Embracing Friendship - A Successful Exhibition / October 7, 2026 by Alexander Evans

Embracing Friendship - A successful exhibition of Sogetsu Ikebana was held in Goulburn this past long weekend, October 2-4, 2026. Find out more!

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge September Edition / September 21, 2026 by Alexander Evans

September brings a change of season and a change of theme for the Hanakuma Ikebana monthly Ikebana Challenge! This time arround its a double whammy and the theme is…

MASSIVELY MONOCHROME...

Mass is a deceptively challenging concept in ikebana, as it can seem counterintuitive to include more than just a few pieces of material when making ikebana arrangements. Even so, Mass is an important element to understand and use well.

In this challenge the idea is to create an arrangement using mass BUT with the bonus challenge of working in a monochromatic colour palette. So pick a colour, any colour but stick with it! Of course tones and tints of that colour are acceptable but overall it should give the sense of a unified work strictly within one segment of the colour wheel.

You may use bought or foraged materials for this challenge. (Remember if foraging on land that is not yours to ask permission of the land owner first.)

Submission Deadline: October 11th, 2026, 7pm AEDT

Email your photo: with your contact & postal details and the subject “September Monthly Challenge” to alexander@hanakuma-ikebana.com

The ikebana artist with the winning arrangement will be notified the week following the deadline. Their arrangement will be highlighted on the Hanakuma Ikebana Website and the prize will be posted to the address nominated in their entry email.

This months prize is a cute little container I made recently that I think offers a beautiful surface and interesting colour combination. I hope you like it.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge - August entries and winner announcement / September 16, 2026 by Alexander Evans

August brought us UNconventional Heroes for the Monthly Ikebana Challenge.

Once again I have to start this with an apology. We are well into September and I am only just now announcing the August results. Suffice to say things have been somewhat busy as I have been preparing an exhibition for my local city festival here is Goulburn and bringing all the elements together including coordinating ikebana artists in other cities has been a challenge, a very happy one but a challenge all the same.

That being said let’s get straight into things, many of the entries I received for the August Challenge were very interesting indeed and showed very creative ideas which was very exciting to see. A big thank you to all those who participated!

And without further a-do, here are the entries for the August Monthly Challenge. (I have included one of my own works this month but I am excluded from being in the running for the prize.)

Entrants (in no particular order)
*note all entries have been placed on a background intended to best show the photograph in a pleasing, consistent and relatively neutral manner.

And the winner of the August Challenge is: Gayatri Bajaj

Congratulations to Gayatri Bajaj! This arrangement had such a sense of joyfulness and fun in the use of colour and material with the colour of the container also playing a great supporting role. It definitely put the unconventional material front and centre as the Hero of the arrangement.

As to what the mystery prize is, you’ll find the image below! A quirky little container that I made which is kind of like 5 small vials attached together at the top with some ginko leaf motifs as a decorative touch. (Gayatri, I hope you don’t mind that it is a little bit humble.)

A sincere thank you to all contributers

Please do keep your eye out for the challenge for September which will be announced with a call for entries by the end of this week.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge August Edition / August 6, 2026 by Alexander Evans

Now that we have past the half way mark of 2026 its time for something a little different. In this months Hanakuma Monthly Ikebana Challenge the theme is the…

UNconventional Hero

In this challenge you need to make use of unconventional materials and let them be the hero of your arrangement. Often times unconvetional materials play a supporting role, in this instance they need to have main character energy. You can choose to use only unconventional material or you can add some fresh material as an accent or compliment to your unconventional hero.

An added surprise this month is the prize! It’s a mystery! Even I don’t know what it is going to be just yet. (It will depend on how my kiln firing goes during the course of the month.)

You may use bought or foraged materials for this challenge. (Remember if foraging on land that is not yours to ask permission of the land owner first.)

Submission Deadline: September 6, 2026, 7pm AEDT

Email your photo: with your contact & postal details and the subject “AUGUST Monthly Challenge” to alexander@hanakuma-ikebana.com

I’m very keen to see what everyone will create so be sure and get your entries in before the deadline.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge - June entries and winner announcement. / July 22, 2026 by Alexander Evans

June brought us the Monthly Ikebana Challenge of going Up The Wall.

Well I have to start this with an apology. I have shot all the way through June and almost entirely through July with no announcements, updates or new challenges. To those who look forward to these I am sincerely sorry to have let you down!

