I planted this Iris in my garden several years ago, and this spring it flowered. I photograph my irises every year, and each year look for something different. I had recently been looking at some of Georgia O'Keeffe's flower paintings and was inspired to try and capture a similar feeling of abstract sensuality in a photograph. The dark irises are particularly appealing as they have a magical quality. A single, small bulb was used to create a glow on the petals that I captured using a 30-second exposure.

Finalist - The Beauty of Plants