There's microscopic details, and very shallow depth of field, so the nut and bolt was drawn through a lens, if not from a macro photograph.
Why isn't the artist visible in the reflections in #6? When Escher drew "hand with reflecting sphere" he drew every detail, including himself.
What is reflected? Is that a Japanese toilet, or ... a go-kart with a bucket seat?
What does the Casio use bluetooth for? (I searched and found out, it just lets you change the time via an app. Turns out you can buy absurdly expensive premium Casios, although they look much the same as cheap ones.)
It's true that you can change the settings via the app, but it also allows for automatic time adjustment, which is nice when you live somewhere where the time signal radio reception can be sketchy. (Australia)
You can also use the "find my phone" feature when it's nearby, which to my surprise I've actually done a few times.
These kinds of drawings are indeed copied from photographs. There is no secret in that. Sometimes an artist uses multiple photos, and adds some personal imagination for details, but sometimes no creativity is added at all.
The skill is mostly in the technique and perseverance.
Note to avoid downvotes: nothing wrong with this, I also do hyperrealistic drawings.
The Instagram video linked in the article looks like he is drawing from the watch sitting on the table. No photograph is visible. That might be intentional though...
A grid is visible in the background of the drawing. Such a grid is used to set up the initial outlines, by copying it from the reference photo with a grid drawn on top of it (typically done in Photoshop). Other artists use a projector to trace.
As another commenter mentioned, the depth of field removes any doubt that a photo is used as a reference.
Picking up and placing back the watch to see details would constantly change the lighting, especially in the details. It is impossible to get such a level of detail by "drawing from nature", even in studio conditions.
It's not a coincidence that paintings only became more realistic after the invention of photography.
Why isn't the artist visible in the reflections in #6? When Escher drew "hand with reflecting sphere" he drew every detail, including himself.
What is reflected? Is that a Japanese toilet, or ... a go-kart with a bucket seat?
What does the Casio use bluetooth for? (I searched and found out, it just lets you change the time via an app. Turns out you can buy absurdly expensive premium Casios, although they look much the same as cheap ones.)