passing through — Jessica B. Raetzke

passing through is an ongoing project expanding my work documenting people occupying places meant for brief visits - parks, gardens, vacation spots, travel hubs, roadside attractions. As strangers, we inhabit these spaces for a short time, but that connection does not move beyond that place and time.

This interest stems from my own background. I moved a lot growing up and continued that into my adult life. I’ve rarely lived anywhere long, so I’ve grown used to the process of starting over, learning the patterns of navigating a new place, finding what feels familiar or comfortable, then picking up and moving on again. Over time, it became clear to me that I enjoy this progression. Travel and change have become an integral part of how I experience the world and that is reflected in my photographic work.

In passing through, I am most interested in exploring an in-between feeling, the quiet moments when people are temporarily present but rooted elsewhere. I am drawn to how we move through public spaces together and how brief interactions, in shared landscapes, can leave a small trace of connection between us. For me, this project is about learning to see the beauty in these relationships, and even when we’re just passing through, knowing that we still belong to those places in some way.