As professional florists, we know a thing or two about designing and presenting gorgeous blooms and floral works of art. We also know about all the sweat, smiles and hard work that it takes to make such pieces. But one of the most important steps in showcasing floral art and arrangements is also one of the most overlooked— the actual photography!
Lighting, aperture, shutter speed, the elements, photography equipment— there are plenty of factors to consider and skills to master when it comes to floral and nature photography. We deeply respect and admire these world-renowned floral photographers for their uplifting, inspirational, and thought-provoking work.
Echeveria flower by Alan Shapiro
When New York City, NY-based Alan Shapiro picked up the camera as a creative reprieve from his role as Chief Creative Officer at the largest advertising agency network in the world, he never thought it would turn into a daily, award-winning hobby. After just one look at his effortlessly stylised images and portfolio, the joy Alan gets from his daily “creative exercise regimen” is quite clear. His eye for finding unique, powerful subjects can be attributed, for one, to his extreme patience. Do yourself a favour and get lost for a few hours in Alan’s blog, Moments of Truth, where even his self-proclaimed “bad” pictures are still amazing. It isn’t easy waiting for just that moment when a flower begins to open or when a bloom enters its fullest expression, but the results are more than worthwhile. Fiery and whimsical, Alan’s floral photos seem to drip with colours, especially in his Trippin’ in the Garden on Miracle-Gro collection, in which the above-pictured Echeveria flower can be found. You’d think someone like Alan is busy in his multiple roles, but, while that may be true, he is readily available to work on a wide scope of projects.
You can see more of Alan Shapiro’s work at alanshapirophotography.com and the following social media:
Daisy flowers by Amanda Kleinman
Based out of Washington D.C., Amanda Kleinman isn’t the average floral photographer. Amanda holds degrees in special education and hearing and speech science, is an active member of D.C.’s thriving arts and music community, is an undergraduate academic advisor at George Washington University’s Corcoran School of Art and she also plays keyboards in electronic rock trio Heavy Breathing. But it’s her work with garden and nocturnal photography that secured Amanda a place on our list. Amanda’s work revolves around the D.C. community and frequently features neighbourhoods, parks, and historically significant subjects. Using film and photography, Amanda captures quiet moments and striking scenes that tell a story or celebrate the beauty of her surroundings. Amanda was a finalist in International Garden Photographer of the Year Competition 8, first place in International Garden Photographer of the Year Competition 9 and is currently working on one project with the U.S. National Arboretum, U.S. Botanic Gardens, and the D.C. Wildlife Plan to document threatened flora and fauna, native plants, threatened wildlife and critical ecosystems within Washington D.C. Also in the works is a collection of photos cataloguing the different night gardens and landscapes of the Washington metro area.
You can see more of Amanda Kleinman’s work at amandakleinman.com and the following social media:
Anemone flower by Andrea Gulickx
Self-taught creative and nature photographer Andrea Gulickx has taken it upon herself to become the voice of nature, using macro photography and a trademark soft, dreamy focus. Her magical looking backgrounds become painted with light and colours in a style that hearkens to the famous painter Georgia O’Keefe, whom Andrea quotes on her website. Andrea approaches her work with an open mind, no plans, and a deep passion for nature, which she shares on her website and social media profiles. In addition to regularly posting her work and writing about her travels, Andrea offers a weekly inspirational quote and image on her Facebook page that are also available for purchase on her site. Andrea also offers workshops for both beginner and advanced photographers focusing on macro photography, as well as custom one-on-one workshops and special seasonal events.
You can see more of Andrea Gulickx’s work at andreagulickx-photography.com and the following social media:
Poppy Flower by Carole Reboul
French author and wildlife photographer, Carole Reboul, always carried a camera with her wherever she went, but it wasn’t until 2009 when Carole became serious about her hobby and turned it into a profession. She is currently under contract with the creative and photography agencies Nature Images and Pixee Lane. Carole also frequently participates in photography festivals in her native France and abroad. Her passions include shooting in natural light and finding unsuspected details in her macro photography subjects. Carole’s images are exquisite, resembling paintings more than photographs. She approaches floral photography as she would portraiture— thinking of a flower as a person and taking time to fully understand its surroundings and discover the best angle or side. Her shots of harsh, tortured landscapes are meant to inspire feelings of humility, fragility, and awe. Indeed Carole prefers photographing great wilderness and desert scenes, naming Spain, Iceland, and the Cévennes as locations she’d like to visit.
You can see more of Carole Reboul’s work at carolereboul.fr and the following social media:
Musk Thistle flower by Carol Sharp
Carol Sharp’s commercial photography does a fantastic job at blurring the line between fine art and nature, landing her a multitude of commissions by such companies as Twining’s, Sainsbury’s, Proctor & Gamble, M&S, and Yardley (to name just a few). In fact, her reputation as one of Britain’s top floral photographers led to Carol directing television commercials for the Hampton Court Place and Tatton Park garden shows. Renowned for her lyrical compositions, Carol’s award-winning work can be found gracing stamps, featured in curated online exhibitions, and in her massive Flowerphotos archive. The goal of Carol’s imagery and art is to convey moods and explore concepts, no matter how brief or comprehensive the project. The Musk Thistle, pictured above, is part of Carol’s Connected series, which uses shapes and patterns to delve into quantum physics and the idea that everything is interconnected and intertwined, nature included.
