Photographer Jen Newitt is an Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this photo essay. From the ‘Florals and Botanicals’ series. To see Jennifer ‘s body of work, click on any photograph.

As a Biology teacher, my mission has been to open my students’ eyes to the invisible, wondrous world existing all around and inside them. Even after 40 years in the classroom, it never gets old to witness the pure awe of a student seeing their own cheek cells under a microscope for the first time, or discovering the perfectly circular, glass-like lens inside a dissected frog’s eyeball.

Macro photography feels like a seamless extension of my classroom experience. It allows me to reclaim that sense of wonder as I discover minute details in the plant’s anatomy that I can emphasize when editing the photo. There is an incredible intimacy that develops when you slow down to study a flower or plant through editing a photograph—a connection that forever alters the way you view the world.

Artist Biography

I am a full-time Biology teacher and administrator at a Quaker school on the North Shore of Long Island, New York. While I’ve always loved visual storytelling—creating family photo books and designing slide shows featuring my students—I never actually considered myself a "photographer." I had no formal training, and my husband was always the one carrying the heavy SLR and a bag of lenses on vacations.

My true turning point happened a few years ago during a trip to Italy, Austria, and Switzerland. Captivated by the scenery, I shot constantly on my iPhone. When we returned home and decided to enlarge and frame our favorite prints, we realized the best shots hadn't come from the SLR—they came from my phone. That was the moment I became intrigued by the incredible capability and accessibility of mobile photography.

I dove headfirst into learning, starting with online courses to master composition and iPhone camera features, and quickly became fascinated by the editing process. I’ve gone from capturing simple snapshots to using advanced mobile camera features, a range of editing apps, and several add-on lenses to create what might be considered fine art photography. I have also added a Sony RX10iv to my kit to expand telephoto options for capturing wildlife and am learning techniques to optimize the use of that camera.

Today, photography is a daily passion. Whether I'm heading to my local arboretum after school to see what’s in bloom, or spending hours shooting and editing over my summer break, it’s a creative outlet where I completely lose myself.

All images and text © Jen Newitt