nothing like it

May 05, 2025 • 6 Comments

As far as tulips are concerned, the slot in my brain's drive of early memories that includes flowers is vacant. However, when grocery stores began carrying flowers of all kinds in arrangements and bouquets, tulips were almost always included. A tulip is a near-perfect cut flower, progressing from an oblong shape opening to a bowl, and lasting a relatively long time in water. A person can dart quickly into almost any store and grab a beautiful handful of tulips in enough colors to make a rainbow. There is nothing like it. While taking black and white photography classes in the late 1990s, I did a series of tulips as singles, doubles and in groups. They can be lovely black and white subjects. But a recent collection of light purple specimens gifted to me were so delicate and nuanced that they were begging to be photographed.

Being an advocate of natural light and its possibilities, I am always on the hunt for different places and situations in which to photograph flowers. I tried several for this group of tulips with all the leaves remaining and randomly placed in a vase. Messy but also comforting and lush.

Flowers - tulips from Cristina 2 2025

A single tulip against an arts and crafts-style door is shown below. I pulled the shadows just enough to bring some light to the blossom that was basically in silhouette.

Flowers - tulips from Cristina 1 2025

I liked the way the gold pollen on the stamen is peeking out from the petals. Some of that pollen photobombed the left hand center of the photograph.

Flowers - tulips from Cristina 5 2025

Concrete and flagstone offer compelling backgrounds for both flower and bud.

Flowers - tulips from Cristina 6 2025

Flowers - tulips from Cristina 7 2025

A botanical look at the tulip bowl.

Flowers - tulips from Cristina 3 2025 Flowers - tulips from Cristina 4 2025

Thanks to Jean & Sam, Catherine, Rebecca, Karren, Louise & Jim, Steve, TTT, and Marilyn G. for commenting on the last blog of April. The merry month of May is here. With luck, each of you will be out with your cameras and phones, photographing those elements of life you find fascinating!

until next Monday,

a passion of the image©

Keywords: Blacks Crossing Photography, Daryl A. Black, flowers, nature, New Mexico, photography, purple, tulips

Comments

Sara Woodburn(non-registered)

Your attention to the details and what makes us pause and admire beauty is so evident in your work. Thank you!

Ingrid(non-registered)

Love the tulips. Maybe we'll move to Holland.......

Steve Immel(non-registered)

I'm with Terry. That first image is special and painterly. In fact, all have that quality. And all of them have roundness and volume. Is it because of soft or diffuse light? Opening up the shadows in the photograph in front of the arts and crafts door was most effective. And that's a super design. You're right about the golden pollen stamen in the three where it shows. It takes those images to another level.

They're all wonderful.

Brenda Morgan(non-registered)

I love tulips, especially purple ones. It was difficult to stop looking at each image, they were so lovely. Thanks for that.

Terry Thompson(non-registered)

Wow, that first image is a sure fire winner! Makes me want to go pick some flowers and grab my camera. Nice work Daryl !!!

No comments posted.