Across the light-polluted USA, certain spaces are dedicated to preserving a view of the night's sky. They're meant to serve as places to connect with the natural world, but when photographer Sam Shmith went to document one, he found a strange convergence of nature, technology and comfort.

Seeking respite from the light-saturated blur of modern life and 'connecting with nature' isn't a new idea.

A lot of my work is about the way we insulate ourselves from our experience of nature. Sam Shmith

The more we turn to nature, though, the more we turn it into the same thing we're trying to escape.

That was award-winning photographer Sam Shmith's observation after spending many nights in one of America's dark sky preserves.

As their name suggests, dark sky preserves are designated spaces, typically in national parks, where light pollution is prevented and a clear view of the sky is maintained.

Though it might not make sense in Australia, in the densely-populated USA there are 18 such preserves.

For his latest photographic series, Shmith travelled to the dark sky preserve of Cherry Springs, a state park in Pennsylvania.

'Going to Cherry Springs feels like going to the movies. It's really a sense of wonder,' he says.

Given its relative proximity to New York and Philadelphia, Shmith says the park is the first place many children truly see stars in a clear night's sky.

'Cherry Springs sort of functions like a planetarium, but it's outdoors.

'They have a presenter giving tours of the universe in a very theatrical, American kind of way.

'It's this very sweet setting, and that contemplation is delivered to you in a very palatable way.'

Outside of the 'theatrics' of the public viewing area is a more remote space used by dedicated astronomers.

It was there, standing among huge homemade telescopes, that Shmith became fascinated with the way we choose to experience the natural world.

'I met a guy who was taking photographs with this enormous telescope, and he was shooting galaxies far, far away, but from inside his trailer,' says Shmith.

'He was inside his Winnebago with a La-Z-Boy, his telescope, a microwave and a beer, exposing himself to this profound thing and all of the philosophical and spiritual connotations that brings with it.

'But he was doing so from this incredibly comfortable, sweet interior, which really interests me.'

As a photographer fixated on the anesthetising affect of suburbia and the way humans interact with the natural world, the confluence of nature and technology in Cherry Springs was ideal for Shmith.

'A lot of my work is about the way we insulate ourselves from our experience of nature.

'When I got there, I realised it was perfect for me.'

Photographing dark sky preserves Friday 6 November 2015 Listen to the full interview on RN Afternoons. More This [series episode segment] has image,

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