In August 2009, I experienced the devastating power that uncontrolled water can have as it destroyed homes and tossed lives into turmoil during the Silver Creek, New York flood. For the duration of the disaster, the basic need for clean drinking water was one of the most pressing requirements of residents.   "The Lake Series" uses the dichotomy of water as a foundation for four separate videos that explore elements of the human condition. Water can be intimate or expansive, life giving or life destroying. It is eternal, ephemeral, and in a constant state of change. The series uses each of the four elements, earth, wind, fire, and water as foundations for each video. Each work’s title is meant to be open-ended and completely malleable for the viewer while expressing a specific human characteristic that provides a starting point for consideration. Steadfast is the first in the series. Shot on a bitterly cold winter day when the wind was gusting to 60 MPH and chunks of ice the size of small cars were rolling and advancing on the frozen build-up of the shore. As I watched the waves crash against the cliffs 30 feet in the air I saw the house on the far side of the bay. It seemed to be standing its ground as the waves crashed upon it. This mere 30 seconds of useable steady footage became Steadfast. Audio is an essential part of the experience of Steadfast as the imagery changes relatively little during the duration of the film. Fast forwarding will most likely mean you miss the full effect. The films are intended to be viewed in a theater with alternative versions sans titles and credits designed for looping in a gallery setting.