It turned out to be a particularly difficult time with a cancer diagnosis for my husband and a number of finanical and personal challenges all culminating at the same time. I was very overwhelmed but thankfully things now seem to be settling down. My Husband had a successful surgery and some of the other challenges seem to be falling into line…. sort of… in any case I have enough time and mental space to take a breath and get back into things.

The brief for June’s Challenge was “Going up the Wall” (in hindsight very apropriate). This could be addressed through making a kakebana arrangement or a relief work. In this batch of entries it turned out that almost everyone wanted to work with fresh materials to create Kakebana (we can revisit relief work for a later challenge). With a modest number of entries this time around, those we received are from a nice diversity of people and places. Also the deadline was a tight one so it’s understandable that many folks were very busy with other things and we hope to receive future entries from people again when, and as, they are able to join in with the challenge. In any case I am very grateful to those who entered and created an arrangement to send in and share with us.

And without further a-do, here are the entries for the June Monthly Challenge

Entrants (in no particular order)
*note all entries have been placed on a background intended to best show the photograph and the creative writing in a pleasing, consistent and relatively neutral manner.

And the winner of the May Challenge is: Ionela Stancu

Congratulations to Ionela Stancu! This arrangement had a lovely balance of boldness and delicacy, harmonising beautifully with the colour of the wall on which is was situated. Always one to put in a great effort I have enjoyed all the entries sent in by Ionela over the course of the challenge and I felt this was a great submission. A big acknowledgement of excellence must also go to all our other participants.

A sincere thank you to all contributers

Please do keep your eye out for the challenge for August which will be announced with a call for entries shortly.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge June Edition / June 16, 2026 by Alexander Evans

The first half of the year is just about over and 2027 has been a great challenge to many around the world… enough of a challenge one might say that is has had lots of people…

Going up the Wall!

… which is exactly the theme of the challenge this month. In this challenge you have a couple of options. Kakebana which is a fresh material arrangement in a container made to go on a wall. The other option is to make a relief work using dried and/or painted materials or even unconventional materials, also intended to go on a wall.

You may use bought or foraged materials for this challenge. (Remember if foraging on land that is not yours to ask permission of the land owner first.)

Submission Deadline: July 5, 2026, 7pm AEDT

Email your photo: with your contact & postal details and the subject “JUNE Monthly Challenge” to alexander@hanakuma-ikebana.com

I’m very keen to see what everyone chooses to do so be sure and get your entries in before the deadline.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge - May entries and winner announcement. / June 16, 2026 by Alexander Evans

May brought us another new Monthly Ikebana Challenge and the theme was Baskets of Bounty

May was a month of non-stop go go go! With preparations for large format ikebana as well as multiple demonstrations presented and workshops given. it’s only now half way through June that I have had a chance to take a breath and get on top of things. I appreciate everyone’s patience in terms of awaiting the winner announcement. Not as many entries this month as in previous ones however still a very good representation from around the world and nice selection of arrangements and styles. As always I am thankful and grateful to all who participated by sending in their arrangements.

Baskets are such an interesting structure in ikebana since they can come in many forms and materials. In this selection we had bamboo, reed, metal and pottery baskets represented with both floral arrangements and a even a mori mono arrangement.

A couple of small side notes: Firstly, if you decide to digitally edit your photo to correct the camera exposure or clean up a few unexpected specks that is completely acceptable HOWEVER if there is evidence of significant editing to the arrangement itself, or use of AI in the creation or alteration of the image, this will result in exclusion from the challenge (as a former senior graphic designer believe me when I say I know what I am looking at). Secondly, entrants are welcome to add their own name or branding into their images but please ensure they do not overlap the actual arrangement and that names/branding are not so large/colourful/bold or otherwise distracting that they detract from the arrangement. Where a name is not included in the image it will be added below in a simple and clear manner consistent with other entries.

And the winner of the May Challenge is: Silvia Barucci

Congratulations to Silvia Barucci! This arrangement really captured the idea of “Bounty” providing an abundance of fruits and vegetables in a modern take on mori-mono arranging, the basket literally overflowing while also communicating a wonderful sense of fun and playfulness.

Sincere thank you to all contributers

Please do keep your eye out for the challenge for June which will be announced with a call for entries shortly.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge May Edition / May 18, 2026 by Alexander Evans

May has arrived fast on the heels of April and the days are already flying by! So now without further ado it is time to reveal the theme for this month’s Hanakuma Ikebana Challenge!