You can see more of Carol Sharp’s work at carolsharp.co.uk and the following social media:
Tulip field by Chris Herring
Full-time landscape photographer and workshop leader Chris Herring works almost exclusively in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, East Anglia, and other parts of the British Isles— however looking at Chris’ portfolio, one would never be able to guess. Shooting during the golden hours of sunrise and sunset, Chris’ work beautifully captures the duplicitous landscape of Britain. He especially enjoys painting with light and playing with shadows in his work, using a self-proclaimed style of landscape photography with the goal of shooting “bright, vibrant pictures that inspire.” In addition to his extensive landscape work, Chris also accepts commercial, corporate, and PR photography commissions from around the globe. Chris’ work can also be seen in some of the UK’s leading photography magazines, in calendars, and are available to purchase for commercial reproduction from his personal collection of more than 30,000 images. Chris has also authored and provided images for four books and plans on publishing his fifth in 2017.
You can see more of Chris Herring’s work at theuklandscape.com and the following social media:
Glory Bush Flower by Chris Jiménez
Magnificent Hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens) drinking nectar from a Glory Bush flower (Tibouchina urvilleana) at San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica.
Chris is a self-taught wildlife photographer who specialises in bird and action shots. His work has gained high levels of recognition, especially when you consider that he has been a serious photographer for just seven years. Chris’ goal with his work is to “inspire people to celebrate and conserve the natural wonders of our planet,” and his work simply pops with colour and energy. Chris works in his home country of Costa Rica, and his images can be found published in Oxford University textbooks, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute materials, national newspapers, Oecologia, The Peterson Reference Guide to Owls of North America and the Caribbean, National Geographic Complete Birds of North America, and more. Chris’ portfolio includes gorgeous images ranging from landscapes and nighttime action shots to rare extreme close-ups and breathtaking scenes of starry Costa Rican night skies. Prints of Chris’ work are available for purchase online.
You can see more of Chris Jiménez’s work at chrisjimenez.net and the following social media:
Narcissus flower by Cristiana Damiano
Cristiana Damiano’s passion for nature can be attributed to her grandparents, who introduced her to numerous documentaries and nature appreciation films throughout her youth in Italy. Cristiana didn’t translate her love for the outdoors to photography until 2010, travelling far and wide to find beautiful, secluded treasures that oftentimes go unnoticed by the average person. She always takes care to put ethics first before shooting, making sure to leave nothing behind but footprints. Cristiana’s trademark style is to showcase what can be found “around the corner” from one’s home, to inspire respect for the environment and appreciation for the everyday— what she calls “stolen moments”. Cristiana participates in exhibitions and competitions whenever possible, and has been a member of the Italian Association of Nature Photographers (AFNI) since 2013. If you aren’t able to catch one of Cristiana’s exhibitions, she regularly blogs and posts images on her website in the Latest Work category.
You can see more of Cristiana Damiano’s work at cristianadamiano.com and the following social media:
Iris flowers by Crystal Brindle
As a photographer, Crystal seeks to capture grand, natural spectacles as a way of connecting the human spirit with protected landscapes: mainly national parks and other conservation lands. As a ranger for the National Park Service in the United States and the Department of Conservation in New Zealand, Crystal has travelled all around the world’s backcountry and parks. Her photos are taken as proof that protected landscapes have a place in the human experience, solely for their intrinsic worth. Although her work is varied and includes elements of the wide spectrum of nature photography, it is defined by a focus on mountain landscapes in the South Island of New Zealand. Crystal pursues wilderness on the terms of the land with a keen sense of wonder and a taste for adventure. Scroll through her portfolio to feel an instant sense of adventure and follow her social media profiles to see shots from her latest adventures.
You can see more of Crystal Brindle’s work at inpursuitofthewild.com and the following social media:
Rose Flower by Denise Ippolito
New Jersey-based Denise Ippolito is a true artist who combined her passion for wildlife and love of nature with photography to inspire others. Her work as a full-time photographer has earned her numerous awards such as: “Birds” Category Winner in the prestigious Nature’s Best 2016 Windland Smith Rice International Awards Competition; the “Art in Nature” Category Winner of the 2015 Windland Smith Rice International Awards Competition; numerous awards from the Photographic Society of America; and selection as part of the People’s Choice Awards Top 50 Images in BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition. Her artistic designs and creative filter use transports viewers into the image and inspires creativity in other photographers. The macro close-ups of roses and flowers are reminiscent of O’Keefe and saturated with colours. In addition to her award-winning photography, Denise holds workshops, gives seminars, teaches advanced photography and Photoshop, and authors eBooks. As if Denise wasn’t busy enough, she also runs her own website where she writes blogs about a plethora of subjects from blending exposures and photography tips, to her family and exciting adventures.
