Behind the Lens with Matt Clark
One photographer had a challenge to photograph 365 flowers in a single year.
Matt Clark
It all started last year. Four months of shivering—and watching my flower beds wilt and turn brown—ended, and one of the harshest winters on record was finally over.
As I looked into the crystal-blue Florida sky, I noticed a Spanish needle plant growing on the roof of my neighbor’s lanai. It seemed to be blooming happily as it swayed in the cool breeze. What resilience, what triumph, what awesomeness, I thought. It was
a true inspiration.
I’ve always enjoyed nature photography, but at that moment I was inspired to do something more. I wanted to celebrate the beauty and tenacity of nature and share it with others.
A few short weeks later—on March 20, 2010, the first day of spring—bloomingdaily.com was born. My goal for the site was to feature a new photo every day for a year of nature’s most precious, delicate and irrepressible gifts—flowers!
I knew it would be a challenge to photograph 365 flowers in a single year, but I was ready. Since March, I’ve been traveling to find and shoot the most extraordinary flowers and scenes to wow my online viewers. I’ve stopped at botanical gardens, theme parks, muck ponds and roadside ditches. As a bonus, I’ve discovered not just flowers but deer, alligators, hedgehogs, butterflies, birds and more.
The year has held tough challenges and hours of hard work, but it’s all been worth it. I like to think that Blooming Daily has inspired people to get out and explore the beauty of nature around them. After all, finding it isn’t hard—it’s right outside the door.
Matt still has a couple of months left in his challenge. Go to his website to see more of his work and follow his journey on Facebook.