Photographer and writer Benjamin Swett was born on March 3, 1959, in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Educated at

Andover Andover may refer to: Places Australia * Andover, Tasmania Canada * Andover Parish, New Brunswick * Perth-Andover, New Brunswick United Kingdom * Andover, Hampshire, England ** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station United States * Ando ...

and

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

, he worked for a number of years for the

New York City Department of Parks and Recreation The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, also called the Parks Department or NYC Parks, is the department of the government of New York City responsible for maintaining the city's parks system, preserving and maintaining the ecolog ...

, where he photographed and wrote about neighborhood parks around the city. His first publication, ''Great Trees of New York City: A Guide'', was for the Parks Department. His subsequent works have all featured text and photographs. ''Route 22'' (2007) is a narrative history of the state highway that stretches from the Bowery in New York to the Canadian border near

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

. This book, along with ''The Hudson Valley: A Cultural Guide'' (2009), and ''New York City of Trees'' (2013), were all published by Quantuck Lane Press. ''New York City of Trees'', winner of the

New York Society Library The New York Society Library (NYSL) is the oldest cultural institution in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the New York Society as a subscription library. During the time when New York was the capital of the United States, it was the de ...

's 2013 New York City Book Award for Photography, provides photographs and descriptions of unusual or characteristic trees around the five boroughs of New York City. The photographs from ''Route 22'' have been exhibited at

Albany International Airport Albany International Airport is six miles (9 km) northwest of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority. ALB covers of land. It is an air port of entry in the town of Colon ...

and the Arts Center of the Capital Region in

Troy, New York Troy is a city in the U.S. state of New York and the county seat of Rensselaer County. The city is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany a ...

, and the photographs from ''New York City of Trees'' at The Arsenal Gallery in

Central Park Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West Side, Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the List of New York City parks, fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban par ...

and

Wave Hill Wave Hill is a estate in the Hudson Hill section of Riverdale in the Bronx, New York City. Wave Hill currently consists of public horticultural gardens and a cultural center, all situated on the slopes overlooking the Hudson River, with exp ...

Bibliography

*''Great Trees of New York City: A Guide'' (New York: New York Tree Trust, 2000, ASIN B0006RE0M6) *''Route 22'' (New York, Quantuck Lane Press, 2007, ) *''The Hudson Valley: A Cultural Guide'' (New York: Quantuck Lane Press, 2009, ) *''New York City of Trees'' (New York: Quantuck Lane Press, 2013, )

Awards

*New York Society Library 2013 New York City Book Award for ''New York City of Trees'' *

International Grenfell Association The International Grenfell Association (IGA) is an organization founded by Sir Wilfred Grenfell to provide health care, education, religious services, and rehabilitation and other social activities to the fisherman and coastal communities in norther ...

2015 Grant for "Creating the Grandois Archive"

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swett, Benjamin 1959 births Living people Harvard College alumni