Klapekster bij haar nest c. 1900 - 1940

This photograph, Klapekster bij haar nest, was taken by Richard Tepe sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century, and it’s all about the process of seeing, isn't it? The grainy texture, the way the light catches the bird's feathers, it's like he’s painting with light. You can almost feel the sharpness of the pine needles, the fragility of the nest. It’s a snapshot of a moment, but it's also about time, about the patient observation needed to capture such a scene. Look at the way the bird perches, so still, yet ready to take flight. That single moment encapsulates the constant tension between stillness and movement. There’s a rawness to it, an honesty. It reminds me of the work of contemporary photographers like Thomas Joshua Cooper, who also embraced the beauty of the natural world with the same kind of quiet intensity. Art isn’t about answers, it’s about questions, and this photograph leaves you with so many.