Giant Willow Oak by Amanda Sauer is an intimate meditation on time, nature, and our relationship with the living world. Through a series of deeply contemplative photographs, Sauer documents her years-long engagement with a single majestic willow oak in Washington, D.C. Her approach is both scientific and poetic — she circles the tree counterclockwise, mirroring the Earth’s rotation, creating an orbit of reverence and discovery. The resulting images capture the subtle transformations of bark, leaves, and shadow, revealing the quiet power of patient observation.

“As I followed the light I began to circle the tree, counterclockwise, just

as the Earth revolves counterclockwise around the sun. I became a satellite orbiting the tree, tethered through awe and reverence. Days turned into seasons into years. It was never the same tree. This book weaves together photographs representing two time-scales: the annual revolution of the Earth around the sun (2021-2022); and an extended last moment before the tree was felled (October 2023).”

Amanda Sauer