Nature
I photographed this chrysanthemum at home yesterday. It was originally a bright yellow, but the colour felt a little too intense. Converting it to monochrome helped shift the focus to the textures and layers. Without the distraction of colour, the soft folds of the petals and their natural rhythm became more noticeable. The image took on a quieter, more contemplative feel, just what I was hoping for.
Photographed this morning at home, in natural light.
Using a wide aperture and close focus, I aimed to reduce the flower to texture, tone, and suggestion—less a botanical subject, more an impression. The shallow depth of field allowed the background petals to melt into abstraction, drawing the eye to the quiet details up front. It’s a familiar subject, seen differently through light and distance.
Sometimes, simplicity invites deeper looking.
My wife has been buying sunflower blooms of late to decorate the home… convenient photography subjects! Capturing a few of them together in a photograph can be tricky though (in terms of composition and achieving the right depth of field and focus). I read some online recommendations about using a blue background to complement the bright yellow of the sunflowers. In the end, I made a blue makeshift background out of a yoga mat that we had at home!