Baskets of Bounty!

In Sogetsu Ikebana we sometimes use baskets in which to make our arrangements. Often these are for Maze-Zashi arrangements but its not strictly restricted to only Maze-Zashi. After last month being quite the demanding challenge this time you can do whatever you want so long as it involves a basket in some way or other. Your basket might be traditional or something quite modern, self made or purchased and as ar as the arrangement is concerned feel free to use as much or as little material as you like without restriction. You could still choose to do Maze-Zashi or perhaps Mori-Mono?! Simplified, deconstructed, unconventional material, the sky is the limit so let your creative juices flow freely.

I’m very keen to see what everyone chooses to do so be sure and get your entries in before the deadline.

This months prize is also fresh one of mine from the same kiln batch as the scroll vase from last month. If you’d like to see the prize just scroll down this page a little further. I can’t wait to receive your entries.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge - April entries and winner announcement. / May 14, 2026 by Alexander Evans

April brought us another new Monthly Ikebana Challenge and the theme was Seasonal Synergy

This month of April has zipped by in a blur of activity with workshops attended, classes taught and demonstrations performed! April saw the arrival of many entries to the challenge from both familiar friends and new acquaintances. The entries this time around have been truly exceptional in technical skill and creative expression. As always I am struck by the wonderful efforts from everyone in this Ikebana community. A very sincere and heartfelt thank you and congratulations to all those who participated by sending in their arrangements.

I was surprised at how emotional and moving the combination of ikebana and poetry was. Many entries touched my heart as words and arrangements echoed in my mind, each finding and creating their own special place in my memory. I feel I’ve gotten to know each of the entrants just a little bit better through this challenge, something about the combination of ikebana and poetry seems more revealing about the artist than arrangements alone. This month again we had entries from many places around the world which was (once again) outstanding! Though there is only one winner of the challenge everyone must be sincerely and profoundly congratulated on their efforts as the arrangements were all exceptional and every submission was very much appreciated.

Entrants (in alphabetical order by first name)
*note all entries have been placed on a background intended to best show the photograph and the creative writing in a pleasing, consistent and relatively neutral manner.

And the winner of the March Challenge is: Luca Ramacciotti

Congratulations to Luca Ramacciotti! This arrangement and accompanying creative writing both show a sophisticated and subtle layering of meaning as well as technical and creative virtuosity that was not only compelling but also captured the concept of "Ma" in the emptiness of the second container and the reference to students still holding their material yet to make their own arrangements. The words and arrangement have beauty and breathing room and this is what has driven my choice in this challenge. Congratulations and very well done to Luca Ramacciotti. Special commendations to all who submitted entries you are all extraordinarily talented and I look forward with great anticipation to your submissions each month.

Sincere thank you to all contributers

Please do keep your eye out for the challenge for May which will be announced with a call for entries shortly.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge April Edition / April 16, 2026 by Alexander Evans

unfurling petals
sakura fragrance drifts
picnic bento bliss

The time is flying by faster than ever and here we are in April already! This month’s challenge is a little late kicking off and so the deadline is the 10th of May but, what is the theme I hear you ask…

Seasonal Synergy!

Ikebana is often influenced by other artforms, particularly in the case of Sogetsu Ikebana. We are also very inspired by the seasons and the ephemeral nature of the blooms and plant materials that we use, so this time we bring those two ideas together with a focus on using seasonal materials - springtime blooms in the Northern Hemisphere and Autumnal colour in the Southern Hemisphere. The Synergy we are seeking comes in the form combining our arrangements with a piece of creative writing! The written part can be a haiku or a short poem or just a brief sentence or two - in any case no longer than 25 words. Feel free to write in your native language or in english and I will do my best (using google translate) to grasp your intention and wording. The final judgement will be based on the two elements together, the words and the arrangement. So EACH ENTRY WILL NEED ITS OWN WRITTEN WORK. You are still welcome to submit up to three different arrangements each accompanied by their own written piece.

To say I am excited to see what all the participants submit is a massive understatement as I have been increasingly impressed with everyones submissions month by month thus far.

