People often ask where do I get the flowers I photograph from
When people see my floral portraits, they often think I have a big garden and a really green thumb. The truth is I try very hard to take care of the plants in my loft, but eventually they tend to wilt before they have any flowers for me to photograph. So the flowers I end up photographing are ones from the backyards of other people that I discover through friends and from driving or walking around.
When I knock on the gardener’s door, I always try to give them a big smile, telling them how beautiful their garden is. Then, before they have a chance to reflect on their hard work, I ask them if it’s okay to cut some of their flowers so I can photograph them. Most of the time, people say yes!
Over the years I have found that gardeners are like mothers or pet owners: They love to hear nice things about their children, and they can never have enough photos of them. We have one thing in common: the plants. The gardeners love to grow and nurture them, and I am fascinated by their gorgeous colours, intriguing forms, unique textures and limited lifespan. To me they are like undiscovered planets that draw me inward and compel me to document their existence.
-- joSon,
Intimate Portrait of Nature, published by Graphis. (monograph)
joSon Studio