8 Flower Photos With Surprising Emotional Pull

Emma KapotesUpdated: Feb. 09, 2017

From the book Intimate Portraits of Nature

Photographer joSon captures soul and beauty in these remarkable flower photos.

Apricot Parrot Tulip

“Which came first…the human need for flowers or the power of the flowers to evoke, enhance and call forth emotions from us through light, color and scent?”

Cymbidium Orchid

“I find existing languages very weak—not sophisticated enough to express our emotions.”

Lily of the Nile

“Time and again as we struggle to express our innermost emotions, the all-too-human languages we’ve learned to depend on fail us. A single flower can often fill that void, providing illumination only the heart can understand.”

Torch Ginger

“Since they energize themselves by capturing the energy of sunlight, flowers provide a vital link in the chain of life.”

Rose

“For me, flowers are like chocolate chip cookies for the eyes: when I see them, I can’t resist.”

Hydrangea

“Flower are another layer of expression. I ask people why they like one flower over another, and their answers often begin and end with a story. It is like looking at an old photograph: the flower brings back memories.”

Oriental Poppy

“By taking the flower outside of its natural setting, I wanted viewers to have an intimate experience with nature—its symmetry, its colors and its textures.”

Angels Trumpet

“Even today in our complex techological world, it is the flowering plants that provide us, directly or indirectly, with nearly all the energy that sustains life.”

Intimate Portraits of Nature

Photographer joSon’s life journey is reflected in his work. After spending his teen years preparing to become a monk, he eventually found his calling. You can see the influence of his early years in his work today in a landscape, a portrait of a child or a still life of a flowerflower photos, flower picturesmeditations on the beauty to be found in the simplest of forms.

To see more images, pick up Intimate Portraits of Nature here.

Originally Published: March 21, 2014

Originally Published in Reader's Digest