The Dandelion: Nature up close by Marjolijn van den Berg

This nature macro photograph: "De Paardenbloem: Natuur close-up" is a picture of a beautiful dandelion fluff ball. A simple natural subject, which can be seen all around you, from spring through to autumn. But if you look closely at this fluff ball, you’ll see that there are tiny droplets of water on it. These are so small that they’re barely visible to the naked eye.
The sharpness (and also the focus) in this photograph is on the fluff at the edge of the open section – the part where the fluff has already been blown away. If you zoom in on this part of the photograph, you can see what a beautiful linear structure the fluff has.

The shallow depth of field creates a sense of depth in the image. I like to work with this technique to place the focus on a single point in the photograph and allow the surroundings to fade naturally and gradually. This lends the photograph a natural and tranquil feel.

The natural and calm colours in this photograph also contribute to the natural and tranquil feeling and atmosphere that the photograph exudes.
This photograph would look wonderful, for example, in a room featuring natural shades of beige, taupe and brown, or in a space where the aim is to create a rustic and natural atmosphere.
©Marjolijn van den Berg