This may seem like an odd admission, but the way I make these flower photographs has more in common with how I do street photography than, say, landscape photography. Because the subject appears to be still, you could think that I probably carefully pick a flower, set up a tripod, analyze the light, focus, and then make the photograph. The reality is that I shoot all of these with a small handheld camera, and I rarely spend more than a minute on a flower and often less.

I think part of this is because I have a general sense of what I’m looking for beforehand. As seen here, I’m on the lookout for a flower (or flowers) with an interesting shape, a relatively flawless form, good light, and a background with some potential. I spend a lot of time looking for the right combination, and when I find it I spend less time actually making the photograph.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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