As a nature photographer, I'd like to share my vision and interest in plants and flowers with you in the New Year. Nature lovers feel a certain fascination, something special about Mother Nature! So why not photograph plants and flowers?

Depending on the world to which we belong, our appreciation of plants will be very different. There are a thousand ways of appreciating a plant or a flower! In the world of health care, plants treat, soothe and heal; in the world of war, they can poison and kill; in the world of literature and philosophy, they inspire and symbolise; in the world of art, they embellish and fascinate!

For nature photographers, it's more a question of fascination and curiosity. Capturing their beauty and convey an emotion, an effect 😮!

As Confucius,

A picture is worth a thousand words!

Why photograph plants and flowers?

How many artists, painters and photographers have taken plants and flowers as their subject?

Botanists are fascinated by the therapeutic power behind these shapes and colours, while writers and historians describe the symbolism of flowers (e.g. the Royal Lily), painters and photographers will try to convey a message, a testimony, an emotion, in short a story.

All these very different worlds are linked by plants and flowers. Consciously or unconsciously, plants and flowers connect us all!

Plants have been the talk of the town since ancient times! Aristotle and Plato, in their theoretical reflections, and Hippocrates and Galen in their medical work, wrote extensively on the subject. Plants were the link between the gods, the stars, men and animals.

Probably more novels and poems have been inspired by flowers. Literature is full of comparisons between women, love, flowers and their scents. Perhaps this is why we give flowers to show our emotions and our love for someone?

So it's only natural that nature photographers should be drawn to plants and flowers. Depending on the message to be conveyed and whatever the period, drawing, painting and images are a means of transmission, communication and, ultimately, a (human?) necessity..

Whether used to illustrate botanical works, as a means of expression for artists, or for advertising and commercial communication, the messages are different, but all conveyed through images.

A single image can convey a lot of information. These days, photography is everywhere, and in my opinion photographic art is the language of the message!

I invite you to visit the websites of photographers such as Susanne Saroff, James Nelson, Mona Kuhn, Doan Ly who will use plants and flowers in their communications. Each artist has his or her own style and message.

Why and how should you choose particular plants or flowers?

Flowers and plants have been subjects of curiosity and philosophy since Antiquity. Whether therapeutic, spiritual or artistic.

Since the dawn of time, flowers and plants have been imbued with symbolism, value and emotion. Take, for example, the Lily (or, more accurately, the Iris), the symbol of royalty. It is said to be the first symbol of the Frankish kings, dating back to the 9th century, following a battle won by Clovis against the Visigoths on the banks of a river lined with yellow irises.

This flower alone is a symbol of French royalty, but it also has religious connotations of purity, love and fertility.

What's more, the iris was used by the Greeks and Egyptians to signify wisdom, confidence, hope and courage. One flower alone can convey a whole host of messages, and this continues to this day!

Another example: the immortelle, or helicrysum, symbolises immortality, because it is very resistant and does not wither, or only with great difficulty. It therefore represents constancy, endless love, glory and eternity, thanks to its golden yellow colour, like the rays of the sun.

Immortelle, or Helichrysum

How do you get your message across?

I would simply say that anything is possible! You are the artistIt's up to you to decide what message you want to get across! It's an expression of your inner emotions!

However, I would advise you to set out the adjectives and emotions of your message beforehand.

As explained above, if it's a commercial and advertising message, that doesn't mean you can't be artistic (quite the opposite) but the message will be imposed. Visit theErik Almås on the subject. So it will be up to you and your technical baggage to express this message.

If it's more in the spirit of a botanical illustration, why not a slightly aged, textured look?

If it's purely artistic and your personal expression, you're totally free 😎.

Tips for photographing plants and flowers

Here are a few ideas, tips and advice on how I photograph plants and flowers.

Try to get as close as possible to your subject! When you're low-angle, you'll tend to crush your subject a little, and when you're low-angle, you'll dominate it (the wisteria opposite). It's up to you to choose the effect you want.

Wait until the right time of day if you're shooting outdoors, so that the light isn't too harsh, resulting in too much contrast. If you're in a studio, you have complete control over your lighting. Remember, light is everything in photography!

Morning or evening can give you a warmer, more golden light (the ivy opposite), or bluish light. Cloudy weather will diffuse the light without casting harsh shadows.

Think about your background - it's not always easy outdoors! If you're shooting indoors or in a studio, you can control the background and the bokeh, but outdoors it's not that easy. Personally, I use a Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro lens, and I'm quite happy with it. The quality of its bokeh is quite good.

Talking of macro shots, I think it's fun to take close-ups sometimes - some plants or flowers aren't particularly pretty as a whole, but their details can be intriguing! (example of Sempervivum opposite).

One of the great things about photographing plants and flowers is being able to capture these little creatures in action on the subject (butterflies, bees, etc.).