Saratoga Springs Photographer Returns to His Adirondack Roots

On Saturday, November 14, photographer Jon Dragonette will discuss “The Wilderness Within,” a body of work that grew from his return to the Adirondack region after almost two decades building a photography career in California. Dragonette will host his discussion at Spring Street Gallery from 7 to 8 p.m., 110 Spring St, Saratoga Springs.

Born and raised in Saratoga Springs, Dragonette spent years working between San Francisco and Los Angeles, photographing commercial campaigns and editorial portraits for national and international clients. Before returning to New York, he had already begun shifting his practice toward documentary photography and traditional film processes, moving away from the demands of commercial work and toward a more personal, introspective approach.

Returning to the landscape where he grew up became an opportunity to continue that transition. Familiar mountains and forests took on new meaning, offering a way to reconnect with his roots while exploring unfamiliar territory within his own artistic practice.

“The Wilderness Within” is a black-and-white photographic essay created during a 16-week solo expedition into the Adirondack backcountry. Working with a 4×5 large-format film camera, Dragonette ventured into the mountains through demanding winter conditions, carrying his equipment into a landscape that tested both his physical endurance and his resolve.

The project also marked a shift in how he approaches photography. Moving toward large-format film and the historic platinum/palladium printing process, Dragonette embraced a slower, more deliberate way of working. The resulting prints bring together the physical presence of the landscape and the quiet, often difficult terrain of personal reflection.

For Dragonette, the mountains became more than a subject. They offered a way to examine the relationship between the world outside and the wilderness within ourselves. The work reflects a homecoming, but also a process of rediscovery: returning to familiar ground with a different perspective, new tools, and a renewed sense of purpose.

During the artist talk, Dragonette will share the experiences behind the project, discuss the challenges of photographing in the Adirondack backcountry, and explore how his return home led to new artistic practices and a deeper connection to the landscape.