#99. The Art of Slowing Down: Winning 1st Prize in the Roots Nature Photography Competition 2026

Finding Beauty in the Familiar

The photograph is not of something rare or spectacular. It is a faded dandelion seed head, covered in tiny drops of morning dew.
Finding these quiet, intimate details is at the heart of how I see and photograph the world. That morning was no different.
I simply took the time to stay with the scene, letting the light work its magic through the lens. Through the macro lens, the dandelion transformed: the tiny drops caught the early light and became little circles of colour, while familiar shapes softened into light, color, and atmosphere.

When Nature Becomes Abstract

The jury described the photograph beautifully:

“How far can you go in abstracting nature? Very far, as this atmospheric image proves.”

They also noticed the soft circles of light in the background, which give the image an almost fairytale-like atmosphere. That is exactly what drew me to the scene. I love those moments when nature becomes almost unrecognisable and turns into something entirely new. For me, that is the joy of macro photography: you don't need to go looking for something extraordinary. Sometimes it is enough to look at something ordinary in a slightly different way.

The Power of Slowing Down Close to Home

Over the years, my photography has increasingly moved towards these quieter moments. I find myself drawn to small details, subtle light, and the places where nature becomes abstract.

I don't need to travel to a dramatic landscape to feel that sense of wonder. A patch of grass, a flower that has started to fade, a drop of water catching the morning light - there is always something happening if you take the time to look. That is why this particular award means so much to me. It is a recognition of a way of photographing that has become central to my work: not looking for the biggest subject, but learning to notice what is already there.

Photography as a Practice of Attention

For me, photography has always been about more than making an image. When I take my camera outside, I naturally slow down. I notice things I might otherwise have missed, and sometimes I don't even take a photograph - simply looking is enough.

This mindset is also the beating heart of Earth Embrace, where I explore the relationship between nature, presence, and well-being. Looking closely at the world around us creates a little more space in our busy lives. Not because nature has to solve anything for us, but because paying attention changes what we notice.

A Reminder to Stop and Look

Perhaps that is what I find most special about this award. This photograph came from something most people might simply walk past: a faded dandelion, a few drops of morning dew, some beautiful early light, and the decision to stop and look.

I am incredibly grateful to the jury of the Roots Nature Photography Competition for this recognition, and delighted to see so many wonderful photographs among this year's winners.

And perhaps tomorrow morning, I will take my camera out again and see what I have been walking past.