Vink bij nest met jongen (vogels) 1900 - 1930

Richard Tepe made this photograph of a Chaffinch at its nest, with young birds, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. I love the way the monochromatic palette makes you focus on the forms of the birds and their nest. It’s all about process: light hitting the lens, chemical reactions on the film, and Tepe choosing that exact moment to capture. Look at the texture of the branch, and then the incredible detail of the nest itself. You can almost feel the roughness of the twigs and moss. Notice how the mother bird’s feathers blend into the shadows, while the open mouths of her chicks are sharply defined. That small area of focus draws our eye and heightens the emotional impact. Tepe's work reminds me of some of the nature studies by people like Adriaen Coorte, or maybe even some contemporary photographers who are thinking about environmental issues. Art’s not just about making pretty pictures, it’s about seeing the world around us in new ways, and then showing it to others. There is no one way to do this, just an open ended conversation.