Within the Yellow

About this piece

Mike Gedj’s close-up frames a yellow water lily with a bee nestled among its upright stamens. Strong sunlight illuminates the layered petals, while overlapping shadows and a softly blurred green background give the bloom depth.

The story

I was drawn first to the yellow, to the way light gathered inside the flower while its outer petals held broad patches of shadow. Then I noticed the bee, almost concealed among the stamens. Through the lens, the surrounding green softened, leaving this small encounter at the center of the frame. I wanted to keep both scales together: the generous spread of the bloom and the tiny visitor within it.