Longmont, Colorado 1982 - 1992

Robert Adams made this photograph in Longmont, Colorado. Look at the way the white flowers are pressed up against the wooden fence, almost like a painting. I can imagine Adams noticing the stark contrast between the delicate petals and the rough, weathered wood, and wanting to capture that tension. The light in this photograph is so interesting. It’s not overly dramatic, but it creates a soft, even glow that makes the flowers seem to almost radiate. And then there's that tiny insect perched on one of the petals, like a little punctuation mark in the middle of a sentence. It’s a reminder that even in the most carefully composed image, there's always room for chance and surprise. What I love about photography – and painting too – is how it can transform the ordinary into something extraordinary. Adams is showing us that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places. Artists are always showing us how to see and feel the world, and this photograph does just that.