On a summer camping trip in upstate New York, I found myself lost in a world of strange creatures, nightly rituals, and a colony of men who roamed freely. I did my best to document my findings and record what I saw.

The men themselves were both nude and non-nude. I stayed mostly at a distance as I watched them circle the watering holes as a way of protecting what they deemed to be sacred. Here the men spend their time basking in the sun on hot rocks, their source of nutrients, as they alternate between jumping competitions and guarding the water source. It is said in ancient times the jumping competitions were used to settle all arguments over land and food, but now there are so few of their kind left. It’s still unclear to me how they procreate.

There were also these… creatures or otherworldly beings, which at first, surprised and scared me as they swooped in without notice. I thought it might be a hallucination from too much fresh air. But in the end, they seemed harmless, as they ran through the field hoping to be noticed. Their purpose and power are, to me, still unknown, but their nightly display of fire and light rituals give reason to believe there is a connection.

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