This months prize is also fresh out of the kiln and in the spirit of synergy it has two openings! I had great pleasure making a small(ish) container inspired by a scroll. I’m sure when you look at the picture you’ll see what I mean. I hope to see lots of creativity and can’t wait to receive your entries.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge - March entries and winner announcement. / April 13, 2026 by Alexander Evans

March brought us the third installment of our Monthly Ikebana Challenge and the theme for March was Unconventional Elegance!

This last month has passed in a whirlwind with lots happening in the world of Ikebana on top of turbulent global events! Additional to that, the entries I’ve received for this months’ challenge have absolutely blown me away. I am once again struck by the strength and creativity of expression from this Ikebana community, spread all over the globe, open to ikebana artists of all schools and growing with every passing month. There is reflected here a passion for the monthly challenges that is genuinely humbling. A very sincere and heartfelt thank you and congratulations to all those who participated by sending in their arrangements.

We had some amazing and unusual unconventional materials combined with some lovely blooms and presented in briliant photographs. Again this month there were entries from many places around the world which was (once again) outstanding! Though there is only one winner of the challenge everyone must be sincerely and profoundly congratulated on their efforts as the arrangements were all exceptional and every submission was very much appreciated.

Entrants (in alphabetical order)
*note all entries have been placed on a neutral background.

And the winner of the March Challenge is: Agiyma Marina

Congratulations to Agiyma Marina! In my assessment, this seemingly simple arrangment really captures the essence of the brief. The unconventional materials used, a humble set of chopsticks and some yellow mesh, have been selected with careful discernment for the colours and surface qualities they show when paired with the red tulips and the red and yellow vases. Straight lines of the chopsticks form a counterpoint to the gently curving stems of the tulips and yet their parallel angle lends a boldness that cannot be denied, the interplay and rythmic use of colours draws the entirety of the arrangement together in a compelling but not heavy handed way and the soft folds of the mesh echo the delicate shapes of the tulip petals. Simple, yet sophisticated and unpretentiously elegant. This arrangement really demonstrates how even the most simple and humble of every day objects or materials can play an elevating role in ikebana. This decision was truly the most difficult yet and there were many arrangements of exceptional merrit. Special commendations once again to the Ikebana artists of the Bucharest Branch in Romania, you are all extraordinarily talented and I look forward with great anticipation to your submissions each month.

Sincere thank you to all contributers

Once again a tremendous thank you to all who participated. Please do keep your eye out for the challenge for April which will be announced with a call for entries in the next day or so.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge - March Edition / March 12, 2026 by Alexander Evans

With a new month comes a new challenge! This time around we are aiming for “Unconventional Elegance”

Unconventional Elegance!

In Sogetsu ikebana we often make use of unconventional materials but very frequently they are bold and powerful elements. In this challenge the idea is to include unconventional material along with regular flowers or foliage in a way that is stylish, elegant and sophisticated. You may use bought or foraged materials for this challenge. (Remember if foraging on land that is not yours to ask permission of the land owner first.)

Submission Deadline: April 5, 2026, 7pm AEDT

Email your photo: with your contact & postal details and the subject line “March Monthly Challenge” to alexander@hanakuma-ikebana.com

This months prize is a beautiful small hexagonal container with four short sides and two taller sides featuring an opening by which the vessel can be suspended or where you could insert a handle, branch or flower materials in an interesting configuration. It offers potential for some innovative arrangements with the opportinity to work on a surface or suspended in the air!

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge - February entries and winner announcement. / March 10, 2026 by Alexander Evans

February brought us the second installment of our new Monthly Ikebana Challenge and the theme for February was Lovely Lines!

I really excited to see that the enthusiasm and quality of the responses to the competition that we saw in January was maintained and perhaps even surpassed! Once again a very sincere and heartfelt thank you and congratulations to all those who participated by sending in their arrangements showcasing lines in all their various forms. We had lines of all flavours; long, short, thick, thin, curving, straight and even some interesting angles. Again there were entries from many places around the world including (but not limited to); Bulgaria, India, Romania, Italy, USA, Japan and Australia, which was outstanding! (Let me know in the comments if I missed your country.) Even though there can be only one winner I feel that just about everyone who submitted must be congratulated on their efforts as the arrangements were of a high standard and all submissions were very much appreciated.

Entrants (in alphabetical order)
*note all entries have been placed on a neutral background.

