"The goal in all of this was to find vulnerability," says photographer Forrest Smith of his new book Wilder, publish this past week via Thought Catalog. "I wanted to share my experiences in a way that people could feel them deeply and truly. Life is less than perfect but there’s peace to be found in these spaces."
Though now based in New York City, Smith's spirit and roots lie in the American West, having grown up in the tiny ski town of Crested Butte, Colorado. The son to "hippie dippie" parents, he learned from a young age to carve his own path, to appreciate natural beauty, and seek out adventure. Wilder actings almost as a lifelong retrospective, sharing insight and images from trips and times in life that have left most lasting impressions.