Step One
“Start with a fish tank. Even a small fish tank will do. Fill it with water. Then the next step is to search for a nice flower, and put a little bit of weight on it, to stop it from floating.”
When Robert Peek uploaded his Flower Power series to Behance, it created a debate among Discover staff. Just how did the Dutch photographer create these mysterious images of flowers with wisps of smoke? Did he shoot the blooms on a scanner using real smoke? Or did he employ Photoshop wizardry?
Surprisingly, the answer involves a fish tank.
“I decided to photograph flowers underwater,” says Peek, who trained at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague. “I wanted to add a little bit of color, so I had the idea to put milk in the water.” As he began to experiment, the florists near his Rotterdam, Netherlands studio started to ask questions. Sometimes, he grabbed handfuls of tulips and roses from his neighbors’ gardens. “Of course, I ask permission first,” he adds. Soon, he was squirting syringes full of white paint into fish tanks full of flowers. The results are eldritch and eerie. Read on, as Mr. Peek reveals his secrets:
Step Two
“I add some milk or paint to the water. Use a little at first to change the transparency of the water, according to your tastes. More milk makes it misty. The flower must be pressed a little bit against the glass, otherwise it’ll disappear altogether.”
Step Three
“Lighting is key. I use two lamps. One plain lamp to light the flower, and an indirect light, maybe a whiteboard to bounce the light. You can also experiment with a backlight to create some definition around the edge of the flower.”
Step Four
“I dilute some paint a little with water, and fill a syringe. Then, pour a little bit above the flower, as much as you like. The more paint you use, the more dramatic it will look.”
Step Five
“You can use a Canon or Nikon, it doesn't matter. If you want the image to be sharp, use an 11 or 15 F-stop, again, it’s a matter of taste. If you want it to look a little more romantic, you can use 4, 5, or 6 F-stop.”
Step Six
“I shoot in raw and make corrections where necessary, improving the contrast. Then I start retouching. I remove water bubbles, which is a giveaway that you are shooting underwater. I also remove any browning on the flowers. Sometimes you see insects floating around.”
