Sometimes I find myself exploring the simplest things around me with a camera in hand. It is not always a planned project. Many times, I just start with curiosity and see where it goes. These three images and the GIFs that came after are results of such small explorations. Each one is a piece of my experiment to express ordinary things in an extraordinary and aesthetic way.
After taking these photos, I decided to go further and play with AI video generation tools. I wanted to see if I could add a bit of motion and new meaning to them. For each image, I generated short video animations, then converted them into GIFs for easy sharing. The flower and the leaf started to move softly, as if they were breathing. The diver floated gently beside the apples. Seeing my static photos turn into moving forms was quite exciting. It was like giving a second life to them.
The first image I want to talk about is the carnation flower resting in front of a round green leaf. The leaf belongs to a Chinese Money Plant, also known as Pilea Peperomioides. I always liked the perfect circle shape of this plant’s leaves. When I placed the carnation in front of it, I immediately saw a potential for composition — something very simple, but also rich with light and texture.
I used two speedlights for this photo. One was in front, to illuminate the flower and show its gentle petals. The other was behind the leaf, to highlight the inner details and bring a glowing effect through the veins. That backlight also created a thin contour around the leaf, which I really liked. It gave a soft separation from the dark background and added a kind of mysterious depth. My goal was not to create a dramatic flower photo but to build a small world where light and shape talk to each other.
There is a small breeze from the sides and the flower is moving but the branch and green leaf is tied and doesnt move.
The second image is very different. It is a close-up shot of a green rose leaf. What caught my attention here were the spikes along the edges. Usually when we think of a leaf, we imagine its smooth surface and texture. But I wanted to focus on those tiny teeth that protect it. To achieve a sharp and deep look, I used focus stacking. I took several shots with slightly different focus points, then merged them to get a continuous sharpness across the whole surface. This technique allowed me to keep every part in focus, from the nearest edge to the farthest one. It felt like discovering another small landscape — one made of green curves and bright little spikes. Here I used one speedlight under the leaf directed slightly with an angle. Since the edges were rounded downwards they were the first to catch the light and come apart.
In this one I asked ChatGPT to prepare me a prompt :) That is why it is so long…
A macro shot of a vivid green leaf with sharp, serrated edges, set against a pure black background. The bottom white strip remains completely still and untouched throughout the animation. The leaf’s veins gently shimmer and move like light reflections at the bottom of a swimming pool, forming smooth and organic waves that travel slowly across its surface. The illumination changes continuously but subtly, creating a rhythm of light and shadow that reveals the inner structure and glowing texture of the leaf. Highlights pulse softly in golden-green tones, giving the impression of life and gentle movement within the leaf. The motion feels natural, calm, and continuous — as if light is breathing over the surface. The background stays deep black to emphasize the glowing leaf and its dynamic veins. Style: ultra-realistic macro, slow smooth motion, detailed organic lighting, cinematic tone, meditative atmosphere. Loop: seamless loop, with identical first and last frame.
The third image has a completely different story. One evening I was bored and looking for something to photograph. My eyes stopped on two green apples sitting on the table. I started imagining them as giant air bubbles under water. That’s how the scuba diver idea appeared. I added a small diver figure next to the apples, and suddenly the scene turned into something surreal. It looked like a diver passing by two huge air bubbles deep under the sea. Sometimes the funniest ideas come from boredom.
The scuba diver is stationary in between the floating apples under the water. Diver slowly turns his head and looks at the camera while at the same time apples are going upwards like air bubbles.
This process of mixing photography with AI animation gave me a feeling of expansion — like stretching the borders of what an image can say. I see these experiments as small studies to explore new ways of expression. It’s about curiosity, and about keeping a sense of play.
When I look back at these three shots, they all share a similar intention. I tried to find beauty and meaning in ordinary things — a leaf, a flower, some apples. Through light, focus, and a bit of imagination, they became something more than just what they are. And by adding motion through AI, they started to tell small stories.
I believe this kind of creative play helps me to keep my mind flexible. It teaches me to see everyday things differently, to pay attention to their forms, colors, and hidden personalities. It also gives me emotional freedom — a detachment from inner visions that outer world projects on me.
So this small project of three images and three GIFs became a way for me to explore communication and meaning in simple objects. It made me aware once again that creativity does not always need big ideas. Sometimes, two apples, a leaf, and a flower are enough — as long as I continue to look at them with curiosity with the help of a bit of light.
All the best…
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