Decay produces amazing beauty.

When we collect shells at the beach, we most often forget that the beauty of the shell which we hold in our hand is the result of decay of the mollusc animal. The same applies for skulls and bones from mammals, reptiles and fish which the observant outdoor enthusiast can find out in nature.

The natural decay of bodies unveils hidden structures of astonishing complexity and fascinating beauty. We start to see the hidden mechanics of complicated biological machineries, the delicacy of bones, scales and shell structures, rich in forms and textures and evolved over millions of years as adaptations to the environments.

One has to get close to see and enjoy such revelations of nature. With the exception of shells, which are normally collected clean and crisp and long after the decay of the mollusc body, our culturally impregnated behavior makes most of us reluctant to "come close" to the remains of other animals - the aura of death is repellant to the desire for exploration. Fortunately, as a biologist I have been trained to overcome such barriers. Some of the photographs were made during a so-called "Red Tide" in Southwest Florida, when toxic blue algae blossoms killed millions of fish which became washed to the shore and decaying slowly in the torching sun. Unfortunately, this part of the project came to a sudden end when the local community dumped 10 inches of clean sand from nearby quarries onto the whole mess.

Admittedly, it takes an unbiased mindset to start seeing and enjoying the intrinsic beauty of animal remains. But the one who takes the courage and the effort will be rewarded with unique and fascinating impressions which transcendent beyond the subject.

The photographs displayed here are not documentary photos but rather a lyrical documentation of a fascinating biological process. Black & white photography has been applied to avoid that colors distract from the rich structures, textures and tonalities, helping to discover the intrinsic beauty of the subjects.