A photograph of flowers may come from a sudden impulse to press the camera shutter or from a special trip to a field. Both incidences indicate that one has stopped for a single flower or a sea of flowers to record a beautiful blooming moment. Perhaps the flowers reflected the photographer’s mood or perhaps they stirred his imagination: calla lilies in the rain looked like a shy girl encountering the boy she had crush on; little daisies stood tall under the sun, inconspicuous yet full of admirable vitality.

What we admire is not just the vitality of flowers. The Kadupul flowers and dragon fruit flowers only bloom at night; a photographer needs to know when the flowers will bloom to capture the images. Insects shuttling between flowers require patience and optical zoom lens to produce good pictures of them. The Taiwan Pleione, once commonly found on mountains, has become endangered national treasure due to indiscriminate export. The photographer, using close-ups to show the flower’s elegant shape, hopes to remind people of the importance of conservation. Every picture shows the care people have for the flowers.

People associate their deep-down emotions with flowers. We offer lilies, a symbol of peace, to political victims to express our gratitude for their sacrifices. In Kinmen, small red flowers are often used as old women’s hair bun decoration in celebrating the birth of Lord Wang-Ye. A glimpse of amaryllis blooms on the roadside brought a smile to a girl’s face since they reminded her of a quarrel with her sister. The Moth Orchid is favored by a grandma since it reminds her of the old days when her husband would admire the flower in her company. Telling inner stories through flowers is another way to view flowers. The “Flora Expo: A Journey of Flowers” is a digital exhibition. It doesn’t sell tickets, and it’s not limited by space or blooming seasons. (Translated from Chinese text written by Zhi-Xian Liao)

    
 

White Peace–Flower of Peace (Lily)		Kadupul Flower
Photographer: Lian-Yen Lin (林良諺) Jie-Shou Park, Taipei (July 15, 2008)		Photographer: Lian-Yen Lin (林良諺) Taoyuan City (July 5, 2010)

A Picture among Flowers; Flowers in a Picture (Roses)	Indian Pipe–Heavenly Plant
Photographer: jow Tainan Park (2010)	Photographer: DaMao (大貓) On the way to Da-Ba mountains (July 8, 2009)

Small Leaf Edelweiss–A Living Fossil Documenting Taiwan’s Geological  History	Taiwan Pleione–a Pink Fairy on the Cliff
Photographer: DaMao (大貓) Jade Mountain (July 8, 2009)	Photographer: DaMao (大貓) Smangus Path (March 27, 2010)

Morrisor Stonecrop–Tough Girls in High Mountain Fissures
Photographer: DaMao (大貓) Mt. Nan-Hu (September 5, 2008)

Taiwan Begonia–The Budding Heart	Cold War of Red Flames (Amaryllis)
Photographer: DaMao (大貓) Yangmingshan, Taipei (June 30, 2010)	Photographer: Qiao-Yi Chen (陳巧宜) Taipei Botanical Garden (2010)

Encounter of Grasshopper and Lotus	Relay Race (Golden Shower Tree)
Photographer: Chia-Yi Wang (王嘉益) Lotus pond at National Chiayi University (2010)	Photographer: chico Tainan (2008)

Flowers on Her Head	Grandma and Moth Orchid	Dragon Fruit Flowers
Photographer: YenNan (雁南) Protection Temple, Chyunglin Village, Kinmen County	Photographer: HongZhong (紅中)	Photographer: Jia-Yen Ho (何佳燕) Mei-San Township, Chia-Yi County (2010)

Coffee Flowers	Orange Flowers
Photographer: Jia-Yen Ho (何佳燕) Mei-San Township, Chia-Yi County (2010)

Wonderland (Taiwan Mountain Ash)	Flourishing (Pagoda Tree)	Camellia
Photographer: Wen (琬) Cueifong Lake at Taipingshan, Yi-Lan County (2009)	Photographer: Wen (琬) National Chung Hsing University, Taichung (June 24, 2010)	Photographer: Hui-Ren You (游輝任) Neiwan Village, Hsinchu County (February 5，2010)

Chrysanthemums	Cherry Flower Season at Tian-Yuan Temple
Photographer: Hui-Ren You (游輝任) Shilin Presidential Residence, Taipei (December 27, 2008)	Photographer: Hui-Ren You (游輝任) TamSui Township, New Taipei City (March 12, 2010)

Floating Flowers of Tung Oil Tree	Heart to Heart (Calla Lilies)
Photographer: Hui-Ren You (游輝任) Tung Blossom Park, Tu-Cheng District, New Taipei City (April 23, 2010)	Photographer: Anderson Gao Bamboo Lake in Yangmingshan, Taipei (2007)

Energy–Flower Season in Yangmingshan (Chrysanthemum)	The World of Flowers (Chrysanthemum)
Photographer: Anderson Gao Yangmingshan, Taipei (February 2, 2009)	Photographer: Anderson Gao Shilin Presidential Residence, Taipei (December 2, 2009)

Little Flowers (Pennywort Flowers)	Lush Flowers (Chrysanthemum)
Photographer: Zi-Ji Ma (馬滋雞)

  
 

Text and images are provided by Exhibition of Cyber Island, Taiwan