I enjoy Ted Forbes You Tube Channel – The Art of Photography, and whenever I have a few spare minutes check out his reflections on famous (and not so famous) photographers. Last week it was the turn of Imogen Cunningham. She experimented widely but it was her floral photographs, particularly her black and white Calla Lillies, that caught my eye. As my mother had recently been gifted one I borrowed it and had a go myself.
They are such beautful, gentle curvaceous flowers I can see why she was attracted to them – in fact I think they look better photographed than seeing them in the flesh! The delicate veining and the shadows caused by the deep centre from which the stamen emerges are all gorgeous.
Colour or black and white?
There were also some other flowers in the house so carried on a bit longer with my floral theme:
A friend seeing them said ‘very 70’s Athena posters’ and I can see what she means. There’s nothing new in these photographs. Imogen Cunningham’s are revered for the breaking of new ground at the time she took them but I enjoyed creating something that I think is quite beautiful and one of these will probably make my favourite photos of the year zine.
Ted Forbes related a Cunningham quote when she was asked what her favourite photograph was, she replied: “The one I’m going to take tomorrow”. I can go along with that!