23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Artistic
Lotus #2

“Lotuse 2” captures a moment of motion, memory, and layered presence. My hand moves a flower in a long-exposure image, while my face is double-exposed over it, merging gesture and identity. The motion of the flower and the layering of my face create a dialogue between human and nature, between time passed and time unfolding. The work reflects on care, connection, and the fleeting, fragile beauty of moments that exist between action and memory.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
Camera: Canon EOS 70D
Copyright: © Maryam Ghasempour Siahgaldeh