At first glance, it’s just a tangle of branches and leaves—but give it a moment, and you might notice something unexpected. Right in the center, the interplay of light and shadow forms what looks like a face, as if the forest itself is watching. It’s subtle, and not everyone sees it right away. That’s what I love about this frame: it rewards patience and quiet looking.
I took this during a walk in the woods where everything felt unusually still. The sun was filtering in gently through the canopy, and I happened to glance up at the right time. The way the light caught on the veins of the oak leaves, the soft backlighting, and the bark’s texture—it all came together like it was staged. But it wasn’t. That’s nature doing what it does best.
This photo has become one I keep coming back to. Maybe it’s the illusion of the face, or maybe it’s just how peaceful it felt in that moment. Either way, it stuck with me.
Welcome to my world of photography. I am Martijn Jebbink, born in the Netherlands and living in Rome.
I grew up in a small town, surrounded by an impressive forest. In that environment I developed my own way of looking at the world. At first, I didn’t see..
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