Tak met bloemen c. 1900 - 1930

This is a photograph by Richard Tepe, and what strikes me is the subtle range of tones he coaxes from a single colour. It's a botanical image, very controlled, and a far cry from the sloshy chaos of my own studio. But there is a deep attention to detail here that I can appreciate. Note how each petal seems to be individually rendered, giving the flower a sense of depth and texture. The leaves, too, are carefully observed, their veins and edges crisply defined. It's a study in contrasts: light against dark, soft against sharp, organic against geometric. The single stem provides the framework, while the blooms add a touch of wildness. You could compare this to the work of Karl Blossfeldt, but there is an inherent softness in Tepe's work, an embrace of imperfection, which brings an emotional depth to what could otherwise be a purely documentary approach. Ultimately, it serves as a reminder that even the most seemingly straightforward subject matter can yield endless possibilities for exploration and expression.