And the winner of the February Challenge is: Shan Sun

Congratulations to Shan Sun! In my assessment this calm and elegant arrangement not only makes beautiful use of lines but it uses them to connect other elements within the arrangement in echoes and dialogue. Featuring a colour pallete that is subtle yet powerful in the synergy between arranged elements, lines and container. It is peaceful whilst retaining dynamism and movement. Truly well done Shan. Your prize of a handmade pottery container will be making its way to you soon!

Sincere thank you to all contributers

Once again a tremendous thank you to all who participated. It was extremely challenging to award the prize to only one entry as each submission was of a very high standard. Please do keep your eye out for the challenge for March which will be announced with a call for entries in the next day or so.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge - February Edition / February 11, 2026 by Alexander Evans

With a new month comes a new challenge! This time around we are looking at “Lovely Lines”

Create an arrangement focusing on the use of lines. Curvng lines, straight lines, thick lines, thin lines - large or small its up to you. For this challenge you can use bought or foraged material. (Max 3 entries per person)

(Remember if foraging on land that is not yours to ask permission of the land owner before foraging.)

Submission Deadline: March 8, 2026, 7pm AEDT

Email your photo: with your contact & postal details and the subject “February Monthly Challenge” to alexander.evans.ace@gmail.com

This months prize is a small but unusual container comprised of hexagonal tubes combined in an interesting configuration. It offers potential for some innovative arrangements with multiple openings and varied heights.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge - January entries and winner announcement. / February 10, 2026 by Alexander Evans

January saw the inauguration of our new Monthly Ikebana Challenge and the theme for January was Fabulously Foraged!

I must say I am overwhelemed by the enthusiasm and quality of the responses to the competition! A very sincere and heartfelt thank you and congratulations to all those who participated by sending in their arrangements using foraged materials. We received entries from many places around the world including; India, Romania, Australia and Sweden, which was outstanding! While in this instance there can be only one winner I do feel that everyone who submitted must be congratulated on their efforts as all the arrangements were of a high standard and all submissions were very much appreciated.

Entrants (in no particular order)
*note all entries have been placed on a neutral background with name shown clearly below for consistency.

AND the winner is….

Our winning entry for the month of January is Birgitta Lonnerberg from Sweden. Birgitta made use of a beautifully lichen crusted Linden branch and a small twig of cherry blossom that had flowered inside after having been cut from a tree in her garden and rescued from the snow. This freestyle arrangement shows particular sensitivity and seasonality within the bounds of the brief of foraged materials as well as making beautiful use of space and excellent selection of container. It captures the attention of the viewer in a quiet yet compelling way that creates calm contemplation.

Congratulations Birgitta. The Prize container will be sent to you shortly - expect an email with postal tracking information in the coming days.

Sincere thank you to all contributers

Once again a tremendous thank you to all who participated. It was extremely challenging to award the prize to only one entry as each submission was of a very high standard. Please do keep your eye out for the challenge for February which will be announced with a call for entries in the next day or so.

2026 Monthly Ikebana Challenge - OUT NOW with MONTHLY PRIZE / January 20, 2026 by Alexander Evans

The monthly ikebana challenge is getting up and running again! Each months’ topic will be listed below and followed a few weeks after the end of the month with images of the arrangements from that month.

Are you up for the challenge? Get in touch and submit photos of your (on topic) arrangements! Photos will be featured on this blog and each month a winner will be announced! Winners will receive a unique container hand crafted by Alexander Evans of HanaKuma Ikebana!

Monthly topics, deadlines and prize information

January Monthly Challenge Prize: Hand-crafted pottery vase by Alexander Evans - height 21cm, base 10.5cm diameter, top 4cm diameter

January - Fantastically Forraged! Using only materials from your own garden or foraged in your neighbourhood. Small and simple, large and spectacular or anything in between its up to you.

(Remember if foraging on land that is not yours be sure to ask permission before foraging on someone else’s property.)

Submission Deadline: Feb 8th 2026, 7pm AEDT
Email your photo with your contact and postal details and the subject “January Monthly Challenge” to alexander.evans.ace@gmail.com

Learnings from the monthly ikebana challenge - Fabulously Fruity February / April 2, 2022 by Alexander Evans

Fabulously fruity february was a really interesting introduction to the monthly ikebana challenge and encouraged everyone participating to create arrangements featuring fruit. The fruit could be on the branch or off the branch, sliced, diced or whole so long as fruit was involved. Needless to say the resulting arrangements were very interesting and posed some unique challenges. Here are some key learnings and images of the arrangements I created during the challenge!

