Leslie Gleim

The Earth Cries Fiercely
2017 – ongoing

The Earth Cries Fiercely began from a place of curiosity during a volcanic eruption. I became drawn not to the volcanic activity itself, but began to wonder: what was I really witnessing? This felt like something far more complex. Could this be the planet’s response to humanity’s injustices - pollution, deforestation, extraction, and war? Are eruptions, fires, and floods reactions of a system pushed beyond its capacity to recover?

Over time, I began to see these events not just as moments of crisis, but as part of the Earth’s ongoing conversation between land, history, and human presence. Each photograph encapsulates her intimate reactions: lava reclaiming the land, the skeletons of trees in once-lush fields, the delicate line between destruction, transformation, and renewal. These are the Earth’s fierce responses - part grief, part resistance, part endurance.

Photographed from a helicopter over Hawai‘i Island, the perspective reveals a rare view of the Earth’s wounds stretched across her skin, marked by eruptions, fire, and humanity’s scars. The camera becomes a quiet muse that honors the land in moments of upheaval and resilience. The photographs are not records alone, but an invitation to witness her endurance. Will we listen, or will it be in vain?

Website lesliegleim.com