You can see more of Denise Ippolito’s work at www.deniseippolito.com and the following social media:
Bald Island Marlock flowers by Esther Beaton
This small mallee-type tree grows only along the southern coast and islands of Western Australia near Two Peoples Bay and Esperance. Once reserved for viewing by the hardiest outback traveller, stems can now can be bought at florists between August and November and displayed as cut flowers. The flower is magnificent in all its stages. The slim green finger-like buds are in the shape of sputniks. After a couple of weeks, the caps fall off to reveal the spectacular bursts of bright green flowers. Once the nuts or cones have formed, they can be used in dried flower arrangements.
Hungarian-born Esther Beaton is an award winning, highly revered Australian wildlife and nature photographer. Esther’s 30+ -year career began when she moved from the USA to Australia. Starting out as a corporate photographer, she quickly turned to nature and wildlife photography. “I have never found a more inspiring country for nature photography,” said Esther “Australia is a nature lover’s paradise and a photographer’s dream.” In addition, her work in Australian Geographic, Esther’s work has also been featured in such publications as National Geographic, Time Magazine, The New York Times, and even on Hallmark cards— not to mention television appearances. Esther’s style is predominantly photojournalism, and her meticulous methodology and penchant for perfection has won numerous awards for excellence. When she isn’t on assignment, giving presentations for camera clubs and environmental organisations, or trekking the continent for that next unique subject Esther can be found writing on her website, judging photography competitions and leading groups of photographers on daylong safari adventures.
You can see more of Esther Beaton’s work at estherbeaton.com and the following social media:
Adders-tongue by Gregory Pozhvanov
“Erythronium in the wilds of space-time” (Эритроний в дебрях пространства-времени)
Gregory explains a little bit about the above-pictured adder’s-tongue flower: Spring in the Mountains of Caucasus is a bright and very dynamic season. While the snow is thawing, snowdrop flowers appear above it, and other primrose species impatiently follow. When you step down on a knee, you feel admiration for these graceful adder’s-tongue flowers. They silently explode like a white flock through last year’s grass together with a few subtle, fresh stalks. The flowers become truly lost in the spring turbulence of space-time. To further underline this, I waited for an interesting angle of light and made the picture using a vintage triplet lens from post-war Germany. These Erythronium caucasicum species are endangered plants and belong to The Red Book. However, adder’s-tongue flowers may appear locally abundant in places that are unfavourable for agriculture and other human activities, such as these thorny thickets along a mountain slope.
Gregory A. Pozhvanov, Ph.D., is a true outdoorsman. He’s also a biologist, Adobe Certified Associate, and contender in the Golden Turtle, Global Arctic Awards and National Geographic Russia photography contests in which he was a finalist. Specialising in flora macro photography and nature landscape photography, Gregory works in and around his St. Petersburg, Russia home base. Gregory’s images are exquisitely detailed whether capturing the minute detail of a Glasswing butterfly or the vast beauty of a storm cresting the mountains. He works in the Belogorie Nature Reserve, travels to Ladoga Lake, shoots the skerries of Karelia, and mountains of North Russia above the Arctic Circle. Gregory additionally teaches macro photography and organises photo expeditions in Russia.
You can see more of Gregory Pozhvanov’s work at pozhvanov.com and the following social media:
Cup and Saucer flower by Heather Angel
With 60 published books under her belt the world-renowned wildlife photographer, Heather Angel is a prolific writer, to say the least. Her latest, Pollination Power, is a visual insight as to how flowers attract their pollinators and the rewards they provide. Heather has received numerous awards in the UK and overseas for both her photography and “contribution to the advancement of nature photography through her books, teaching, exhibition work and encouragement of other nature photographers.” Heather’s passion was for the natural world, not photography, at least not at first. After working as a marine biologist, Heather decided to switch and become a wildlife photographer. She enjoys tackling projects of any size, anywhere in the world and runs macro workshops. Her goal is to encapsulate the environment, behaviour, or atmosphere of her subjects within a single frame. The dedication to her work and lengths to which Heather will go are admirable, if not overwhelming. She is never afraid to get her hands dirty and constantly traverses the globe in search of memorable pictures. Heather has made 32 trips to China alone and even gained rare shots of pandas frolicking in the snow. Heather manages her own stock library, Natural Visions.
A peek inside how Heather created the above image: Bats pollinate the deep bell-shaped flower of the cup and saucer plant (Cobaea scandens) that originates from Mexico, where it flowers year-round. The exquisite flower opens as a pale green bell, gradually changing to a deep purple inside. In a tropical garden, Heather tried to get the three-dimensional Cobaea flower all in focus by stopping down the lens. Years later, she nurtured two plants in her conservatory until the first flowers appeared in late summer. By this time, she had taken focus stacks of highly 3-D flowers to gain enhanced depth of field. Similar to a CT scan, the technique involves taking many ‘focus slices’ and blending them together using Zerene Stacker software, so all parts appear sharp. To capture this image with a nectar drop on the lowest petal required 52 frames.
