A series of highly magnified plant sections offered as homage to the natural death cycle and its inherent potential for beauty.

The idea came about simply enough -- I kept some tulips (given as a Mother's Day gift) past the usual timeframe we display cut flowers. This guarantees them to be seen "in their prime."

The stems twisted and curled from drying, and then drooped downwards; I saw more potential for beauty in the 'dying' forms than from their pristine stage at the time of delivery. I began to think about flowers as metaphors for life's later stage of age and even death. I recalled photography has been used to preserve likeness through postmortem photographs. I’ve been influenced by Frederick Sommer, Emmet Gowin, and more recently by Sally Mann's dark and beautiful series "What Remains."

The initial concept for the series was also as an homage to a recently "dead film," Polaroid's Positive/Negative 55. I started with about 180 sheets of this film and began the series knowing it would end when I used up the remaining film stock. At this point I have about 20 sheets remaining, so the project is very near its completion. I'm also using optics from a past era, mostly late 19th century, but also early (and a few from mid-) 20th century lenses.

I don't think these images are dark or morbid, but instead a means to explore the inevitable end of all living things and a way to find beauty and solace through the process.