Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – These images, documented by Austrian artist and photographer Marcus Hofstadter, appear as abyssal craters formed millions of years ago in one of the planets of our galaxy, or as terrain that can only be reached after an arduous journey to the far reaches of the planet.
But these strange-looking terrains are closer to us than you think, and you don’t have to travel far to see them for yourself, for they are inside your eyes. And we don’t mean that in a philosophical way, but literally.
Hofstadter reveals terrain that has long been hidden from our eyes through images as close as possible to the human eye.
These images do not show terrain, they are close-ups of human eyes.
filming: Markus Hofstätter
While working on “portraits”, the photographer often focused on the eyes of the person in front of him.
Hofstadter said in an interview with CNN in Arabic: “There is a saying that states that the eyes are the door to the soul, and I agree with that. And you can see what a person feels by just looking at his eyes. And the eyes can smile, and be sad or surprised, for example.” “.
Austrian artist Markus Hofstadter reveals details that have always been hidden in our eyes with super close-ups of eyes.
filming: Markus Hofstätter
The Austrian’s adventure in the world of photography began by documenting billiards competitions around the world, and he took his first close-up of someone’s eyes in 2011, when he noticed the intense focus in the eyes of one of the players.
The photographer was not satisfied with that, but wanted to focus on closer shots, and learning more from a special service for photographing the iris of the eye, and the use of a book called “Mikrofotografie” by photographer Gerhard Zimmert, helped him achieve this.
It takes about 30 minutes to take one photo.
filming: Markus Hofstätter
When describing the eyes that appear in his works, the photographer explained that they look like mountains and valleys with a large lake, adding: “They could undoubtedly be a beach from a different planet, and some of them are like flowers opening with seeds to me.”
Half an hour for one photo
A look behind the scenes.
filming: Markus Hofstätter
The Austrian photographer explained that working with this level of magnification is difficult, noting that “every little movement is deadly.”
To achieve the desired results, Hofstadter built a special headrest for the seated person to avoid any movement, while fixing the camera holder with sandbags, in addition to using a special lens.
The eyes can smile, and be sad, according to the photographer.
filming: Markus Hofstätter
He also had to learn a lot about the human eye and how it responds to the environment, saying, “It sometimes takes me 30 minutes or more to get one successful shot.”
The Austrian’s adventure in the world of photography began by documenting billiards competitions around the world. filming: Markus Hofstätter
His work impressed many people around the world, and what caught his attention most was the reactions of some ophthalmologists who had never seen pictures taken with this technique before.
“My goal has always been to create works of art, abstract images, something the viewer can get lost in,” Hofstadter affirmed.
The post Craters and terrain. A photographer takes close-ups of the human eye appeared first on Gatto Presss.