Key Learning

Turns out, fruit is heavy! So the most important aspect to deal with first and foremost is how to fix it in the position where you want it. The second important factor is how to keep your arrangement from falling over due to all that added weight! I often worked with quinces as that was what was available close at hand and they were definitely challenging on the first two points.

Fixing: In terms of fixing, a skill that definitely helped was my wiring technique and the techniques used for fixing heavy branches. In this technique large or heavy kenzans are used wherever possible and vertical supports are added to the kenzan with the displayed branch fixed into the kenzan AS WELL AS being wired to these other supports. In the case of deeper containers firmly anchored down sticks and crossbars all became very critical. Another technique that came into play was tension fixing principally where the displayed material had a strong directional change this presented an opportunity to use part of the material almost as a crossbar by wedging it firmly between two surfaces of the container. This also works when a subordinate branch is left attached to the main material but is trimmed to sit in the same way as a cross bar would. Finally using splitting of materials and fitting a another twig into the split forming a “T” rod was also a useful approach. This doesn’t fix in the same way as a crossbar (although has some similarity to both cross bar and downstick) but still aids in preventing material from rotating into an undesireable angle.

Balance: The method used for balancing such heavy material and stopping the containers from falling over was really in most cases to use containers that had a large amount of water in them or which were inherently heavy contaniers or that had a larger, more stable base. Additionally it was helpful to keep the heaviest parts of the material as much centered over the base of the container as possible. This led to some quite vertical arrangements! Other techniques also included counterweighting so where fruit was hanging on one side I would add a similar weight of material or fruit to the opposite side, this need not be symetrical but it does need to shift the overall centre of gravity of the arrangement over the base of the container. If working on an arrangement for 360 degree viewing this meant distributing the weight to all sides again making fixing these materials in place very important.

Summing up: Fabulously Fruity Fenruary was really fun and challenging and helped ne better understand some key ideas around, working with heavy materials, fixing those materials in innovative but very secure ways which also showed the fruit to its best advantage. And finally, balance in an arrangements extends far beyond the visual and is just as much about centre of gravity, choice of container and materials used.

Of course, there were many other insights gained but these few are the main key points I wanted to cover.

#Monthly Ikebana Challenge / April 2, 2022 by Alexander Evans

Throughout the Covid pandemic the practice of ikebana for many people has been sporadic at best or for many, on hold, as lessons and teachers have been hard to access other than via the internet. I’ve seen many become disengaged from their practice and let their “Ikebana muscles” atrophy. With this in mind in 2022 I wanted to inspire people to get back into it in a way that was both fun and explored various themes in more detail and depth. My response to this opportunity was to start the #monthlyikebanachallenge. January slid by without a blink but by February I was ready to issue that first challenge. The result was (Fabulously) #fruityfebruary!!

While only a handful of other ikebana artists both locally and from around the world took up the challenge it was enough that I was inspired to keep the monthly challenges coming. The challenge for March was #massivemarchmadness. Where february had been about arranging with fruit, March was all about working with mass. Happily the response from ikebana artists around the world continued to grow with a few more participants this time around which was a great delight.

We are now at the very beginning of April and the #monthlyikebanachallenge this time around is #Aprilinyourarea where its all about using locally sourced materials and trying not to use too much that is imported or bought. Re-use, recycle and make innovative use of whats around you. An alternative topic for those in Australia is to try out #Aussieaussieapril and use Australian native materials wherever possible. So it promises to be an interesting month ahead. Keep checking back for more posts about the challenges as they unfold as well as to read about things learned in the process!

Read on to the next blog posts for more on each of the monthly ikebana challenges and the learnings that resulted.

2021 Sogetsu Sydney/NSW Exhibition "Sogetsu Ikebana Awakening" / January 7, 2022 by Alexander Evans

With all the challenges of 2021 it was a great triumph that an exhibition was able to take place at all!

It was held at the Calyx in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney and was made possible through the hard work of all at the Sogetsu Sydney/NSW branch who organised the exhibition. I was fortunate enough to be able to contribute a number of arrangements in both the physical exhibition as well as the virtual exhibition component. I have included a link to the video of the exhibition below for your viewing pleasure. Feel free to comment below and tell us your thoughts or favourite arrangements!.

