Thank you for visiting our website - here is a more in-depth description of the stones and process.

Ultimately it is art in nature that we have the pleasure of recording and sharing in many ways.

Most of the stones are Agates – these are semi-precious layered crystals that are found in a variety of
colors. They have been used for thousands of years as ornamental stones and have beautiful natural
patterns. In raw form they appear like any other common stone – one needs to cut and shape them to
discover the beauty within.

My Grandfather, Ed Droste, was an educator and a lapidarist. Lapidary is the cutting, shaping and
polishing of stones to create jewelry and works of art. The photos are of Agates, Malachite, and Jasper
stones he either found in South Texas or purchased in raw form. He then cut and polished them to bring
out their beauty.

For the photos I use either a standard camera with a close-up lens or a digital microscope. I work with
the lighting – often using five lights for each photo – to create the best composition. Some of the photos
are of the same stone but illuminated on the surface – or through the stone – for vastly different effects.