You can see more of Heather Angel’s work at heatherangelphotography.co.uk and the following social media:
Astrantia flower by Jacky Parker
Jacky Parker is a UK-based floral art photographer living in Iver, Buckinghamshire, England. Jacky’s pieces have an inner glow and exude airs of grandeur, despite the tiny size of her floral subjects. Her pieces are soft, romantic, and unapologetically feminine, sometimes featuring a ladybug and other times styled to highlight the near microscopic texture of the flower. Soft pastels and bold bright colours can be found throughout Jacky’s portfolio, perfect inspiration for brides-to-be everywhere. Jacky was named the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Photographer of the Year in 2008, won first place in the Macro Art category of the International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) Competition in 2012, first in the Wildlife category and second in the Plant portrait category of the RHS Photographic competition in 2012.
You can see more of Jacky Parker’s work at jackyparker.com and the following social media:
Sundew flower by Jennie Stock
Jennie Stock caught the photography bug soon after purchasing her first DSLR in the early 2010s on a trip to visit her native South Africa, but her reverence for and love of nature and birds began at a very young age. Jennie’s father was an amateur wildlife photographer and she would frequently accompany him on shoots and to photographic competitions in her youth. It’s easy to see Jennie’s reverence for wildlife, birds in particular, throughout her body of work and it comes as no surprise to learn that Jennie studied zoology at University. The incredibly unique and beautiful scenery in Cape Town continued to inspire Jennie, who now lives in Perth, Western Australia, with her botanist husband. Using her surroundings as continual inspiration (along with frequent birding trips), Jennie continues to be an active member of her local photography club and competes whenever she can, recently winning the Open Mono Print category of her club’s annual year-end competition and being voted Member’s Choice Photographer of the Year for 2016. One of Jennie’s goals for the future is to place in the prestigious Perth Royal Show, held each year at the Claremont Showgrounds in Western Australia.
You can see more of Jennie Stock’s work at jenniestock.com and the following social media:
Astrantia flower by Judith Borremans
The nature and wildlife photography of award-winning Dutch photographer Judith Borremans is, in one word, incredible. The tiny critters look like stuffed animals waiting to be plucked from their frames and given a good squeeze. Minute petals and the tiniest of stamens are made to be stars of the show. Brightly coloured hummingbirds diving into the water and catching meals of minnows seem perfectly frozen in time. Judith’s love and reverence for nature is apparent in her work and some of her favourite subjects to shoot include mushrooms, dragonflies, flowers, and butterflies. Living in Dordrecht, Holland, there is no shortage of natural beauty and Judith takes advantage of her surroundings by leading photo tours, organising workshops, and writing on her website and various professional publications online.
You can see more of Judith Borremans’ work at judithborremans.com and the following social media:
Sturt Desert Pea Flowers by Julie Fletcher
Australian native Julie Fletcher’s passion, honesty, and huge sense of humour come through loud and clear in her body of work. Julie goes to great lengths for her work, many times trekking alone to photograph remarkable scenes of animals, flora, and the Dali-like landscape of the Outback. A free spirit who isn’t intimidated by the wilderness, Julie takes a fresh, unique approach to her subjects— sometimes travelling hundreds of kilometres away on a moment’s notice to capture a shot. Julie enjoys competing, with a win in the 2013 National Geographic Nature Photography competition and she was recently named the ANZANG 2016 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year winner in two categories. When she isn’t off hunting for the next awesome image, Julie can be found running photo tours, leading workshops, writing on her blog, and maybe relaxing in her Marree home.
You can see more of Julie Fletcher’s work at Julie Fletcher website and the following social media:
Poppy Flowers by Justin Minns
The East Anglian landscape photography of Justin Minns has been extensively published in everything from books and journals to magazines, textbooks, and even jigsaw puzzles. Justin’s driving passion is to capture special moments, whether that involves patiently waiting for the last rays of sunlight to scatter over the windswept dunes on a windy beach or encapsulating the bold, fragile beauty of the season’s first poppies as they stand proudly in the golden morning light. His images are eerie and at times otherworldly, especially his black and white long-exposure shots of beached ships from days gone by. In addition to his landscape photography, Justin keeps busy by speaking at photographic societies, running landscape workshops, writing on his blog and website, and taking part in competitions. Justin recently had two of his images commended in the UK’s 2016 Landscape Photographer of the Year competition. Many of Justin’s prints are available for purchase as fine art prints or canvas wraps in a range of sizes on his website.
