I began photographing flowers during the 100 Happy Days challenge. I was overwhelmed by the perfume of a Mock Orange in full bloom and I snapped it with the camera on my phone. My first photos of flowers were about capturing moments of happiness. After the challenge I continued snapping, not just for happiness but because the sheer beauty of flowers stops me in my tracks. Their colours, their forms and their resilience dazzle me. I instantly go into the moment. Time stands still.

I’ve shared some of these flower photos on Facebook and what has become clear is that I’m not the only one who appreciates their beauty. (I get way more Likes for my photos than my writing!)

I was interested to see if my photographic (read: editing) skill had improved over the last 12 months and, as flowers and photos are very much part of my Weston culture, I thought I’d begin collecting them here in a gallery.

Most photos are from my local environs. They are all taken with an iPhone 4s and most are edited with the Camera+ or Aviary app. I edit because it helps me capture how I saw the flower – rather than how the camera did. So light, framing, focus, colour and contrast often gets a tweak – although there are some photos where all the planets align and no filter is required (eg the luminous lilies above).

I like the stories these photos tell me about my life. I remember each moment – where I was, what I was doing, how I felt. I often have trouble remembering what I’ve done the previous day so this amount of recall astounds me.

I feel privileged to see such beauty around me – in the garden, down the road, in the homes of family and friends and each photo reminds me that often I don’t even need to walk out the door (thank you kitchen table flowers!) to experience the wonder of life.