Dew on a spider web

Though famous for his snowflake photography, Wilson A. Bentley’s brief foray into the study of raindrops resulted in some of his most ethereal and magical imagery. Dew on a spider web was shot around 1910, using the same photomicrograph technique Bentley had perfected with his snowflakes by attaching a microscope to his camera. Rather than transporting dew-laden specimens to his studio, Bentley would attempt to shoot them in situ by using a black pail as a backdrop to achieve a dramatic contrast.  While painstakingly gathering data on meteorological effects on raindrop size and appearance, Bentley never failed to appreciate both the beauty and wonder involved in his process. In Dew on a spider web, the undisturbed droplets compounded with the geometric and unrepeatable nature of the garden spider’s web encapsulate the exceptional singularity that captivated Bentley throughout his career.