Lately I have enjoyed creating and sharing several “Floral Portraits.” In fact, the latest of these, Peppermint Camellia, is below. But what is a “Floral Portrait”?

In one sense, Floral Portraits is simply the name of an ongoing series of images I am in the process of creating. In another sense, a more personal sense, they are floral photographs that have been transformed, using portrait-style post-processing techniques, into portraits of flowers.

How did that come about? Well, I have been exploring portrait photography, both using natural light, and using off-camera flash, and experimenting with various post-processing techniques to achieve a look that I enjoy. I had been making images of orchids and other flowers, in color and in b&w, that were presented with a solid black background. I really liked that look, but suddenly wondered how they would look with a background that evoked the idea of a portrait. From that was born the series, Floral Portraits.

So, from a recent visit to the Norfolk Botanical Garden, this is Peppermint Camellia, the newest Floral Portrait.

You can see more of the Floral Portraits series in their gallery.