You can see more of Justin Minns’ work at justinminns.co.uk and the following social media:
Teatree flowers by Kah Kit Yoong
The theory behind Melbourne-based Kah Kit Yoong’s nature and landscape photography is simple: to capture moods created by the transformative light that appears just twice each day. This fleeting window of time, called The Magic Hour or sometimes The Golden Hour, is a highly coveted aesthetic cinematographers and photographers use to describe the “perfect” time for filming magical or romantic scenes. The Magic Hour occurs at sunset and sunrise, producing a unique quality of light when the cool, blue night light plays off of the warmer tones of the day. Simple in theory and complex in execution, Kah Kit’s travelscapes are truly breathtaking. It’s hard to believe that Kah Kit has been photographing nature and landscapes for just 7 years, but easy to see why he’s earned nearly two-dozen awards for his work including the prestigious Veolia/BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Windland Smith Rice Awards. In addition to travelling around the world photographing and blogging, Kah Kit runs workshops in Australia, New Zealand, Paris, and during the Venice Carnevale, and serves as Landscape Gallery Moderator for the online publication, Nature Photographer Magazine.
You can see more of Kah Kit Yoong’s work at magichourtravelscapes.com and the following social media:
Nigella flower by Kitty Clark
Kitty Clark was a born tomboy who grew up with a camera seemingly strapped to her hand. Kitty specialises in nature, wildlife, and macro photography. She holds a degree in wildlife photography and a master’s degree in photography from Blackpool and The Fylde College in the UK, where she later taught photography for five years before teaming up with her husband Ken and his natural history photography company (Wolfshead Photographic) in 2012. Kitty’s wildlife and floral photography has a certain panache as if it could have come straight from the pages of a fairy tale book. When she isn’t working with her husband, Kitty can be found leading individual and group workshops lasting one day, full weekends or longer, and is a regular at local Craft & Gift fairs, which are listed on her website.
You can see more of Kitty Clark’s work at femalenaturephotography.com and the following social media:
Flax flower by Kristel Schneider
Kristel Schneider’s journey into nature and landscape photography began in 2007 when the Dutch native moved to Auvergne, France. Letting her passion for photography guide her, Kristel’s portfolio contains a variety of commissioned work, beautiful stock imagery, intricately detailed floral photos, and fine art prints. Kristel also leads year-round tours for photographers of all skill levels focusing on technique, creative compositions, movement, macro, and close-up photography. In her limited free time, Kristel can be found at expositions throughout France, Belgium, and Italy, and lecturing at various photography festivals and professional events. Kristel’s tree photos and nature photos have also been extensively published in books, multiple European, French national and trade publications. With such colourful, bubbly, and detailed work it’s easy to see why Kristel is quickly rising in the ranks of the world’s best nature photographers.
You can see more of Kristel Schneider’s work at kristelschneiderphotography.com and the following social media:
Lady’s Slipper Orchid Flowers by Luka Esenko
Globetrotting Luka Esenko’s award winning landscape and travel photography has brought him to more than 50 countries across the world, led to collaborations with world-renowned photographers, been featured in National Geographic and other photography and travel magazines, and has earned him the reputation as Slovenia’s top landscape photographer. One would think that Luka has done enough to last two lifetimes, but he is nowhere near stopping. In addition to hitting more countries on his “must see” list; Luka established his own photography tour company, holds on-location photo workshops, writes on his website, and still finds plenty of time to spend with his partner Neja and their son Brin (usually on-location). One of Luka’s latest projects is a photography location-finding app called SNAPP Guides, a collection of quality destination guides for photographers to visit and capture incredible shots.
The Lady’s Slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus) was once a common site growing wild throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia. Unfortunately, it’s no longer seen in the UK and becoming rare in Europe. Luka found the above Lady’s slippers growing in the Kot Valley, Slovenia.
You can see more of Luka Esenko’s work at lukaesenko.com and the following social media:
Canola field by Luke Austin
Australian-born photographer Luke Austin creates more than beautiful landscape and nature photography — he creates soulscapes. Luke is happiest when wandering the vast wilderness, camera equipment in tow, searching for fresh perspectives and new landscapes to share. In addition to travelling across North America, New Zealand and Australia, Luke offers a variety of group and one-on-one sessions for budding photographers, as well as leads photo tours and hosts workshops that tackle every aspect of landscape photography from setting the scene to properly developing and processing the image. For those who live on the other side of Australia, or in different countries altogether, Luke provides online photography tutelage via Skype or Google+, and blogs regularly.
You can see more of Luke Austin’s work at lukeaustinphotography.com and the following social media:
Lavender flower Field by Luke Tscharke
Luke Tscharke may somewhat of a newer photographer, but he’s taking the profession by storm. Luke was named the AIPP 2016 Emerging Photographer of the Year and has multiple wins under his belt— about 30 in just three years. Luke’s work can be found in numerous national magazines and publications, and he also participates in exhibitions and offers group workshops as well as private tutelage. His fascination with the natural environment and love of bushwalking are perhaps most responsible for the imagery Luke produces. Some of his images are so striking it’s hard to believe they’re real. His quest to photograph beautiful, natural landscapes and images has taken Luke all over Australia and to different parts of the world, but Luke names Tasmania as his favourite location in which to shoot. If you aren’t able to attend one of Luke’s workshops or if you live on the other side of the globe, you can keep up with his adventures on Luke’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
You can see more of Luke Tscharke’s work at luketscharke.com and the following social media:
Blue Poppy flower by Manuela Zine
Manuela Zine is a flower photographer based in Innsbruck, Austria. Fascinated with the wide variety of colours, shapes, and patterns in nature, Manuela likes to use her macro lens to observe and capture exciting details of flowers and plants that are not usually seen. She loves to focus on the lifecycle of plants, taking images of flowers as they begin to grow, illustrating the flowers’ transformation as they begin to bloom and fully open, and later as they die at the end of their lifecycle. In 2016, Manuela was awarded third place in the category “The Beauty of Plants” of the International Garden Photographer of the Year Competition. Manuela shares her knowledge in individual courses, workshops and regularly exhibits her photos in Austria and abroad.
