Neon Garden

One of my favorite things about photography is the creative process. I was thinking about ways to shoot the texture of dark, moist soil stuck to roots. Prop stylist Nissa Quanstrom has a passion for gardening, so I talked to her. Nissa conceptualized these beautiful, artistic compositions featuring a graphic shape with neon string. The spoons were made in France, which she selectively painted to add another hit of strong color. (They warranted their own image later.) I used a hard side light to bring out the depth of her carefully constructed piles and select objects. The lighting is not natural, as the composition is not one that would occur in nature, but together they bring out the beauty of both the natural and man-made things. So much more interesting than a pile of soil!