The magazine of the photo-essay
July 2019 back issue
“A free, really high quality photo-essay magazine. Fabulous!”
Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film maker
by J Henry Fair
On the Edge is a collaboration between environmentalist, photographer and son of
South Carolina, J Henry Fair, and the Coastal Conservation League, who, in this
new book, bring our attention to beauty, and the impending havoc on our coastal
regions.
Over half of the world’s population lives within 100km of the coast. Our coastlines
define us, contain us, and connect us to the outside world. The current trend of
migration to the coast is forecast to increase, just as climate change is predicted to
increase the impact of storm activity and rising sea levels. The effects of this
combination on coastal regions and infrastructure over the entire world are of enormous concern, and the results will be
expensive at best and possibly catastrophic.
Comprising less than 10% of the United States’ land area, coastal counties house 39% of the US population and are
responsible for 45% of its GDP. With this and the impending climate-induced changes in mind, J Henry Fair has
undertaken an ambitious portrait of the coasts of the USA. The first chapter of the project entailed a return to his
hometown of Charleston and the South Carolina shoreline, with its unique barrier islands, marshes, maritime forests, and
intricate estuarine systems, in order to capture the beauty and frailty of this land.
This book tells a visual story of both the breathtaking beauty of the South Carolina coast and the imminent threats it
faces from climate change and human development. This is a story we are seeing the world over and On the Edge very
much describes where our relationship with the environment is. This is a call to action for all people not just America.
Osprey and Nest on Dead Cyprus Tree
Shark figure on side of road
Parking lot of recreational vehicles on beach
Morning beach goers
Paper Mill
Empty Beach