You can see more of Manuela Zine’s work at manuela-zine.at and the following social media:
Poppy Flowers by Mark Hamblin
Mark Hamblin’s stunning wildlife and landscape photography is just one result of more than 12 years living in and exploring the Scottish Highlands. He also offers guided photo tours, rents his nature hides to fellow photographers, and writes extensively on his website offering tips, tricks and stories from the field. Mark has enjoyed the opportunity of contributing to some of Britain’s top wildlife and photography magazines, and a number of his images are represented in international photographic agencies like Getty Images, Nature in Stock, Nature Picture Library, and RSPB Images. Mark cares deeply for conservation and recently partnered with other like-minded photographers to create the Wild Media Foundation. Mark serves as director of the foundation, and its goal is to use thought-provoking imagery to raise awareness about environmental issues. One of the foundation’s recent projects, titled the 2020VISION book, was so successful that it was followed by a series of theatre shows and exhibits across the UK.
You can see more of Mark Hamblin’s work at markhamblin.com and the following social media:
Wollybutt Flowers by Nick Rains
Master Photographer of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography and Principal Instructor at Leica Akademie Nick Rains has a deep commitment to his craft and to helping other “committed enthusiasts” take the photos of their dreams in faraway locations across the globe. Nick, an accomplished professional with double degrees in zoology and photography, has been featured in such prestigious publications as Australian Geographic, Reader’s Digest, Sports Illustrated, and more. He was named Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) Queensland Landscape Photographer of the Year in 2009 and 2010 and was named Australian Geographic Photographer of the Year in 2002. Nick’s work perfectly captures the essence of his subjects, immediately transporting the viewer to exotic locales and mysterious cultures. Nick also holds workshops, photography master classes, leads group photography tours around the world, and still finds time to teach at the Leica Akademie. Check out Nick’s website for training videos, event details, and a gem of a blog where Nick offers tips, equipment and technique reviews, and stories from his travels.
You can see more of Nick Rains’ work at nickrains.com and the following social media:
Poppy Field by Ollie Taylor
Ollie Taylor has earned himself the reputation of a stellar international landscape, nightscape, and astrophotography freelancer over the course of his career. Ollie’s work can be found on his website, stock and, and numerous local and national newspapers. Ollie’s work has taken him across the UK and Europe in search of the most striking landscapes and scenes. Ollie holds a degree in architectural design, as well as a degree in photography, and can be found holding photography workshops and competing in various national and international events. Ollie won the “Velux Lovers of Light” 2015 international competition, has had his work shortlisted 2014-2016 inclusive for the “Outdoor Photographer of the Year” competition, and received commendations for his work in the 2015 “International Garden Photographer of the Year” competition. When he isn’t travelling the world looking for his next shot, Ollie can be found living in his Dorset home and fulfilling his role as brand ambassador for British watch company, Nite Watches
Taylor shares a bit about the above image: The faint glow of the Aurora borealis, the Milky Way, and Andromeda galaxy is the largest star; the reason this image is quite special to me is that this northern lights display was shot in Dorset, on the south coast of England. It’s very, very rare for them to be photographed this far south. However, the flowers are opium poppies, grown for pharmaceutical purposes
You can see more of Ollie Taylor’s work at www.ollietaylorphotography.com and the following social media:
Paul Arnold
Australian landscape photographer Paul Arnold has been travelling the country for more than 26 years, searching for one-of-a-kind images found nowhere else on earth. His technique, which has been carefully honed over the course of his career, produces high-quality images of the Northern Territory and remote Outback. Each of Paul’s images has a special story that goes with it and is the product of many work hours. Paul will sometimes spend weeks, even months, studying a location before deeming it worthy to shoot and unpacking his camera—everything has to be perfect. The results of Paul’s painstaking efforts are phenomenal, to say the least. His landscapes are rich and almost surreal, the colours simply serene. Paul’s images can be purchased online and are also featured in books, photographic souvenirs, and an annual calendar that’s become a tradition. Be sure to sign up for Paul’s newsletter and check out the blog where he dishes on travels, shares his knowledge, offers professional tips, reviews equipment, and even shares custom desktop and mobile wallpapers featuring his images.
Paul tells us that the Lotus Lily only flower for four days, they are a challenge.
