David Fishman’s Otherworldly Plant Portraits Will Amaze You

Botanical photography wizard David Fishman must have rack up a lot of frequent flier miles . How else can I explicate his astronomic road trips where he photographs plants that obviously do n’t grow in our solar system ?

Shocked, I Tell You!

I was cerebrally unprepared to engross his jawdroppingly rich and exotic image . Where do I begin ? David ’s work starts with insanely open nigh - up photographs of plant I ’ve never heard of ( Arisaema , Meconopsis ) and some very common ones ( Borage , Gloxinia , Castor Bean ) . Then he trims away everything but his content and specify them on a honey oil black background , fixing our full attention to the subject .

Next , something I ca n’t explain . If I did n’t already know that photo - raise software exist , I ’d have to assume he hold off for a moonless nighttime , burns sacred incense , recite ancient incantations , sacrifices a small fond - blooded puppet to the gods , and implores them to cast a enthrallment on his picture . However he creates his final images , it ’s observable that software program alone does n’t account for the results . It ’s the Isle of Man behind the shutter and on the end of the mouse that matters .

David explained his mania . “ Ever since I can remember , I have always been attracted to rare , rare and unique botanical . Being contingent point I am captivated by rare colouring material , exotic human body and unequalled patterns of plants . ”Alien shapes ? No kidding , Dave …

Behold Voodoo Lily , akaAmorphophallis(G - rated definition : Misshapen naughty bit ) . In Dave ’s hands ( did I really write that ? ) , it reminds me of a multi - eyed , one - legged , clown - suited , hopping pelican , complete with commodious carrying grip .

Orange Gloxinia flowers are translate into of creatures from a Jacque Cousteau PBS special .

Portuguese Sundew ( Drosophyllum lusitanicum ) looks like design by a fine jeweler . But it ’s pernicious if you ’re a hemipteran dwell in the Mediterranean regions , where this carnivorous angiosperm raise in dry alkaline ground . You ’ll be attracted to its gratifying aroma , then line up yourself immobilize by sticky mucilage ooze from its glands . But in Fishman ’s hands , we see only its fragile dish .

mouth of deadly , Castor Bean ( Ricinus ) produces one of the most toxic substances on the planet . Yet when David ’s done with it , we see instead the stark contrast of lava red stanch and the iridescent reflection from its profuse leave of absence .

For year , I had hear legend of the eccentric beauty ofPuya alpestris , a Chilean indigene and extremity of the Bromeliad family unit . After seeing it in its full glory at the San Diego Botanical Garden in 2009 , I wrote ablog post , but my painting do n’t hold up an light-emitting diode to David ’s . At theSan Marcos Growerswebsite , the verbal description read , “ Turquoise downcast - immature blossom ( sometimes name metallic or “ unearthly ” ) bloom on terminal branching 4 - 5 foot tall stalks in the give . ” But how do you fit “ Turquoise Blue - Green Metallic Unearthly Tower ” on a flora recording label ? So the botanist settled on Sapphire Tower .

See for Yourself

David ’s oeuvre is for sales event at very attractive Mary Leontyne Price , so do check out his site for apleasant surprisal . If you ’re in the Seattle domain , see his stuff in person . His nontextual matter will be on display at the University of Washington Botanic GardensMiller Libraryfrom June 2 through July 26 , with a free , open to the public receipt hold in June 7 from 5 - 7pm .

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