Cortically Magnified

Along the River During the Qingming Festival (清明上河圖) is a 12th-century classic Chinese painting depicting the imperial capital on a particularly busy day. Painted on a long scroll, the “panorama” is too wide to be appreciated in its entirity. The viewers are invited to view only a small section of the painting at the time and immerse themselves in the details. I have been interested in duplicating this effect with photography.

During a trip to Tokyo in 2013, I found an opportunity to visit the Akihabara district. This area is world famous for its high concentration of shops selling the latest models of computers, game consoles, gadgets, and other geeky items.

I took these photos for a research project while I was a student at UC San Diego. They are the skull and the brain of the California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi)