Pink Gerbera Leaf in Water by Ola Cedell

Captured as part of an exploration into perception, this image features a delicate leaf floating in a bowl of water, accented by a single, crystalline droplet. The photographer utilized indirect sunlight to illuminate the scene, carefully selecting an aperture of f/4 to achieve a shallow depth of field that isolates the subject. By employing manual focus and precise exposure compensation of -0.3EV, the photographer successfully balanced the light to prevent overexposure. This macro study is award-worthy for its minimalist composition and the meticulous technical control required to transform a simple household setup into a serene, contemplative work of art.

Pink Gerbera Leaf in Water by Ola Cedell
Exposure 1/Xsec @ f/4 | ISO X | Focal Length Xmm
Copyright Β© Ola Cedell
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Ola Cedell

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Born in southern Sweden in 1969, Ola Cedell has cultivated a diverse international perspective through his time living in Australia and Germany before returning to his home country. While maintaining a professional career in engineering, he has pursued photography since 1996, developing a keen eye for detail. Cedell currently specializes in landscape and food photography, drawing creative inspiration from the landscapes of southern Sweden and the French Alps. His work reflects a lifelong passion for discovery and a refined aesthetic sensibility honed through years of dedicated practice.

Profile View Full Profile
10.9/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
64/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
10,906 views | 5 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date May 10, 2018
68.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 18.0
Style 13.0
Skill 13.0
Photograph Location
MalmΓΆ, Sweden

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Close-Up Photography
Ola Cedell Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (10.6/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,176/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
10,906/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
0.6/5 points
64/500 Submission
Jury Score: 68.0/80
Resonance Score: 10.6/20
Total Award Score: 78.6/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 5

Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
There’s a profound stillness here. Ola waited for the light to soften, catching that single, trembling droplet just as the leaf surrendered to the water’s surface. It’s not just a macro study; it’s a quiet meditation on impermanence. I’ve spent hours watching water move, and I feel a sudden, sharp ache of recognition in my chest. She didn’t force this moment. She listened to the light until it finally whispered its secret to the lens.
Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
It’s a tidy bit of work, though one wonders if the bowl was moved a dozen times to catch that specific reflection. I’ve spent enough hours staring at water to know that droplet didn’t just land there by accident. It’s a quiet, deliberate study. I find myself leaning in, half-expecting the leaf to drift. It’s rare to see someone commit to such stillness. It’s not cheap, and for that, I’m genuinely impressed.
Victoria Ashby Wildlife, Nature & the Ethics of the Unseen Moment Expert Review
It’s a relief to see something that doesn't involve chasing a terrified fox for a frame. There’s a quiet, meditative stillness here that I find genuinely refreshing. While my work usually demands the grit of a blind and the unpredictability of the wild, I’ve always appreciated this kind of deliberate restraint. Cedell didn't need to disturb a single creature to find this beauty. It’s a rare, honest moment of peace in a noisy world.
Henrik Johansson Architecture, Built Space & the Conversation Between Structure and Light Expert Review
It’s a study of tension, not just botany. The leaf acts as a datum, a horizontal plane slicing through the void of the bowl. By choosing f/4, Cedell forces us to confront the threshold between the sharp vein and the blurred water. It’s a quiet architecture of containment. I’m genuinely moved by how the light catches that single droplet; it feels like a structural joint holding the entire composition together. It’s remarkably precise.
Priya Sharma Negative Space, Minimalism & the Japanese Aesthetic Expert Review
A single leaf. A bowl of water. The light doesn't shout; it rests. I’ve spent minutes watching that droplet. It’s heavy with stillness. Nothing here is accidental. The empty corner is not empty. It’s a breath held in the dark. I feel my own pulse slow down just looking at it. Cedell understands the weight of what isn't there. It’s rare to find such quiet in a frame. It’s enough.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Marta Vidal

The Weight of Stillness

I keep a small, smooth stone on my desk, pulled from a riverbed I visited when I was still young enough to believe that time was a river that only flowed forward.

Read the reflection →
By Dominic Aurelius

The Weight of Stillness

Seneca once reminded a friend that we are like travelers on a ship; whether we sit or stand, we are moving toward the same destination. We often mistake our own restlessness for progress, believing that if we are not actively changing the world, we are failing to exist within it.

Read the reflection →

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