Pogonia ophioglossoides- Rose Pogonia 1931

This is Edwin Hale Lincoln’s photograph, Pogonia ophioglossoides – Rose Pogonia, made with a camera and photographic paper, but we don’t know exactly when. Lincoln’s approach seems to be one of simple documentation. I find myself wondering what choices were involved in the making of the image. What made Lincoln decide to include seven flowers rather than six or eight? Looking at the stalk of the flower in the center, you can see how the light reflects softly along its surface, giving it a subtle sheen. I think this single, small element gives the image a sense of depth and dimension, pushing it beyond a purely scientific record. I can see this photograph as linked to the work of Karl Blossfeldt, who made close-up photographs of plants in the early 20th century. But unlike Blossfeldt, Lincoln seems less interested in abstraction, and more in the unique character of each individual flower. For me, this image is about quiet observation.