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On Karl Blossfeldt’s Work
There is something about nature that seduces anyone holding a camera, ultimately making us see the world in a “surprise” mode. I wouldn’t dare to speak for every single photographer in the world, of course. I’m sure that not everyone has experienced that pinch of curiosity towards plants, but I’m sure that the immense majority has, at least in their early days.
After wandering the enlightened corridors of our forums, I’ve stumbled with countless photographs that express that vividly alive amusement. And I knew that I’d like to write about Karl Blossfeldt someday. He, an art professor and a self-taught photographer, whose work can teach us a lot about macro photography even today.
The Curious Case of Karl Blossfledt
Karl Blossfledt was born in 1865, and in 1881 he started developing a huge body of work that remains innovative to our day. His work was highly praised by the surrealist movement and was fundamental for the New Objectivity art movement in Germany. His work became so influential that even inspired Bernd and Hilla Becher to develop the vision of the nowadays prestigious Düsseldorf School of Photography.
The curious thing is that he used photography as a tool for teaching visual references to his students. He photographed plants and flowers so they could be easier to draw. And these drawings served as inputs for…
