Hiding.
Beneath your shadow.
Rocks and water. Mosses and Lichens.
My friends. A soft light now. Illuminates my Becoming. ~Ally.
Frozen flowers.
In her article How to do Photography of Frozen Flowers Megan Kennedy illustrated how she creates and photographs her 'frozen flowers.' Megan's method is much the same that Mo Devlin, a master in the creation of 'frozen flowers' also employs.
My methods are different again to those employed by both Megan and Mo, as I design my ice works the right side up.
Mouses a light box when photographing his work whereas Megan describes how she uses the natural light from her apartment window. My method for using backlighting is similar to Megan's: Which as you might imagine, is quite challenging.
The visual effects of flowers that have been frozen are 'out of this world' stunning. My Sony hadn't come into my life at the time I was working with 'frozen flowers.' Never-the-less some of the images I managed to capture were fascinating ~ Making up for the lack of clarity.
Following on from my work with collage, flatlays and assemblage, I wanted to create mini-environments in ice: Replications of nature. And so it wasn't long before this 'branch' of my work started to evolve in its own direction.
Instead of freezing fresh flowers, I began to freeze layers of inorganic bits and pieces, stones and lichens etc as backgrounds and then placed the live flowers/plants on the surface.
Secret space.
Secret space is an example of how I create my water and ice mini-landscapes.
This image was initially shared in black and white for @brumest's MonoMad Photographic Contest.
The background was very simple to construct:
• A bottom layer of crystals and small white quartz stones and pebbles was arranged, covered in water and frozen.
• Muted blue-green lichens were then positioned on top of the ice, submerged in water and frozen.
• Stones and pebbles were then arranged around the edges of the 'rockpool.'
Source: Garland of Pale Pink.
Adding another dimension.
- A thin branch covered in lichen was balanced over the top of the arrangement.
Looking down through the 'forest.'
- Two thicker branches also covered in lichen were positioned over the top.
- The thinner branch twisting. Now resting upon both the ice and the thicker branch.
- Removed the jonquils and nestled some small pink flowers into the lichens.
Final stage.
- Lichen added to the larger branch.
- Small pink flowers added to the lichen.
Photographing Garland of pale pink.
These photographs were taken with the piece held at a slight angle, rather precariously against the window of my north-west facing studio on a bright and sunny morning.
Back-lighting on the ice created intriguing imagery effects: A gentle light being shone on this Secret space. The submerged lichens, becoming more visible: The denser lichens providing shadowy effects and adding depth.
Ten Days of Reflection Challenge.
The rules of this challenge are simple and can be found HERE.
Thank's so much 
I'd like to nominate 
Ten Days of Reflection.
Ten Days of Reflection: Challenge Day 1. Frozen.
Ten Days of Reflection: Challenge Day 2. Bass Point Marine Reserve.
Ten Days of Reflection: Challenge Day 3. Tidal pools at Shellharbour.
Ten Days of Reflection: Challenge Day 4. Roses in Ice,
Art and Photography: ©Alison Lee Cousland.
Camera: Sony Alpha A7 Mark II.
Processing: Lightroom.
