A long while and a shorter while ago I read two articles about two different projects. These articles shared one thing: magnification. The first article was about the pictures of magnified sand grains by Dr Gary Greenberg. The other article told about the project of Rose-Lynn Fisher photographing tears. The results both magical.

Blue, orange & pink sand grains. Photographed by Dr Greenberg.

By photographing sand grains through a high-powered light microscope Greenberg has revealed that sand grains in reality are crystal-like pieces that come in stunning colours. The sand used comes from places all over the world. And from the moon…
For her project The Topography of Tears Rose-Lynn Fisher studied a 100 tears which she photographed through a microscope. She questioned herself whether tears of grief would look similar to tears of onions or laughter. The results are published on her website – no one picture is the same. No one tear is the same. I am struck by the difference of the tears, from modern graphic designs to a frosty ice flower mesh. Not just drops of water.

Tears of laughing till I’m crying. Photographed by Rose-Lynn Fisher, copyright 2013

It’s genius and talented minds like Fisher and Greenberg that make me stand still, think and marvel at things we usually kind of take for granted. The pictures show crystals, little gems. My magpie-eye fixed on these tiny pieces of art. Showing a beauty so overwhelming and enormous. Coming from something so small. Coming from our eyes or filling up the gaps between our toes. It shows how there’s more than just sand, just tears, just emotions, just nature. It shows that nature is art. Art that can’t be beaten by us. Just revealed.

Next time a tears rolls down my cheek, I’ll think of its shape and content. And walking bare feet along the coast line I’ll be walking on a million crystals. I find that an inspiring thought.