Caleb Charland (b. 1980)

Caleb Charland is an American photographer and artist celebrated for his captivating explorations of science, nature, and art. His unique creative process involves constructing intricate, camera-based experiments that document fundamental physical and chemical phenomena. Best known for his series “Back to Light,” Charland uses everyday objects like potatoes, fruits, and vegetables to generate small amounts of electricity, which he then uses to illuminate long-exposure photographs. His work blends a scientific curiosity with a hands-on, constructive approach, creating images that are both visually stunning and conceptually rich. Charland’s photographs are held in major collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and his work continues to be an important voice in contemporary photography.