As part of photographer Rose-Lynn Fisher's newest project called 'The Topography of Tears,' she collected an assortment of dried up human tears; some her own, some others, ranging from different emotional states like sadness, rejection, frustration, grief, joy, laughter and irritation, photographed with a standard light microscope in extreme detail. The idea behind the project was the fact that she wanted to know if there was an actual physical difference between varying emotional states and she even goes as far as collecting tears after cutting an onion, or belonging to a newborn.
In an interview with Joseph Stromberg of The Smithsonian's Collage of Arts and Sciences blog, Fisher says, "I started the project about five years ago, during a period of copious tear, amid lots of change and loss -- so I had a surplus of raw material."
Ranging from tears of ending and beginning, onion tears, tears of change, tears of timeless reunion, tears of grief, basal tears and laughing tears, the results are mind-blowing.
Crystalline Tear Topographies
Fisher's Tear Project Shows the Cathartic Side of Photography
Trend Themes
1. The Topography of Tears - Exploring the physical differences between different emotional states through detailed photographs of dried human tears.
2. Emotional State Analysis - Developing technologies to analyze and categorize emotional states based on physical characteristics of tears.
3. Art and Catharsis - Using photography and art to explore and express emotions in a cathartic way.
Industry Implications
1. Photography - Opportunity for photographers to experiment with new subjects and techniques, pushing the boundaries of traditional photography.
2. Healthcare - Potential for developing new diagnostic tools or therapies based on the analysis of tears and emotional states.
3. Emotional Wellness - Creating products or services that help individuals better understand and manage their emotions through self-reflection and art.