May 2025
Among all flowering plants, wisteria holds a special, almost mythical place in my heart. I adore its color, fragrance, and stunning, dramatic form. The lush, cascading blossoms of wisteria create a dreamlike backdrop for portrait sessions. The inspiration for this shoot was Arwen from The Lord of the Rings. I imagined this enchanted vine as the perfect setting for a mysterious elven figure.
Although wisteria is becoming more common in Polish gardens, it’s still less popular here than in places like France or the UK. There, it wraps around gazebos, pergolas, and house facades, evoking a truly fairytale atmosphere. I dream of seeing it become just as widespread here.
There are many varieties of wisteria, with blooms in a range of shades: from white and pale blue, through cool lavender, to deep violet. The plant featured in these photos is the Japanese variety Violacea Plena, also known as Black Dragon. I must admit, while all wisterias are beautiful, this one is my personal favorite.
To enhance the magical atmosphere of the shoot, we used a fog machine. It’s a much safer and more practical option than smoke grenades, which are often used in photography but can pose a fire risk. Working with fog requires a lot of patience – wind almost never lets the smoke settle just how you want it—but I believe the final effect is worth the extra effort.
Almost all the photos from this session were taken with a 50mm lens, which, to be honest, is not my favorite. 😀 I much prefer prime lenses like the 100mm, or ideally the 135mm, though they require quite a bit more running around. So why the 50mm? My model absolutely loves the way she looks in images taken with it, and that means a lot to me. I believe it’s important to try to see through the eyes of the person being photographed. It allows us to rethink our own perspective and often leads to more interesting results.
