Spiranthes Romanzoffiana- Hooded Ladies' Tresses 1931

This platinum print of hooded ladies' tresses was made by Edwin Hale Lincoln, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. I think about the darkroom, and Lincoln carefully dipping the photographic paper into solutions, coaxing these plants to life on the surface. Each stem is different. I can imagine him crouching low to the ground, angling the camera just so, to capture their delicate curves. He must have been thinking about the way these shapes would translate into tones and shades of gray. It’s a quiet photograph, but so full of observation. The stalks are spare, almost severe. I notice that the leaves create these elegant dark lines, that both frame and puncture the lighter background. Painters, photographers, we’re all just trying to figure out how to really look at the world. Lincoln found a way to do that with these flowers, and I’m grateful for it. It makes me want to go look closer at everything.