Photographing ikebana with your mobile device / August 12, 2020 by Alexander Evans

One of the things I have noticed since I started looking at ikebana on the internet is that there is really a lot to look at, which is awesome. However, that being said, sometimes really excellent arrangements are let down by the way in which they have been photographed. I am conscious that not everyone has access to a top end camera and a fantastic lighting set up but even if you’re photographing your work using a mobile phone or tablet device you can still make the most of the resources you have. Here are some hints and tips, and please, feel free to print this page or share the link to it with anyone you think might find it helpful. Also please be mindful that this is just my opinion and it’s intended only as a guide.

Setting

For photography purposes try and place your arrangment in a space with good natural light that is clear of clutter and ornaments. Ideally it’s great if there is a wall behind the space where the arrangment is going to be photographed. If there isn’t a wall then temporarily hanging a piece of fabric or standing a screen at the back of the arrangement will help it be clearly visible in the photo. If using fabric or a screen it should be a plain colour, without any pattern and as smooth as you can make it, with fabric that means you should iron it first to get rid of any wrinkles or creases. It is also good to avoid placing your arrangement in front of any strong lines such as corners or stark shadows as these can be a big distraction and will detract from your photograph. If a strong line is unavoidable then try and photograph things such that the line is as straight and level as possible, (in the case of vertical lines it should be as close to 90 degrees as you can get it) this makes lines less distracting and easier to ignore. The surface on which the arrangement is to be placed should be nice and clean with no obvious marks and any debris or trimmings from making the arrangement should be carefully cleared away with any water wiped up. Ideally the arrangement should sit directly on the surface on which it’s placed but in the case of glass or wood it might be a good idea to protect that surface. This is because many ikebana containers can be a little rough on the bottom especially if they are handmade pottery. It’s ok to sit your arrangement on a cloth or a mat or even a piece of coloured paper but take care that whatever you sit the arrangement on does not compete with it for attention in the photo. Ideally a plain colour is best. Doilies, lace and highly patterned surface coverings are not advised unless they specifically relate to the theme or design of the arrangement.

Arrangement

Make the best of your work by making sure that any fixings are well hidden. If you can see them then so can the camera. This means that kenzans should not be obviously visible and that any wire, nails, screws, glue, staples, props etc, anything at all you’ve used to fix things in place, SHOULD NOT BE VISIBLE.

Make sure that your container is clean. Often in the hustle and bustle of life we can be in a bit of a rush and so sometimes containers get put away with a mark or smear on them, before you make a new arrangement check over the container to make sure that it’s nice and clean inside and out. This is especially important with glass containers and shallow vessels where the inside of the container may be seen.

If the arrangement is in a suiban or other shallow container where the water and/or inside of the container will be visible it is really important that the water is clean and clear with no debris or floating trimings that are not meant to be part of the arrangement. If you see anything in the water, floating or sunken, that shouldn’t be there then take a moment to fish it out.

Your material should also be in as best a condition as you can manage. Sometimes it is nice to show some of the work of natures little sculptors so leaves may have some little shapes chewed out of them or birds or the wind might have caused some disturbance to the material, this is ok to include so long as you have considered it as a part of your arrangement. However where plant material has been crushed, bruised, creased or torn through rough treatment or poor handling in ways that make the plant material seem tired and bedraggled or worse still make it appear to be beginning to decay or rot, this material should be removed. Obviously painted, dried bleached and dyed materials as well as unconventional materials have other considerations but in general, should still be carefully considdered and presented looking at their best.

Lighting

First and foremost, DO NOT USE FLASH. Flash photography will flatten out the image and make highlights and shadows much more hard edged and distracting, this should be avoided. Diffuse or indirect natural light is great for photography and strong direct light is not so good. Ideally some general overall light is a great place to start. This can be from a natural source such as daylight through the windows or an artificial source such as the lights you might generally have in the ceiling of the room. An important thing to keep in mind is that your should still be able to make out some level of detail in even the deepest shadows as well as in the brightest highlight (even if only just). It’s important to avoid black blobs and white holes as these can be very distracting and produce shapes and edges that detract from the overall photo.

