“The magnification O’Keeffe introduced into her flower painting is diametrically opposed to the format traditionally employed in flower still lifes. Her close-up views of flowers are presented as if from a butterfly’s perspective, which can best be compared with close-up (now called macro) photography, such as the pictures of a waterlily taken by Edward Steichen 10 years earlier.”— Britta Brenke, O’Keeffe.

O’Keeffe became famous in 1928 when she painted her first “magnification” flower, Single Lily With Red, and other artists painted sensual close-up flowers and objects. I was taken by the Lily photo and tried it earlier this year, but I misspelled Calla and touched off a correctness and name-calling explosion on social media.

I loved the Cally photos, though. I didn’t know enough then to delete them; my ego was bruised, and I rushed into digital combat. How foolish of me.

They inspired me to go big and close; I saw very few pictures of flowers like that. I go big and close. I see flowers as a kind of sculpture.

I’ve never heard the names of flowers or how they are spelled; they keep social media yentas occupied. I can’t keep that information in my whirling brain, and to be honest, I don’t care what they are called or how their names are spelled. I’m not a gardener; I’m a photographer.

Shame on me; I like what they look like.