Winter magic

Etienne Francey's Image

Etienne had been itching to use his macro lens all winter, and this newly emerged snowdrop provided the perfect excuse.

‘I love their simplicity, and how they bloom so early, unafraid of the cold,’ he says. He sprayed water to enhance the blurred areas and partly covered the lens to produce the flared moons, creating an atmospheric image that celebrates this familiar flower. Also known as the flower of hope, snowdrops bloom in February and are seen to herald the end of winter. There are numerous cultivated varieties, but only 20 wild species, many in tiny populations, some critically endangered. Favouring cool conditions they are highly climate-sensitive, and are likely to be under considerable threat due to climate change.


Behind the lens

Etienne Francey

Etienne Francey

Switzerland

Etienne graduated from the Vevey School of Photography in 2019. He learned photography from his grandfather, who was passionate about insects and astronomy. He works as a freelance photographer in the commercial and editorial fields. His work has been published in newspapers and magazines, including L’Illustré, Fisheye and The Guardian. In 2022, the French group LVMH asked him to photograph several of its companies in the same style as his nature photographs. The result was exhibited at Louis Vuitton in Paris.

Image details

  • Nikon D800
  • 150mm f2.8 lens
  • 1/60 sec at f4 (-1.7 e/v)  •   ISO 800  •   Nikon flash + incandescent filter
  • Fribourg, Switzerland
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Freeze frame
Harvest gold
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