8 Flower Photos With Surprising Emotional Pull

Emma KapotesUpdated: Mar. 16, 2022

From the book Intimate Portraits of Nature

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

1 / 9

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?”

2 / 9

Cymbidium Orchid

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

3 / 9

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.”

4 / 9

Torch Ginger

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

5 / 9

Rose

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

6 / 9

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.”

7 / 9

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.”

8 / 9

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.”

9 / 9

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