Wielewaal die een nest bouwt in een boom c. 1870 - 1940

Adolphe Burdet captured this image of an oriole building a nest in a tree, although the exact date is unknown. It looks like he used a stereoscope. It's so detailed, so precise. The photograph is a study in texture. Look at the way the light filters through the leaves. The dark, almost black leaves contrast with the softer grey tones of the nest itself. There’s a real feeling of depth that he has created. Think about the patient observation required to capture this fleeting moment. I'm reminded of the photographs of Karl Blossfeldt, who used similar techniques to elevate the status of craft and industry in the early twentieth century. Ultimately, it's about seeing and appreciating the natural world. Looking, seeing, and doing.