Every year at this time, one of my greatest sensory joys is the first lilac bouquet once the buds are completely open.

The heady fragrance of the panicles brings back memories of when we were first married and our home was surrounded by lilac bushes.

Once the sunlight was hitting the bouquet, I took a few portrait shots. The one I used for my feature photo was shot in studio light mode, and although I’m not fond of how it unnaturally smoothed the edges at the top right, I like how the colour and the light stand out against the black background.

Here’s a shot in regular portrait mode which is more natural but maybe less dramatic? As with most things, I guess it all comes down to personal preference.