It is helpful to keep in mind that light has a temperature. It can be warm, neutral or cool. Natural light in the middle hours of the day tends to be neutral and as we move towards late afternoon the light takes on a warmer temperature and colour. Artificial lights also have a temperature and colour. Most homes have warm lights as these tend to make us feel cosy and confortable and tend slightly towards yellow, office and classroom lights are often flourescent and have a cool temperature tending slightly blue/green or grey. Daylight bulbs are available in some stores and though they seem blue are in fact the most neutral. The temperature and colour of light may be hard or expensive to change in terms of the lights you have access to in your home or at the local store however most mobile devices will alow you to download an app where this colour temperature can be adjusted. In any case it is something to be mindful of in your ikebana photography as it can change how certain colours appear in your images.

Reflection and refraction. When working in glass or containers that have glossy or reflective surfaces (as well as when placing your arrangement on a reflective or glossy surface) it is important to keep in mind a number of things.

What are you seeing in a reflection or refraction? Is it distracting or does it add an exciting dimension to the arrangement? What can be done to minimise any distraction it might be causing?

Sometimes a reflection or refraction will show something that is not intended in the final photograph. This could be a reflection of you as the photographer or someone/something else in the room. It could even be picking up a colour from a piece of furniture that looks suddenly out of place in your arrangement. Minimise these things by wearing darker, neutral tone clothing without bright patterns and tucking in your elbows as much as practical when photographing work. In the case of something else reflecting/refracting, you can try moving it somewhere else temporarily or covering it with a cloth or drape so as it’s not as conspicuous. If the reflection/refraction shows some other part of the arrangement be conscious that it can show things in magnification making elements seem larger than they are. In such cases it is doubly important that whatever is being shown is looking its best even if it is the back of a flower, leaf, stem or branch.

Adding an extra light, can really make an arrangement pop in the image. You can use something as simple as a desk lamp or even a torch. A second light source should always be an enhancement to the lighting rather than the main player. The second light source can work well from a side, from low down and even from behind or below. do some experiments and see what you like and what works best for the particular arrangement you’re photographing. Be sure to keep in mind all the other considerations mentioned in terms of light temperature, reflection, strong shadows and highlights, etc for any additional lights you might be using.

Taking the picture

When you are finally ready to take your photograph it is a good idea to take several. With digital devices the only limitation is the amount of storage that you have on your device so there is no reason not to take a few photographs to ensure you get one that you are happy with.

On the note of storage, most mobile devices let you choose what file size you want for your photos, select the larger of the sizes. This will ensure that any images will have a good resolution and be usable on the internet as well as in print. Low resolution images won’t capture the full beauty of your arrangement so it’s best to get a higher resolution one first. You can always cull out the photos you don’t want later if you start to run out of storage on your device, or you can even back the images up to a computer or portable hard drive.

Other things to be aware of are cropping, composition and angles. Cropping is about ensuring that you fit everything into the image, even if that means there is a little bit of something else peaking in at one side. It’s best to make sure your arrangement is captured in full. You’ve spent time and energy placing your branches and flowers and any other elements just right so it would be a shame to chop them off in the photo. It is always possible to come back to the photo later when you have a little time and crop or edit out any unwanted intrusions at the edge of your image but if you haven’t included your full arrangement in the original picture you cant make it magically appear after the fact. So err on the side of caution and be sure to fit everything in and worry about cropping out things later. If you want a close up of a particular detail, take that as an additional photograph.

Composition of your photograph can make a big difference. As we know in ikebana, space or “ma” within an arrangement as well as around an arrangement is a critical element, it is equally so in your photography of ikebana. With this in mind place your arrangement in the image frame so that there is some space around the arrangement. This might mean centering it or it might mean having more space to one side or the other or even above it or below. In general I tend to go by the two thirds, one third rule and I turn on the grid lines option in the camera and line up my thirds with significant elements in the arrangement This can add an extra dimension to the final photograph that really lets your arrangement breathe and enhances the feeling it gives. Again if you want a close up of some part, take that as an extra image.

When photographing your arrangement try and set the camera so any edges of tables or plinths are as horizontal as possible. Alternatively if they are at an angle, make it obvious that the angle has been intended. A slight angle will look like a mistake, a bigger angle will seem more intentional. Once you have the position and angle of the camera how you want it, if you’d like to capture different sides of the arrangment, it’s a good idea to leave the camera and lighting as set up and simply turn or rotate the arrangement to show the angle you’re trying to capture.

So there you have it. My hints and tips on photographing your ikebana. It’s a lot to remember but it makes all the difference when photographing your work. Good luck and may your photos turn out fabulously. Feel free to comment, like and share.