ALEXANDER JAMES:: UNDEWATER VANITAS

I am here late today because I was up all night at an event.  An event that I did the flowers for, amongst many other things. For these events I am usually relegated to 'staff' photographer, which I actually don't mind because I am a bit of a shutterbug, but last night it was an intimate party, no photo night and thus I concentrated on the flowers.  I had visions of harnessing my inner Amy Merrick, but the client wanted a single floral story so I went wild with the Casablanca lilies, well as wild as one can get with utilizing only one floral. Again, no photos as it was banned from the evening.  If I had my druthers I would have created Dutch vanitas type arrangements, not that I know how to, I only wish I could attend Chelsea Fuss's floral class and get some floral design chops. I am only obsessed with floral design right now for one sole purpose (see shutterbug above). When I saw Alexander James's work and learned his process I was duly inspired. Mr. James recreates Dutch painting vanitas, not via painting in the traditional way, but via painting with light.  Yes, my dear friends, the above image is a PHOTOGRAPH!  How are the painterly effects created?  Not via Photoshop or some texture but rather by shooting these still lifes underwater and allowing the ripples to create the allusion of paint strokes.  Why this man not one of the world's most celebrated photographers is beyond me.  Pure Genius. I hope you enjoyed this find and decide to celebrate his work with me.