# Intense Iris Photography 'Eyescapes' Captures Windows to the Soul as Objects of Beauty By Katie Cordrey | Published 2009-01-09 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eyescapes-eyes-as-art-windows-to-the-soul-photographed-as-objects-of-beauty References: [crookedbrains.net](http://www.crookedbrains.net/2008/12/photo_30.html) & [art-dept](http://www.art-dept.com/artists/rankin/portfolio/specialprojects/eyescapes/portfolio.html) The jewel-like images of Rankin’s 'Eyescapes' cause the viewer to pay attention to the nuance of the human eye. Much as American painter Georgia O’Keefe created super-large flower works in order to get people to pause and *look*, British-born photographer John Rankin Waddell has enlarged and enhanced images of the human eye. The result is captivating. Rankin, co-founder of the style magazine ‘Dazed and Confused’ and the quarterly fashion magazine ‘Rank,’ is well-known for his [portrait photography](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-powered-portrait-studio), especially of famous people. He is, however, an artist of the first degree. When asked if his work is fashionable, he replied, “No--I think the most important thing in photography is that your work survives the test of time.” While [iris scans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/5704-iris) and other techno-savvy forms of ID are exciting news, it’s good to step back, take a breath, and enjoy our collective humanity. In that sense, perhaps the human eye is a portal to the human soul. All photographs © Rankin ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.8/10 - Popularity: 69% | Activity: 97% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Eye Photography:** The rise of artistic eye photography creates opportunities for photographers to showcase the art and beauty of human eyes. - **Macro Eye Photography:** The use of macro photography to capture details of the eyes provides opportunities for more creative and beautiful eye-focused art pieces. - **Soulful Eye Photography:** The emergence of soulful and intense eye photography provides opportunities for artists to display human emotion through the eyes. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Photography:** The trend in eye photography provides opportunities for photographers to create unique and creative eye-focused art pieces. - **Art:** The artistic potential of eye photography creates opportunities for artists to explore new and unique ways to express human emotion and beauty. - **Fashion:** The use of eye-focused art in fashion advertising and marketing creates opportunities for new and creative brand messaging. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Blurry Abstract Photography Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/optical-allusion.md) - [Interactive Colorful Art Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/david-hockney-bigger-closer.md) - [Gem-Like Sculptural Art Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cylindrical-lenses.md) - [Painting-Immersive Photo Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-ground-exhibition.md) - [AI-Generated Poetic Photo Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emilio-alarcn.md) - [Wonderous Art Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/your-psychoacoustic-light-ensemble.md) - [Eclectic Eyewear Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/artsy-eyewear-collection.md) - [Stunning Origami Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/origami-portaits.md) - [Public Art Displays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paul-anthony-smith.md)