Fern in Spring by Ola Cedell

Captured in the lush landscapes of southern Sweden, this image documents the delicate emergence of a fern during the spring season. By positioning the camera directly on the forest floor, the photographer harnessed the soft, filtered evening light as it permeated the canopy, highlighting the intricate, geometric structures inherent in nature. This close-up study is award-worthy for its masterful use of natural illumination and its ability to transform a common woodland subject into a compelling, rhythmic composition that celebrates the vitality of a new life cycle.

Fern in Spring by Ola Cedell
Nikon D800 with Nikon AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED
1/250sec @ f/6 | ISO 400 | Focal Length 210mm
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. Balancing a professional career in engineering with a dedicated passion for photography since 1996, Cedell specializes in landscape and food photography. His creative vision is deeply influenced by the natural beauty of southern Sweden and the scenic regions of France, resulting in a portfolio that emphasizes structure, light, and the textures of the natural world.

Profile View Full Profile
12.0/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
180/500
SHARE
SUBMISSION
Award Reach | Reviews
11,756 views | 3 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date May 23, 2017
66.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 17.0
Style 12.0
Skill 13.0
Photograph Location
Γ–sterlen, SkΓ₯ne, Sweden

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Close-Up Photography
Ola Cedell Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (11.8/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,224/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
11,756/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
1.8/5 points
180/500 Submission
Jury Score: 66.0/80
Resonance Score: 11.8/20
Total Award Score: 77.8/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 3

Victoria Ashby Wildlife, Nature & the Ethics of the Unseen Moment Expert Review
There’s a quiet integrity in how this fern unfurls against the forest floor. I’ve spent enough damp afternoons in the undergrowth to know that getting this low requires a genuine surrender to the subject’s pace. It isn’t forced or extracted; it’s a patient observation of spring’s rhythm. I find myself wanting to reach out and touch that fiddlehead. It’s a rare, honest study that doesn’t demand anything from the woods but its beauty.
Isabelle Fontenay Colour Harmony, Tone & Atmospheric Light Expert Review
The verdant unfurling of this fern, bathed in the pale, liminal light of a Swedish dusk, evokes the quiet, dusty stillness of a Morandi study. It’s a symphony of chartreuse and mossy shadow that makes my heart ache for the forest floor. One finds the tonal transitions so impossibly tender, as if the chlorophyll itself were breathing, caught in a chromatic embrace that feels less like a mere capture and more like a gentle, living sigh.
James Rokeby Camera Craft & Technical Execution Expert Review
1/250sec at f/6, 210mm. That 2x teleconverter on a 105mm lens is a gamble that usually results in soft edges. Here, it’s sharp. The depth of field is razor-thin, isolating the fern’s fiddlehead against the forest floor. It’s a precise, clinical dissection of spring. I’ve spent years looking at muddy macro shots, but this one actually holds up under scrutiny. The technical discipline here is rare. It’s a cold, calculated win.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Margaret Holt

The Unfurling of Time

In the quiet corners of a garden, there is a geometry that defies the frantic pace of our modern clocks. A spiral, tight and coiled, holds the memory of winter while anticipating the heat of the coming sun.

Read the reflection →
By Tom Bretherton

The Unfurling of Quiet

I remember sitting on a mossy log in the Dandenongs, watching a fiddlehead fern slowly wake up. An old botanist named Arthur sat beside me, his hands stained with soil, and he didn't say a word for nearly an hour.

Read the reflection →

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