Trying to find the right one, in the right light and with good structure can take days.
The Lotus lilies also grow where crocodiles live, so using a boat that is close to the water is the best option. Paul also mentions that he would rather the challenge of a wildflower than one in a garden where you can get the shot safely.
You can see more of Paul Arnold’s work at paularnold.com.au and the following social media:
Prairie Crocus flowers by Robert Berdan
Dr. Berdan is a proud Canadian, published author and talented photographer who specialises in science, art, landscape and nature photography in and around Canada. His absolute favourite subjects to photograph are the Aurora Borealis (we can’t blame him!), landscapes, macro, and micro-subjects. A self-described Type-A personality, Robert has been practising and elevating his craft for more than 45 years. Robert is currently working on a book to be titled, “The Art of Canadian Nature Photography – Scenic Vistas and Wildlife,” with hopes of publishing it this year, in time for Canada’s 150th birthday. Robert also runs canadiannaturephotographer.com, a website resource designed for nature lovers and photographers. It offers tutorials, articles, free online courses, videos, and plenty of content written by Robert himself. While Canada serves as his stomping grounds, Robert would love to explore the Arctic, Yukon, West Coast, and Newfoundland next.
You can see more of Robert Berdan’s work at scienceandart.org and the following social media:
Kangaroo Paw Flower by Rob Gray
Next on our list comes a true Renaissance man— Rob Gray. In the past, Rob designed hardware and embedded systems, worked on high-level fuzzy-logic code, wrote PC applications, worked as a darkroom tech and commercial photographer, was named ACT Inventor of the Year, and even had a product on the market! In 2001, Rob and his wife retired and decided to spend life on the road in Australia’s largest and wackiest off-road motorhome lovingly named the “wothahellizat.” They continue to comprehensively chronicle life on the road, including incredible images of wildlife and landscapes that could only be produced by living in and with the wild. Rob’s nature and wildlife photography gallery can be found on his SmugMug website. When he isn’t exploring and photographing Australia, Rob can be found designing embedded electronics systems, for fun of course.
You can see more of Rob Gray’s work at robgray.com
Lupins by Rolf Hicker
Full-time animal, nature, and travel stock photographer Rolf Hicker has amassed one of the most massive vaults of imagery and accompanying travel information online, carefully curated from his years of travels and insatiable curiosity. His goal with the website is to evolve it into a resource of professional quality stock photos and first-hand travel information that other professionals and enthusiasts can use. Rolf has been a filmmaker and photographer since he was 18-years-old, winning many awards and building an impressive client list including the likes of Porsche, BMW, Alaska Airlines, Readers Digest, and Holland America to name a few. Born in Germany and living in Canada since 2004, Rolf tries to spend the majority of his time at home raising his two boys. When he isn’t travelling the world, on assignment, or working on another creative project Rolf can be found running The Artists Point B&B, Rolf’s bed, breakfast, and photo tour company on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
You can see more of Rolf Hicker’s work at hickerphoto.com and the following social media:
Daisy Flower by Rosie Nixon
Rosie Nixon is a Perthshire nature lover, magazine columnist, published photo artist and impressionist photography mentor. She also works professionally in the horticulture industry. Furthermore she’s distracted very easily from doing the weeding! If it buds, flowers, hovers, flutters or crawls then you can be sure that she’ll be out with the camera taking shots from every angle. Indeed …just soaking up and enjoying nature through her lens. Rosie has developed a trademark style that evokes whimsy and fantasy. You can view her latest portfolio selection here. Many of her images are licensed across Europe in the home and garden industry.
Rosie loves to capture the intimate details of nature. From flowers, foliage and insects in her own garden. Then extending into the natural beauty of Perthshire, Scotland and beyond. She enjoys telling a story through her photography as she captures nature through all its stages …from beauty to decay. Rosie’s canvasses and prints can be purchased from her fine art shop online.
You can see more of Rosie Nixon’s work at leavesnbloom.com and the following social media:
Cactus Flower by Sam Scott-Hunter
One could say that UK-native photographer Sam Scott-Hunter has range. His work is dark, edgy and vibrant, with subjects spanning from the heaviest of metal bands (think Dimmu Borgir, Slipknot, and Black Sabbath to name just a few) to the most delicate and fragile of flowers. Sam’s entire portfolio seems to vibrate with movement despite his preference of photographing flowers in the studio, rather than in nature, where they are subjected to the whims of the weather. He believes in patiently studying his floral subjects and works closely with his partner, Silke Spingies, to produce and sell prints of their studio creations online, such as these carefully carved leaves and painstakingly crafted arrangement of ginkgo leaves. Despite being taken in-studio, many of Sam’s floral stills feature a cleverly placed spider, grasshopper, or another insect. A collection of Sam Scott-Hunter’s studio images can be found alongside the beautiful botanical illustrations in Botany For The Artist: An Inspirational Guide to Drawing Plants
You can see more of Sam Scott-Hunter’s work at samscotthunter.co.uk
Magnolia flower by Saxon Holt
Magnolia soulangeana have a beautiful tulip shaped flower, white becomes pink at the base. A very compact heavy flowering form. This is an amazing close-up showing carpels and stamens of the Magnolia flower.
