A meticulous exploration of constructed imagery, Making Nature by Ruud van Empel scrutinizes the intersection of reality and artifice in representations of the natural world. The work employs a distinctive visual strategy that merges photographic elements with digital manipulation to create images of nature that appear both hyperreal and surreal.

The photobook focuses on themes of perception and human intervention in nature, highlighting how photographic processes can alter and reinterpret the environment. The mood oscillates between familiarity and otherworldliness, prompting reflection on authenticity and the mediation of natural scenes.

Published in 2019 by Museum Belvédère in Heerenveen, the 80-page volume includes detailed visual compositions that challenge conventional documentary photography through van Empel’s unique blend of craftsmanship and digital enhancement.