# Intimate Avian Portraits This Bird Watching Photo Series Fuses Nature with Store-Bought Crafts By Farida Helmy | Published 2014-07-06 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bird-watching-photo-series References: [featureshoot](http://www.featureshoot.com/2014/07/paula-mccartneys-photographic-twist-on-bird-watching/) & [paulamccartney](http://www.paulamccartney.com) If you're a nature lover, you'll love this bird watching photo series because of how up-close-and-personal the lens is to the stunning scenes. Capturing birds in the wild is no easy task, and to do it so eloquently and in such a way that makes it seem like a real-life moment in front of your eyes as opposed to a photograph is almost impossible. Except in the case of Minneapolis-based photographer Paula McCartney, who was able to get it just right. Inspired by [Victorian botany journals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/structural-botany), Blossfeldt’s Art Forms in Nature and Audubon’s Birds of America, McCartney takes a scientific approach to her bird watching photo series. “Bird watching combines varied natural settings with carefully placed [craft store songbirds](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cool-birds) to crate an enhanced landscape. This work explores how nature and fabricated elements can combine to create a scene that questions what is natural," says McCartney . ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.6/10 - Popularity: 57% | Activity: 14% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Up-close Nature Photography:** Opportunity for photographers to capture stunning scenes of wildlife in a way that brings viewers right into the action. - **Scientific Visualization of Nature:** The blending of scientific and artistic techniques to create visually captivating images that challenge our perception of what is natural. - **Interplay of Nature and Craft:** Exploration of the relationship between natural elements and man-made materials, opening up possibilities for innovative design and artistic expression. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Photography:** Using advanced photography techniques to capture intimate moments in nature that evoke a sense of wonder and connection. - **Art and Design:** Pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms by combining nature and craft to create visually stunning and thought-provoking pieces. - **Home Decor and Crafts:** Creating opportunities for artists and artisans to incorporate natural elements and craft materials in unique and innovative ways for home decoration and personal expression. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Striking Urban Wildlife Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/clare-allin.md) - [Smart Nature Observatories](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-nature-observatory.md) - [Revolutionary Bird-Watching Devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/revolutionized-smart-nest-box-nest-box-live-has-built-a-device-showing-bird.md) - [AI-Powered Bird Feeder Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-bird-feeders.md) - [Vibrant Bird-Inspired Artful Puzzles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/macar-parrot.md) - [Dual-Camera Birdhouses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/birdfy-nest.md) - [Bird-Inspired Speaker Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/birdinspired-speaker.md) - [AI-Enhanced Bird Baths](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/birdfy-bath-pro.md) - [AI-Powered Bamboo Bird Feeders](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nature-observation-device.md)