Lennart Nilsson

I’m very sad to hear that Lennart Nilsson died today. He was a photographer who deeply influenced both the art and science worlds, and was a hero of mine.

Versatile and technically innovative, he was known best for his medical work. In the 1960s he was the first person to photograph a fetus in utero, documenting its entire development from egg to birth. Such images would be amazing just for existing, but the images he created were also incredibly beautiful. They had perfect exposure, sharp detail, and gorgeous composition. His work was as poetic and expressive as it was scientifically groundbreaking.

You’ll be dearly missed, Mr. Nilsson.