Most of my photos this week are of flowers. I’ve been photographing flowers since I was first given a digital camera for Christmas in 2007. Until this very moment, I’ve never stopped to think about why. What drew me to flowers in the first place? What keeps drawing me back?
I tend to photograph single flowers – one type rather than bouquets. Have you noticed that? More often than not, it’s one bloom, or several of the same kind. That’s something I’ve never really thought about either.
So I just set myself a small thinking challenge: why do I love to photograph flowers?
Partly it’s their fragility, and also their complexity, their personality, and their vibrancy, allowing for endless possibilities.
Partly it’s the challenge they offer. How can I be intentional with something so fragile and complex? What am I trying to say when I photograph this flower, this time?
Each photo becomes an experiment in seeing differently. How can I play with light, location, composition, depth of field? What happens if I shift my focus – literally or figuratively?
And flowers are everywhere, especially at this time of year. They don’t need bookings or studios or expensive gear. They don’t require complicated set-ups, though there’s no shortage of creative problem-solving along the way. Do I show the vase, and if so, how much of it? How close/far-away from the lens do I want the flowers to be? Do I want all of the flower lit or will there be shadows – and if so, which bits will be in shadow? Which parts do I want in focus – the middle, the edges of the petals, all of it? Do I want them to bend in a particular way? How will I hold them still/in position?
So many decisions!
Photographing flowers gives me space to develop technically and creatively. It’s a way to find my sense of what feels like me. I love the clean precision of a focus-stacked image where every petal is sharp – well, I do when other people create those sorts of images – but I also love the dreamy, soft-edged, not everything’s in focus look.
I’ve also noticed that the flowers I photograph at home have a different intentionality, process, and style than the flowers I shoot in a garden. At home, I can control light, composition, and background – it’s quieter, more deliberate, almost meditative. In a garden, there’s a sense of discovery and spontaneity: the light changes constantly, a breeze spings up just as I press the shutter button, I’m always tucking other plants/leaves/buds out of the way. The process is more about responding than arranging. They each have their own rhythm, and their own way of reflecting how I see the world.
Anyway, here are some of my flower photos from this week.
Tulips (Forest Glade Garden, Mt Macedon)
Daffodils (Forest Glade)
Getting up close (Forest Glade)
Mini gerberas at home
Musings from the cold 