Lily in Monochrome
I was on my way home when a spider lily in the neighborhood garden stopped me in my tracks, its long, ribbon-like filaments and scalloped petals were already bright white, so it felt destined for black and white. At night, that natural whiteness separates beautifully from the foliage, and the flower turns into a minimalist burst of lines and curves.
What helped most was the light, just a firm, directional shine falling across the blooms. I positioned myself so the light skimmed the petals, bringing out the soft sheen and those fine, radiating textures. In-camera, I kept the exposure a touch lower to deepen the background. During editing, I nudged the highlights up and pulled the blacks down slightly to let the center glow while the stems receded. Nothing heavy, just enough to give the flower room to breathe against the dark.
I made a small set from different angles, one frame emphasizes the circular disc at the center, another lets the tendrils arc like fireworks. Up close, the lily becomes almost abstract, less “flower,” more “lines, light, and rhythm.” That’s my favorite kind of surprise in monochrome, when a familiar subject becomes graphic and new.
Moments like this remind me why I keep shooting. You don’t always need a grand scene, sometimes a single bloom under simple light is all it takes to make a photograph feel alive. I’m happy with how these turned out, and even happier that I found them just a few steps from home.
Thanks for viewing my post, cheers!
”To see in color is a delight for the eye, but to see in black and white is delight for the soul.”
Nice capture!