Dustin Scott Martin

The longest night of the year carries an air of mystery. It’s a time of magic and wonder, when we stand on the cusp of something new. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, our days have been getting longer for a little while now (thankfully). But a few weeks ago, we lingered in that quiet in-between time, suspended between the shortening and lengthening of days.

In the end, time softens everything, leaving us with memories of what once was. We turn the pages of an album and see the faces that were once real. It is the fleeting nature of time that makes these moments so beautiful, though sometimes beautifully painful. In this new series, model Audrey Cote and photographer Dustin Scott Martin spend a calm, reflecting afternoon exploring the coast of Maine, following the light as it changes moment by moment.

“That morning, she was planning to drive from her home in Vermont to meet—two hours in good weather. When I saw the forecast for snow, I was worried. But sure enough, Marnie showed up early and ready to shoot. “We connected over a shared love of music, specifically The Beatles, turned the radio up, and set to exploring the building and its surroundings in search of soft tones, subtle moods, and a bit of wonder.”

“It is a firm belief of mine that creating in nature is one of the highest forms of art-making anyone can experience,” says model Julia Leavey about our lively recent collaboration. “Our approach to this shoot was one of pure enjoyment and open-mindedness, allowing the moments to unfold with a natural beauty, which I hope viewers will enjoy as much as I do!”