Spotlight Presentation: COURTNEY ALLEN

Courtney Allen’s photographs explore our relationship to nature and the built environment. Among the alienation, banality and decay of modern life, she finds a distinctive humor and grace. She has a degree in photojournalism from Boston University, and published Splendor, her first monograph, with Deadbeat Club Press in 2024.

For Courtney, finding photographs takes time. Moments are captured on a hike here or a drive there, and the batting average, she says, can be low. You don't always get something worth keeping. For Splendor, she drew on six years' worth of work.

When I proposed a day trip instead of a studio visit, she was excited but clarified that we might not find any images together. Still, I knew an audience would be curious to know more about her and her process. We picked an area in New Jersey that might work, brought her cameras and ours, and gave it a shot.

The stars aligned.

Courtney found an amazing range of material, from modest suburban moments with sweet characters to surprising wildlife and grand landscapes. In her own words, a great unveiling: the magic of everyday life, captured in her own distinct language.

Most of the images here were shot that day. We're so excited to offer them all for sale in this Spotlight Presentation.

Watch our visit with Courtney below: