Submerged flowers - Flowers of the sun Print

Part of my new project for 2024, called Transience, where I am exploring the circle of life and imperfect beauty through plants, by attempting to capture the fleeting, transcient moments in time/life using the 4 elements. For each flower or plant I delve into its history, associated Folklore and myths, meanings and uses to build up a personality of the flower. I then create images based on some of the information, using the psychology and meanings of colours to support the story, as well as other techniques such as different applications of liquid mediums or smoke etc The history of Chrysanthemums flowers is steeped in associations with magic, folklore, traditions and medicine. They are frequently linked with fire and the sun, especially yellow and orange ones. In the past they have been used for protection. Chrysanthemums are said to symbolise longevity, optimism and joy. As part of my shooting submerged flowers with specific intentions and meanings I took all of this into account in choosing the colours of the flowers for this image, being a pale mix of pastel yellow and pastel orange. Orange is very much a colour for optimism and joy, aswell as being associated with fire, whilst the yellow links to the sun. I have added gold ink to this one to symbolise sun. My lighting is deliberate too, in an attempt to depict sunlight beaming in from above.