significant areas of study. *Social Biophilia* is a series that connects the Biophilia Hypothesis Theory with key sociological principles to examine the phenomenon of human beings' desire for connection with their environment and other living creatures.

The series examines and uses U.S. Route 66 as the key subject in exploring these topics to provide evidence of connectivity, either present or documented from once-existing connections. Architecture, landscape, and man-made structures all provide evidence of an individual's need to connect.

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Route 66, an important form of transportation in U.S. history, was used by farm workers to migrate from the Midwest to the Pacific Coast. The development symbolized mobility, freedom, and the pursuit of the American dream. The route connected small towns to urban areas, increasing the connectivity of citizens.

The project, *Social Biophilia*, was undertaken in July of 2024. Over 1,400 photos were taken. While Route 66 is 2,448 miles long, over 8,000 miles were driven. One of the main objectives I wanted to discuss with this project is how one shows evidence of human connection without having people within the work. The solution was to document, instead, human efforts to show adaptability to the environment and how architecture and man-made structures convey this connectivity.