Crows Ascending is a small but poignant volume that will delight photo book collectors and fine art photographers alike. The COVID-19 pandemic brought much of the world to a standstill, but it didn’t dampen the spirits of many creative minds. Despite the limitations, emotional distress, and mental strain of this dark episode, fine art photographer Elliot Ross channeled his energy to make art out of what was available to him: the view outside his San Francisco apartment window. From 2021 to 2023, Ross photographed crows in various states of flight from the roofs surrounding his apartment. But instead of documenting them in frozen motion, he took on an abstract and minimalist approach. He transformed his subjects into dark, wispy figures that invoke drama and movement, their avian form still recognizable. The project, which he aptly dubbed Crows Ascending, came into book form in 2024. Schilt Publishing and Gallery designed and published an exquisite cloth-covered hardbound book, featuring 20 duotone prints of the best photos from the series. The fold-out end sheet with all the images in smaller size is also a nice touch, and reminds me of contact prints from the days of film photography. Some of these photos also graced the gallery’s walls and shelves during the book launch, highlighting Ross’ minimalist artistry for Crows Ascending and many of his other projects. Crows Ascending is a small volume, but I find that what it represents makes up for the sparse pages. I saw and experienced firsthand how staying creative and making something heartfelt during the pandemic took a lot of strength. So for me, all projects made during such harrowing times carry weight. The book also encapsulates not only Ross’ contemplative efforts to stay creative during the pandemic, but also the memory of his younger brother Michael, to whom the project is primarily dedicated. “Michael had a profound intellectual disability caused by lifelong epilepsy,” Ross writes in the book’s description. “He survived a severe case of COVID-19 in 2020 only to die of Parkinson’s-related pneumonia months later.” But more than just a personal body of work, he also dedicates it to millions of others who suffered due to the pandemic, largely due to the government’s interference with public health measures. With these sentiments, Ross calls on readers to embrace Crows Ascending as a metaphor of his brother’s — and many others’ — ethereal ascent from the mortal realm into the afterlife. Grab your copy of Crows Ascending from Schilt Publishing and Gallery.