On a bright October afternoon in Woolwich, Maine, photographer Sarah Silbiger is enthusiastically directing her partner Jason Bernert from the back of their vehicle.
Forward. Back. Forward. Back.
The 23-foot Winnebago EKKO is making slow progress, shifting directions as Bernert skillfully adjusts its position. It’s peak leaf-peeping season in New England, and the small restaurant parking area is crowded with visitors eager for a meal. This bustling atmosphere complicates their efforts to reposition.
After requesting Bernert to “readjust the van countless times,” Silbiger finally finds her desired shot. Perfectly framed outside the van’s rear window is the 12-foot tall, 700-pound inflatable lobster perched atop the Taste of Maine Restaurant, located about 35 miles north of Portland.
“What embodies Americana better than oversized landmarks?” Silbiger remarked.
It’s a challenging question.
For those who have traversed a significant distance across the United States, this idea strikes a chord. As one travels mile after mile, the American scenery is filled with stunning nature, quirky kitsch, and everything in between.
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Silbiger captures the charming contrast of the strange and stunning in her photo series titled ‘Wanderer’s Window,’ which she created while living and traveling in a camper van during a year-long sabbatical that spans from November 2023 to November 2024.
Prior to this, Silbiger primarily focused on documenting the intricate workings of Capitol Hill and the White House as a freelance photojournalist based in Washington, DC.
After spending nearly seven years covering politics day in and day out, the monotony of the photographs began to take a toll on her.
“I really just wanted to explore the country and experience the places we frequently debate about,” Silbiger shared.
Silbiger’s artistic fatigue and desire to explore the United States aligned with Bernert receiving a buyout from his journalism position in the fall of 2023. With no obligations tying them to the city, they pulled out a map and began planning their journey.
“We literally took a map and a Sharpie and said, ‘Alright,’” Silbiger recalled, “if we start in the winter on the East Coast, how can we follow milder weather for an entire year?”
As they traveled westward, Silbiger began to emerge from her creative slump. “Every single mile of the journey offered a new visual experience for me. It was like a surge of creative energy to my heart,” she expressed.
One of their early stops took them to the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California’s Alabama Hills, where Silbiger captured the image that ignited her creative vision for the series.
After arriving at their campsite well after dark, the couple settled in for the night, pondering what surrounded them.
“We tucked ourselves in for the night and upon waking the next morning, the view from my bedroom was breathtaking,” Silbiger exclaimed, displaying a photograph of rugged mountain peaks enveloped in clouds as the morning light illuminated them. The entire scene was framed by the oddly narrow rectangular window of their van.
“Now I had this initial photo,” Silbiger reflected. “How do I create the rest?”
Over the following year, Silbiger and her partner traversed through 35 states in pursuit of temperate weather, expansive landscapes, and anything that caught their attention. Throughout this journey, she utilized their van as a massive camera.
“It’s immensely gratifying to achieve the perfect shot because, you know, with digital photography, it can sometimes feel too effortless,” Silbiger noted. “However, using a 25-foot RV as a camera is quite challenging.”
Silbiger’s collection reflects a harmonious blend of traditional American symbols, such as Saguaro cacti and bison herds, alongside quirky roadside attractions like the inflatable lobster from Maine. The unpredictable nature of these images mirrors the excitement of discovering what lies ahead on the open road.
Despite having traveled approximately 25,000 miles, Silbiger is eager to hit the road again for more photography adventures.
“There’s always something fascinating to discover just around the bend,” she remarked. “That’s the allure of a road trip… What surprises does the next journey hold?”