Award-winning garden photographer and photojournalist Saxon Holt has enjoyed a long and storied career, with no signs of slowing. Until 1985, Saxon worked professionally as a commercial photographer but was no stranger to the beauty of nature. Saxon, who had always enjoyed gardening and landscape, discovered the garden photography market and the rest, as they say, is history. Saxon’s distinct vision and keen eye for landscapes quickly earned him a reputation among his colleagues and earning his work placements in magazines, calendars, newspapers, notecards, and more. Saxon is a Fellow of the Garden of Writers Association as well as owner and manager of the website PhotoBotanic.com, where flower lovers will find thousands of flower photos in numerous galleries ranging from wildflowers to commercial trials. Saxon also uses the site to sell his award-winning eBooks on garden photography, license his stock images, write about gardening and photography, and blog with tips on how his photos were taken. Saxon lives in Northern California, just over the bridge from San Francisco, where he finds no shortage of gardening adventures and inspiration.
You can see more of Saxon’s work at saxonholt.com and the following social media:
Mexican vine flower by Stéphanie Manuel
About Stéphanie Manuel’s island home Mark Twain once wrote, “Mauritius was made first, and then heaven…” One glance at the plump red crabs, inquisitive fluffy birds, neon critters and native flora within Stéphanie’s portfolio is all it takes to feel like you’re right there, glistening on a rock above the turquoise waters or gently floating on the dew-dropped petals of a Mexican vine flower. Living vicariously through her sunny photos is easy to do, and Stéphanie’s work can be found on Wild Planet Photo Magazine, Extraordinary Vision Magazine, featured in the press for her Angry Bird-lookalike shot, and on her website where Stéphanie blogs about her travels and adventures. Be sure to follow her on Instagram for a steady stream of tropical, nature, and island living images.
You can see more of Stéphanie Manuel’s work at stephaniemanuelphotography.com and the following social media:
Anemone flower by Sue Bishop
All it takes is a single glance at one of Sue Bishop’s exquisite flower photos to experience her reverence for colour. Sue’s goal is to create an image that “goes beyond a mere record of its subject and becomes something more” by using colour, light, and shape. The flowers featured in her Spring 2016 gallery are prime examples of Sue’s unique style; they seem to dance right off the page, screaming with colour and joy. Never selfish with her talents, Sue has authored three floral and landscape books that offer tips and insight to help new and curious photographers perfect their techniques. She also gives regular lectures, holds single-day photography seminars in her native England, and even teaches photography when on holidays abroad! In addition to her photography and teaching work, Sue founded Light & Land in 1994, the UK’s most successful destination-photography tour company.
You can see more of Sue Bishop’s work at suebishop.co.uk and the following social media:
Alpine Bartsia flowers by Theo Bosboom
Theo Bosboom had a successful career as an IT lawyer for a well-known firm when he decided to pursue his dream as a full time photographer in 2013. While the decision may have been intimidating, Theo quickly forged a reputation as an award-winning creative nature photographer. Theo specialises in nature, macro, wildlife and landscape, but his love of rugged nature scenes—particularly in Iceland— is what led Theo in the direction of publishing. His first photo book, Iceland Pure, was published in 2012 and followed by Dreams of Wilderness. Theo regularly contributes to such magazines and newspapers as Outdoor Photography (UK), Roots Magazine (Netherlands), National Geographic, BBC Wildlife Magazine, and more. Theo currently lives with his family in the Netherlands and frequently leads photo tours to Iceland and Spain, as well as leads workshops in the Netherlands in his free time.
You can see more of Theo Bosboom’s work at theobosboom.nl and the following social media:
A very heartfelt thank you goes out to all of the photographers that have let us feature them and their work on this post. It was a privilege getting to learn about so many talented and creative individuals, not to mention a whole lot of fun. Keep up all of the amazing work and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you!
Alan Shapiro
March 15, 2017 at 12:40 amWhat a wonderful gallery of work. Congrats to all my fellow featured photographers and a big wave hello from Blizzardy NYC to all.
Justin Hughes
March 15, 2017 at 1:27 pmThanks Alan.
Stay warm! and keep up the great photography 😉
Justine Brooks
March 15, 2017 at 1:44 pmThank you for letting us include you Alan, can’t wait to see your latest projects!
Annelore
March 23, 2017 at 8:16 pmWonderful gallery ! Thanks !!
Justine Brooks
March 24, 2017 at 3:59 pmThank you Annelore 🙂
Cindy Vondran
April 11, 2018 at 10:41 amPlease have a look at my botanical gallery and tell me if I can compete with any of these photographers. https://cindy.photography/botanical
Justin Hughes
April 15, 2018 at 5:24 pmHi Cindy.
We checked out your gallery and you have some great photo’s! Thanks for sharing with us and put readers should definitely check out your gallery too.