Technically, the February birth flowers are the violet and the iris. Regardless of the tradition, as far as I’m concerned, this month’s flower should be the rose. Roses’ meaning varies depending on cultural significance, the color of the bloom, and the number of roses given. Depending on their color, roses symbolize love, purity, friendship, gratitude, romance, beauty, innocence, joy, or appreciation, making them perfect for many occasions, including Valentine’s or Galentine’s Day.
Roses were an early yet challenging subject for me. Although their petals are delicate, dozens of petals comprise each rose. Creating a lumen print requires the sun or other light source to pass through the plant material onto the photographic paper, and it can take hours for the light to penetrate the many layers of rose petals.
My journey with roses is deeply personal. When my parents were living, I created lumen prints from the roses in their garden. Thanks to a dear friend, I now have a couple of thriving rose bushes in my yard. My favorite is Belinda’s Dream, a variety my parents used to grow. You can find more of my rose-inspired lumen prints on my Portfolio page or my Smugmug website.