My Secret Garden – Platinum Print Photographs

My Secret Garden is a series of handmade platinum print photographs by German fine art photographer Jan Schlegel. Created from large format collodion negatives, the works focus on tulips reduced to form, surface, and structure.

The tulips were cultivated specifically for this series, planted in the artist’s garden the year before. This deliberate preparation extends the work beyond the moment of exposure, embedding it in a longer process of observation and anticipation.

Observed at close distance and removed from their natural context, the flowers begin to shift. What is commonly perceived as decorative becomes precise and almost architectural. The images do not describe the subject, but isolate it—allowing form to unfold.

The use of handmade collodion negatives introduces irregularities and artifacts that become part of the image itself, reinforcing its physical presence. In addition to the standard platinum prints, selected works are also available as a special edition printed on handmade Japanese Gampi paper, mounted on gold—introducing a further layer of material depth and fragility.

Each work is produced as a platinum print, known for its tonal range and permanence, and released in strictly limited editions.

Available as limited edition single prints in sizes of 40 × 50 cm, as well as a complete set presented in a handmade portfolio.

Presented at leading international art fairs, including Paris Photo, AIPAD New York and Photo London.

My Secret Garden

This series is a personal exploration of beauty, emotion, love, and affection. It starts with with tulips gradually that I grew in my garden and  expands into something that is still needs to be found.

The title "My Secret Garden" reflects a private space of discovery, where visual language becomes a way to process feelings and reflect on what it means to be close, to be vulnerable, and to observe.

Across many cultures, gardens have symbolized harmony, paradise, and personal growth. Tulips, too, carry layers of meaning—grace, love, the fleeting nature of life.

This body of work is not about flowers alone. It’s about the quiet, sometimes uncertain journey of opening up to beauty—where it’s found, and where it leads.

Returning from one of my travels, I was greeted by the sight of 250 tulips in full bloom. While I could have simply bought them at a flower shop, the experience would not have been the same. My goal was to establish a personal connection with them—to feel as though they truly belonged to me. I chose the right spot, watered them diligently, and visited my garden daily when I was home to check their progress. I ensured no weeds overshadowed them, and when they finally bloomed, the beauty they offered felt incredible, much deeper because my heart and emotions were involved.

I examined each tulip closely, considering what I liked and how best to celebrate their beauty in my photographs. Then, I took them into my small studio and spent two days capturing their essence in pictures. These tulips were unlike those simply purchased from a shop.

A few years ago, I asked a friend, an accomplished curator and gallerist, how she defined art. Her response was, "when something very personal becomes common." I've contemplated her words often, and they resonate with me strongly, as they did during my experience with the tulips. That's why I've titled the series "My Secret Garden." It's a journey of personal experience—emotions like love, affection, pain, hurt, and hope. I aim to share these deep personal emotions through the series: exploring what beauty truly means to me, embracing love and affection, passion, and truth. It's my wish to open these feelings up to others so that they too can identify and find themselves within this work. It's a personal discovery that teaches me about myself and allows me to share that understanding with everyone.

I believe this is akin to what Van Gogh, Picasso, Monet, or Modigliani did with their paintings; their works reveal who they are. In photography, particularly portrait photography, we often fail to express ourselves deeply, seeking instead an audience's approval. This realization led me to take a two-year break from portrait photography to better understand my emotions and intentions. With "My Secret Garden," I feel the urge to return to portraiture, which will become Part Two of the series. Like nurturing my tulips, such care and attention are essential in portrait photography. This is a lesson I've learned from masters like Peter Lindbergh and Paolo Roversi. Lindbergh once said that he needs to fall in love with each person he takes pictures of and that he truly does. I think it's nessecary.