Arizona Then and Now: Exploring Arizona's Five Cs Through Photography

Arizona Then and Now: Exploring Arizona's Five Cs Through Photography is a photographic exploration of the evolution of Arizona's five Cs: cotton, copper, citrus, cattle, and climate. This project first looks to the past to see how these five elements shaped the state of Arizona. Photographs were taken across the valley of these elements, or lack thereof, discovering what Arizona has transformed into in the process. Each chapter of the book begins with a brief history of the element focused on in that chapter, followed by an analytical thought about the photographs taken and how the element has evolved. Each chapter shows two historical photographs followed by a series of photographs taken during the project that the author thought depicted what is seen today. The book ends on a final positive note about how the five Cs are not dead, but soon could be completely taken over. This project was a way for a non-art major to explore the state that she grew up while also challenging herself by more than just taking pictures. The photographs displayed in the book depict a sampling of what the author saw that is left of the five Cs.