Photo How To

This image by photographer Adrian Borda will probably make you do a double take. At first, it may make you think of an ancient Egyptian tomb where, perhaps, King Tut was buried, with shards of light filtering in through precisely filigreed cracks in the ceiling.

On second glance, you will likely recognize those "cracks" as the distinctive, symmetrical f-holes of a violin, which allows the instrument to project sound. When you realize that Borda's image is titled "Inside Violin X," then you may think you've figured it out.

But his photo is actually not shot from inside a violin, it's from inside a 200-year-old cello, and the bigger question still remains: how on earth did he capture this breathtaking image?

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Adrian Borda (@adrian.borda) on May 18, 2018 at 4:23am PDT

On National Geographic's "Your Shot," where we first spotted it, he explains:

"I started a new series of inside instruments, this is a very old French cello made in Napoleon times," Borda says. "I did it with a mirrorless [camera] and a smartphone as a wireless remote, using artificial light and long exposures, around 30 sec. For sure the instrument had quite a life, but only its scars remember it's past now."

Find out more on his Instagram page where he displays his photos and surreal paintings. You can also see more of his work on his 500px page.