Many years ago I came to the US with just one suitcase and a camera. I had no friends, no connections, and felt quite lonely. I wandered the streets of Cambridge capturing beautiful flowers of beautiful gardens. And then I noticed how the process of photographing the nature transformed me. I felt more connected, focused, inspired, happier. I have studied the nuances of colors and unusual shapes, which was a form of mindfulness and stress-reduction, creating a calm and balanced mind. In my work I try to reflect this state. I want people to see my flowers and feel the joy, tranquility, balance and inner peace. Another reason for photographing flowers is to communicate the hidden, share the symbolism of each flower and connect it to the feeling. Like magnolia symbolizes the stability, or Queen Anne’s Lace is associated with safety and refuge, irises with valour.