Unconditional Love
Unconditional love is magical isn’t it.
Oh, I absolutely love this photograph, I don’t mean to be biased but it is one of my favourites I must admit. I’ve been learning a lot about energy in the past few years.
Our energy, how powerful it is, how we give energy, how we receive it. How it can never die, only change form. It’s amazing, truly amazing and I felt it needed to be honoured. This photograph really speaks to me, I have it in my living room and enjoy its energy each and every day.
When something is precious to you, you love, support, guide and nurture it, unconditionally.
You have respect and honour, providing a space for it to mature and grow to see through to its highest potential.
My Husband and I have two beautiful kids. It is such an honour to be their parents and to have the opportunity to play such an integral part in raising them.
I watch them and see how they treat each other with care and respect. I see them treat strangers in the street with kindness and respect. It is such an absolute privilege, out of all of the people in the world, we are the ones blessed to guide, love and nurture them. And to help them and watch them thrive and grow.
When our children arrived the term unconditional love was taken to a whole new level. Unconditional love includes providing them with a safe, supported environment to live in with mutual respect so they feel safe to talk to us about anything. It’s being firm but fair, guiding them, smothering them with love, but in the same hand allowing them to fail and to fall but making sure they are always fully aware that they have a solid safety net ready right behind, beside and underneath them ready to love, support and protect.
Everyone needs to have that someone who will love them no matter what mistakes they make as they learn and grow. Everyone needs to have someone they can turn to. I know it is a really scary and anxious way to live to not have that someone, and I make sure my family know that I am that person for them so they know they are loved and protected at all times.
It’s one of life’s treasured gifts.
Being on the receiving end is also a beautiful thing. I know without a shadow of a doubt, my Husband will do absolutely anything in his power to love and protect me, it is such a wonderful feeling to know I have a safety net. And I love receiving random and spontaeous hugs, kisses and thoughtful consideration from my two.
The main reason though that I wished to create this photograph was for my children.
Most children worry about something happening to their parents, and most parents worry about something happening that will stop them from always being there. Actions speak so much louder than words and with my photographs, you don’t need to think about it. You don’t need to actively read words or even consciously be aware, you just need to look at the photo and subconsciously the message of unconditional love is sent straight to you.
My goal was for my kids was to have this visual message available to them at all times whether I am with them or not, they would always feel unconditional love.
It had to be a soft pink
Pink, in the right shade offers the energy of unconditional love, calmness, understanding and makes you feel disarmed and nurtured. The right shade of pink would be the main requirement for this photograph. A soft, gentle pink is what I needed and fortunately a colour which is abundant in natures flowers. Finding the right shape is what I needed to pursue next. I wanted soft, curved edges, nothing sharp, straight or pointy. Just flowing, gentle lines preferably in a circular shape to resemble to feeling of being fully wrapped or enveloped.
I found what I was looking for at my favourite florist store. Bec found a range of pink flowers for me and thankfully this beautiful stem was in her shop. It was perfect.
Bringing in to the photograph were the added colours of white and green. White offers us the energy of simplicity, protection and gives us a sense of space. Green makes us feel calm offering sympathy, quietness and reassurance.
The original concept
I wanted this photograph to allow my children to dive in and be caught in our loving arms. To be held safely and protected. I wanted them to have a break from anything that was causing them fear or worry so they can rest, revive and regroup. I wanted them to know they were not alone and that they had access to all of the help and support they needed. I wanted them to be reminded they are safe and they are loved.
I wanted them to feel all of this from a single photograph.
From all of these requirements I had set for myself above, I had an idea of a composition set in my mind. Trying to have the flowers in the position I needed them to be in was a bit of a challenge!
I wanted to create a space in between two or three individual flowers where my kids could be cradled, providing a refuge as such. I hoped for the flowers to have a curved shape that would mimic two arms or two hands and a space of emptiness in between for them to be in a way, held in.
Side lighting was my choice for this photograph, trying to find two flowers that were somewhere in the layout I needed wasn’t an option so I had to improvise and placed the lower flower on top of others in the bunch.
Fine Art Photography – The details
I wanted to have a shallow field of focus so the softness and bokeh (focus fall off) would create an inviting blur. I only wanted the focus to be on the rim of the petals only to outline the darker shade of pink, and provide a boundary to the petals reinforcing the concept of mimicking two hands or arms to be held in.
As I was taking a few test shots, I loved what I had there, I just wished to further drive the message home for my kids by having the flower on the bottom right section, be smaller than the flower on the top left.
I also wanted to turn the top flower so it was facing the smaller flower and appeared to be reaching down.
I had to remove two petals from the lower right flower to make it smaller, singular and also make it appear to be flying solo, out there on its own with room to grow and flourish, but also with the option of being able to reach out for love and support that was available and waiting whenever needed.
The lower flower is only half pointed in the direction of the top main flower to indicate its desire to find its own way, but keeping the option of being able to return home to loving arms available at all times.
A parents job is to make themselves redundant after all.
Thank you so much for being here,
The Humble Hunter x
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