Yesterday, I tried to book on to a course happening in Bristol in March. Running over two days it is all about making and using a pinhole camera, something I have wanted to do for quite a while. I am fascinated by early photographers and their pioneering methods and I was getting frustrated when the phone went unanswered every time. My husband suggested the office was unmanned because of the snow and I know Bristol had it bad yesterday so perhaps he was right. Anyway, as is the way, I started to think about snow and I remembered that I had a read a while ago about Snowflake Bentley so I refreshed my acquaintance with him and want to share it because it is a testament to one man's passion - or obsession (same thing?) - for something.
Wilson Bentley was known as Snowflake Bentley because of his extensive work in the area of photomicrography, all of it done with snowflakes. He was the first person to photograph them in 1885 (!) and he then took over 5000 pictures of them in his lifetime. He said 'Under the microscope I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty.... every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated. When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind'.
Many of his snowflake photos can be seen here, on a website dedicated to his photomicrographs. In an age when we can pick up our digital cameras and switch to macro to get pictures up close it is worth remembering that we can only do that because of the road already travelled by the photographers who pushed boundaries and discovered these amazing things.
I think I would have liked Wilson 'Snowflake' Bentley. I admire dedication and discipline in people with a passion. He also said 'The mysteries of the upper air are about to reveal themselves, if our hands are deft and our eyes quick enough' . Lovely words, but I hope we don't get any more mystery from the upper air today. Perhaps then I'll get through and book that course!
4 comments:
As always a thought provoking and interesting post Lesley. I will certinly "go to bed less stupid tonight" as the French say!! You may find that the office has been unmanned in Bristol as according to Points West news many offices were empty yesterday due to the road conditions. Good luck with it though and at least if you can't get through neither can anyone else so you won't lose out on a place on that course.
Jane x
I'll raise a glass to 'Snowflake' Bentley. So much is discovered through passionate obsession and when art and science collide.
I love the snow and the facinating obscure shapes but yes i have had enough of the snow now!!!
have a nice weekend.
Lucy xx
Since childhood I've always been fascinated with the artistry of the snowflake and why are they are such fantastical shapes - they really are one of the mysteries of the universe!
I hope you manage to get a place on what will be a very interesting course I'm sure.
Have a great weekend Lesley.
Jeanne x
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