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Magnolia Photographing the Magnolia Flower

The magnolia trees in my neighborhood are in bloom and I had no idea the flower was so fragrant. The fragrance character, or flavor, depends on the mix of compounds in each flower, often with a lemony linalool base. Consequently, magnolias can smell like sweet candy, spicy verbena, tart lemon, citrus-honey, or dusty violets.

The trees I found have the citrus-honey fragrance that made photographing the flower a pleasure.

According to atozflowers.com, the Magnolia flower symbolizes the following: "Considering that Magnolia is believed to have existed from the beginning of time, it symbolizes longevity and perseverance. Magnolias can also represent nobility, love for nature, feminine sweetness, and beauty. They are often used in wedding bouquets to represent the pride, dignity, and purity of the bride."

I find it hard to believe that they are used in wedding bouquets as they wither fairly quickly once cut. Who knows maybe florists have a secret to keeping them beautiful in the bouquet.

Now you know more than you probably wanted to about Magnolia flowers. Next time you see a tree take a moment and smell the flower and enjoy the beauty.

Silver Magnolia

Each flower was photographed in my studio. Lighting the flower from the side with a softbox enhances the delicate elegance of the flower. Black and white was the obvious choice for these flowers as it showed off the petals lines and shapes. Each image took 20 -35 images in a process called focus shifting. The focal point was moved for each image then all images are processed in Photoshop utilizing Photoshops focus stacking to make the final image. This process makes for a very detailed and infocus image of the flower.

All black and white prints are printed on archival paper to last a lifetime. Archival matting and framing are recommended to protect and preserve your print.

Created By
James Pommerening
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