Lacecap Hydrangea in Garden Shadow

Lacecap Hydrangea in Garden Shadow is a study in delicacy. A cluster of tiny blue-violet florets forms a dense, beaded center, ringed by larger, pale lavender petals that float around it like lace. Soft green leaves and a blurred garden background frame the bloom in cool shade. Tim Burns brings to flowers the same patience he brings to the coast. He photographs what is there, in natural light, and lets the scene reveal its own structure. Here the shallow depth of field isolates the bloom so the eye goes straight to its intricate geometry, the contrast between the small, clustered buds and the open outer petals. From his Flowers series, this is one of the coolest and most serene images in the group, all blues, violets and greens. Behind acrylic glass the colors take on a soft glow. It brings a fresh, garden-like calm to a bedroom, bathroom or breakfast nook, and it pairs beautifully with white walls, natural wood and linen.