The eye of the great egret by Christian Peters

About "The eye of the great egret"

by Christian Peters

About the artwork

An abstract-looking black and white picture of a great egret, or rather a reflection of it. The reflection on the shady water surface was the starting point for this image. By enlarging, increasing the contrast and other processing, and then upscaling, it was possible to achieve the completely pixelated surface, which is intentional here in order to achieve the abstract impression.
The inspiration for this picture was the stoic calmness of the bird. It can stare motionlessly into the water for a long time. Then it appears lifeless, petrified, frozen. But that is its tactic. At the right moment, it notices the fish and strikes. This calm, complete concentration, without being noticed by the outside world, is what this picture is supposed to show.
It is a picture that cannot be planned. It simply emerges, and only in the course of processing does one realise the potential, the message, the special thing about it.
In this case, the special thing is certainly that it is different. Different from what you would expect from a wildlife photo. Instead of crisp sharpness, exactly the opposite, everything is blurred, pixelated. Instead of vibrant colours, only shades of grey. The neck and beak cut off. This is also intentional, to emphasise the more abstract lines. Simplicity and minimalism emphasise the statement: concentration. But they also leave room for other interpretations. That is left to the viewer.