About

Meet Heather Palecek

NJ based photographic artist & educator

I took a darkroom photography class in high school and my life changed forever.

I went on to study photography and fine art education in college, specializing in large format photography at Montclair State University. As I’ve grown through my career I’ve fallen in love with the materiality of photography and work in alternative, historical processes such as pinhole, cyanotype, lumen, photogram, and chemigram. These slow methods allow me to work intuitively, experimentally, and with my hands, which is integral to my practice.

My artwork is made in collaboration with the natural rhythms of the world.

I create artwork at the intersectionality of historical photographic processes and the natural world with innovative practices that push the boundaries of pinhole photography and camera-less methods in the ideological spirit of a process artist. My approach to photography is rooted in both classical training and a deep love of discovery through experimentation. I work slowly and mindfully, while accepting the element of chance, and have been focusing my pursuits on creating art in collaboration with the natural world - allowing its rhythms to shape my images. Sunlight, Water, Phenols, Weather, and Time combine with the silver minerals of my photo materiality to convey an important message about the relationships between humans and the environment. Having grown up in the woods of northeastern USA, I developed a profound connection to nature, which is a catalyst for my methods of creation and informs my work on both an intellectual and spiritual level.

My various projects explore the complex relationships humans share with nature—ranging from the urgent realities of climate change and environmental degradation, to the more spiritual connections we have with the land. Themes such as the impact of single-use plastics, the challenges posed by invasive species, and the reverence for nature’s divinity are central to my practice. Ultimately, I am inviting viewers to reflect on their personal relationships with nature and inspire a deeper mindfulness to environmental stewardship.

When not creating the artwork you see on this webpage you’ll probably find me:

Hiking (as much and as often as I can), going to concerts, rock climbing, spending time with friends, reading in my hammock, checking out art exhibits, antique/thrift shopping, and spending every free weekend at my off-the-grid cabin in the Adirondacks!

I am an analog and digital photography teacher at a high school in Central NJ
I teach a variety of immersive workshops on alternative and historical photographic processes throughout the region
I run a family portrait photography business since 2011
I’m the leader of the NJ Pinhole Club
- Learn more: NJ Pinhole Club

news article about me

Lomo Interview