Soil Samples

How do you photograph soil samples?

I took samples from the soil in a series of 7 different research gardens that I am working on. These samples, by their very nature, are homogenous examples of the type of soil that is found in each "plot", with all of the visible roots and stones removed. In addition, all of the samples were taken from gardens with essentially the same type of soil. Except for the subtle difference in texture and amount of water, it is virtually impossible to tell the difference between them visually.

These samples will be sent to a lab to determine the quantity and proportion of minerals that would be available to the microbial soil life and the vegetable plants that I want to grow. These tests try to quantify what is essentially invisible. Except in extreme examples, the mineral basis of soils cannot be see or photographed (with a normal camera at least).

So, the challenge that I set myself was figuring out how to photograph a process of trying to see what cannot be seen. Not sure I even know where to begin with that one. I ended up with a shot that is more about texture, transparency, subtle details of highlights and lettering, and a limited palet of colors. It is not going to win any awards, of course, but it does remind me that trying to capture the beauty in everything can be a difficult task.