In general, the term portrait implies a representation of a person. The portraits that are presented in this book are of flowers - in most cases, single blooms. I use the term "portrait", in part because of the format, but mostly because of the intimacy that is implicit in each photograph. The focus is on the flower bloom, the display that attracts the world to its doorstep. On the surface, this beauty is stunning. But closer examination and further study reveals more.