There are several different kinds of mussel shells in the river each with their own subtleties that I find intriguing. (okay, I don’t get bored easily…) As the outer layers of the shells are abraded away over the seasons it’s as though tiny luminous landscapes develop on the surfaces. This is what catches my eye.
A bit of trickery: I’ve photographed some of these shells on a mirror while reflecting a white surface onto the mirror at the same time.
All images © Karen McRae
draw and shoot 
Absolutely gorgeous, They seem like a fusion of art and nature. Pictures that belong in a gallery.
Helen, thank you very much. Nature seems to always be producing incredible art!
These are incedible – I love the reflections of the undersides & and have no idea as to how you are doing that. No matter, great work!
Thanks Christian! A magic mirror. 😉
Interesting and beautiful work as always, Karen! I love how you photographed the ones with the mirror… What a cool way to showcase multiple angles of the mussels! And that you reflected a white surface also into the mirror is just brilliant. Amazing work… Do you eat mussels? Great post!!!
Polly, I don’t really eat Mussels, not out of the river anyways!
Thank you so much for your always wonderful comments.
Clever work with the mirror Karen ( making mental note ! ) I love the way you are documenting nature- almost like a curator..
Thank you Helen, much appreciated.
Karen,
Some of them remind me of Rorschach tests…
Just beautiful…
Le Clown
Merci, Clown!
Good morning, Karen – the inclusion of the snail shell was a wonderful surprise – love the exteriors of the shells – a life lived. K
Yes, a life lived. Thank you, Kathleen.
Karen
Hi Karen – wrote a little something inspired by your wonderful shells – Mussel Shells – hope you enjoy it! http://wp.me/p1LuVw-lp Kathleen
It is a very witty game and you made a clean photographic record of it.
In the old day’s in the Japanese Court, there was a girls game calld
Kai-awase (貝合せ) = making a matching shell and compete the paired number.
I remember my child time, on an outing to the sea, try to find a matching
pair of the shells scuttered random, and managed to make a pair was
an excitement for me.
Interesting Yoshizen, thanks for commenting.
Very nice images – interesting technique and great shells. I have seen something similar used with dark coloured plexiglass instead of a mirror for macro shots that can be very effect too, though would not show the under side so effectively. I was recently trying it on black glass and it did not work too well, though I had very limited DoF which might have been a big contributer. It must be hard to keep the camera and your head and the ceiling/sky out of the shot 🙂
Ephem, I’ve not tried a black reflective surface. That could be interesting for some applications.
It was tricky reflecting the white onto the mirror and taking the picture at the same time!
Some nice examples of black background reflections on David Williams’ blog – http://williamsdavid.me/tag/macro/
“I shell have to look at these again!” Said I.
“Oh, you mussel!” She replied, a worried tone tinging her words, “If you do, I snail ever speak to you again!”
I did not listen.
Very nice shots. And very nice compositions..
You play word games and shell games wonderfully!
I’m glad you didn’t clam up…
Thank you!
Excellent!
Thanks, Antonio!
I love the chipped textures and combination of rough and smooth on these shells. The colour too is amazing – like coloured ink on water!
They are really interesting, aren’t they?
They remind me of paper marbling on old books, which I’ve always loved.
Another amazing series – makes one marvel at every bit of creation. And now I’m trying to picture how the mirror/white paper trick works. I think you should offer us a workshop 🙂
Thanks Lois! 🙂
It was a bit tricky, I could have used another hand!
Never thought that they could look so good!
Thank you, they were just waiting to be examined!
Interesting and excellent photos! I love the textures of nature!
Me too Karen, thank you.
It’s nice of you to share the mirror trick! 🙂 I’ll tuck that one away to experiment with later. Really interesting. Shells are one of my favourite things.
Oh good, more shell games! 🙂
Love what you do with your camera. These are amazing photos. To zero in on one simple thing that few take the time to truly study and then to photograph them so that the subtle colors and designs are all you see is perfection. When did you say your big new photo book will be available?
Thank you Shez, you are very kind! A lovely comment.
(No book plans yet!) 🙂
WHY not?????
Good question, I’m not sure…
Beautiful – interesting idea, I may try it myself when my new camera arrives! 🙂
Great! Did you order one, Cath?!
🙂
Yes! I am doing up my old film camera, and have ordered a new digital one – weehaah!! 🙂
Oh, they are gorgeous 🙂
Thanks so much, Gigi. 🙂
Wonderful idea, photos. I appreciate that you delve into every perceivable aspect of a subject, exploring all its beauty.
Oh thank you, Elena. I do think I may bore people sometimes with my repetition…
not in the least!
Karen, these are beautiful, amazing and I love them all! What a set! It really doesn’t seem to matter what you photograph, you make them fascinatingly gorgeous!
Cheers
John
I’ve just been reading the comments on your post, Karen! What big, new photo book? Have I missed something while I’ve been hibernating? Are you producing a book? Wow!
John, thank you for all your very wonderful comments! Truly. Much appreciated.
I’ve no plans for a book, as yet, but it has been suggested a few times! 🙂
Karen – I just read the comment above. Are you producing a book?? Do tell! I love love this series. I just love it all. The last two – butterlies and angel wings. The patterns you capture are so beautiful – inspiration for so much: fabric, jewelry, paintings. Amazing!
I’ve no plans for a book, but it has been suggested a few times! 🙂
Thanks so much, Marina.
I’m thinking of doing some butterfly wings paintings based on the mussel shells…
Beautiful series Karen. Love the textures and the colours are superb.
Thank you, David. I love the subtle colours of these shells. I am bringing far too many home!
the beauty of nature!
Interesting technique, Karen. By the way, can you identify freshwater bivalves? We did an exhibit on river clams a few years back and I thought that the common names were great: things like “pink heelsplitter” and “fat mucket”!
Hi Graham, I haven’t heard those names before, actually.
I was thinking most of these were Eastern Elliptio mussels and the top one a Plain Pocketbook mussel, but I don’t really know, and your names are much more fun!
I did a shell project in my oceanography class in high school. I had to identify at least 30 different species! I learned a lot and loved the shells so much that I have kept them to this day. It is amazing how beautiful nature can be and how beautifully nature can be captured in shells. 🙂
They are beautiful, aren’t they? I completely understand why you would keep them! 🙂