nature as medium
visual storytelling of wonder and whimsy
Becorn with a Butterfly by David M. Bird
How he took this picture:
Becorns are woodland creatures crafted from acorns, pine cones, sticks, and other natural materials, then photographed in nature with birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and other wildlife.
The photography process usually involves a study of animal behavior, birdseed, and a lot of patience. [Bird’s] work evolved from [his] years as a designer for Lego, where [he] learned to build characters and tell stories with bricks. Now [he] does the same but with sticks. (www.davidmbird.com)
See
Look at the details David Bird creates in his images. Imagine the incredible story unfolding in each picture.
Say
Would you have the patience that Bird has to set up the scenes and wait for just the right moment to snap the picture?
His passion drives him to persist with uncooperative animals to get his shots. He sometimes spends hours for one shot. Passion is a powerful force. What’s yours?
The final result reveals nothing about the labor-intensive process to get the shot. Is there anything you make look easy that actually took a lot of time and practice to perfect? (It could even be something like typing or chopping vegetables!)
Do
Watch a video on his YouTube channel.
Notice the immense ingenuity in getting everything working together.
Now it's your turn to get creative! Gather some natural materials and see what kinds of characters and scenes you can create. Share your creations with us on social media!
About David M. Bird
I’m a photographer, toy designer, and illustrator based in South Kingstown, RI. I studied Industrial Design at the Rhode Island School of Design and have spent most of my career designing toys for Lego and Hasbro. I've always loved illustration and visual storytelling, and the feedback I heard from kids about my toy designs convinced me of the power of storytelling as a means to connect and inspire. I’m now freelancing as a designer and illustrator while working on personal projects devoted to the visual storytelling of wonder and whimsy.
The seeds for Becorns were planted when I worked for Lego, designing warrior action figures for their Bionicle line. I fell in love with the process of inventing characters and stories out of the abstract bio-mechanical parts. When I left Lego, I missed it, and the never-ending supply of building parts... until I looked into a pile of sticks and realized I had all the parts I needed.
davidmbird on Instagram
Please share your reflections with me by replying to this post and tagging my Wonder Wander Facebook or Instagram pages!
These becorns are amazing! Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos!