I often find myself leaning towards the opinion that flowers are easy subjects for amateur photographers- they're already pretty, so how much more work could there be in making them any more interesting or beautiful? Yet, despite my bias, I still find myself photographing flowers and other garden wonders.
Many of the images I capture favor shadows and strong contrast, where the light is the defining element of the image. With flowers, the lighting becomes secondary to the colors and textures of the subjects. How do you capture the softness and delicate pinks of a rose? The boldness of a recently ripened cherry? Seeking out the best angle to capture petals, leaves, dangling fruit, or drops of dew often involves a series of yoga-like crouches, squats, and cranes in attempt to showcase the details that can only be observed by looking closer. I don't think any photograph quite does justice to these creations of nature, but as someone who doesn't always consciously think about color, photographing plants is a reminder of the incredible palette available and the expressiveness of color. Some may consider flowers easy subject matter, but who doesn't want to capture a little beauty?