Bevil Templeton-Smith

The work consists of a series of photographs capturing crystals of various household substances under polarized light using a 1970 polarizing microscope. These images lack any recognizable subject to indicate their scale—there are no figures or still life objects to provide orientation. As a result, they present nothing more than a vibrant display of shape and form, inviting a visual journey while deliberately leaving the viewer uncertain about what they are observing. The audience must engage with them on this basis alone.

Those familiar with these photographs often mistakenly refer to them as "paintings." However, they are not; they are purely photographic representations of entirely real subjects in their natural colors, as seen under polarized light with a specific orientation of a custom-made wave plate or retarder. The original specimens producing these images remain preserved in a meticulously curated collection of thousands of handmade slides. They can be re-examined under the microscope and, at times, re-photographed with a different arrangement of polarizing filters and wave plates, or from varying angles, to create entirely new images—much like a landscape photographer might revisit the same scene at different times of the year or from different vantage points.

This ongoing project reflects a deep enthusiasm for challenging norms and expectations in photography, offering a unique and unconventional perspective on the world. It also brings to light a set of real but otherwise hidden subjects—difficult to find, observe, and photograph—yet unquestionably authentic.