Discover our collection of botanical photography for sale in our online gallery. We showcase some of the best contemporary botanical photographers working today. Explore realistic, surrealist or abstract botanical photography to find the perfect botanical photograph for your home or workplace.

Paul Coghlin is renowned for his close-up images of flowers. His limited colour palette and lack of background allows the viewer to focus on the texture and symmetry of the flower.

Origins of Botanical Photography

Botany traces the development of plants and originated in Ancient Greece, where a student of Aristotle’s, named Theophrastus, is said to have invented the practice.

In the 18th century, Carl Linnaeus published a system for classification which developed into today’s modern system. In turn, people became interested in plants not only for their scientific value, but also for their aesthetic beauty.

Photographic Developments

The first photograph was taken in 1814, and like botany, served a largely functional purpose. However, as the technology developed, it became considered an art form in its own right.

Following the first world war, photographers favoured sharply defined images with clean lines, a style often called ‘New Objectivity’. Karl Blossfeldt (1865-1932) is well known for applying this style to his close-up photographs of plants, removed from their natural environments and magnified for greater detail.

Today, continued photographic developments allow us to create detailed and high-quality images even on our mobile phones.

Find out more in our Guide To Photography.