Greta and Manu Schnetzler say, “Influenced by Bay Area photographers such as Imogen Cunningham and Edward Weston, our recent explorations in macro-photography of botanical subjects have inspired us to create works combining the ancient gilding technique by hand with modern digital photography and printing.

We remain cognizant of Imogen Cunningham’s admonition about mastering the art of making good photos in your own backyard. Many of these images were taken in our backyard, or the parks and open spaces in our San Francisco neighborhood.

In reflecting on “The Four Seasons, " many have said that the coastal Bay Area has no real seasons.  We find the seasonal changes in the plant life of our neighborhoods to be both subtle and dramatic.  With close observation, we have begun to appreciate those changes, both at the grand scale and through the macro lens of our camera which lets us focus on the tiniest details of our subjects.”

12” x 9” archival pigment print on hand-gilded paper, mounted on wood