Water flows gently between moss-covered rocks at Jackson Falls in Simpson, Illinois. Captured in the days following heavy storms, the image is part of a photo essay by JALC Media Arts student Jaden Patterson, who turned his lens toward nature’s quiet resilience after nearly five inches of regional rainfall.

Features

Where the Water Rests: Beauty in the Wake of the Storm

JALC Media Arts student Jaden Patterson documents the quiet beauty that follows recent storms, capturing nature’s resilience at Jackson Falls amid a week of severe weather and flooding.

Jaden Patterson, Photographer

April 8, 2025

*Advisor note: JALC Media Arts student and Volunteer photographer Jaden Patterson recently documented the destruction caused by recent storms in Southern Illinois. To shift perspective, he then captured the natural beauty that appears in the days that follow.*

While some areas in Southern Illinois continue to experience flooding after nearly 5 inches of rain, as reported by the National Weather Service, I visited Jackson Falls in Simpson, Illinois. These photographs capture the stillness and beauty left in the wake of the storm. Nature can be unpredictable and destructive, but it also offers moments of quiet reflection. The calm water serves as a reminder of the resilience and strength that surface as our community recovers from a challenging week of weather.

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