Orchis rotundifolia- Small Round-leaved Orchis 1931

Edwin Hale Lincoln made this photograph, "Orchis rotundifolia- Small Round-leaved Orchis," sometime during his career. It’s a study in grayscale, where the subtleties emerge slowly, like a half-remembered dream. Look at the way the light catches the leaves, creating these smooth, sculptural forms that seem to emerge from the darkness. The texture is almost palpable; you can practically feel the smoothness of the petals and the gentle curve of the stems. My eye keeps returning to the base of the plant, where the leaves converge. There's a tension there, a kind of visual friction, but also a sense of grounding. It reminds me of Agnes Martin’s work, especially in its quiet intensity and attention to detail. Ultimately, this photograph invites us to slow down, to observe, and to appreciate the quiet beauty of the natural world, and also the art of seeing.