About Us
About Botanographia
Botanographia is the botanical fine art print practice propelled by the deep experience and passion of award-winning photographer Duncan Smith and exists by combining keen botanical observation and artistic expression.
Botanographia is an evolving body of work shaped by years of still-life photography, quiet observation and study along with a lifelong interest in plants.
Based in Cambridgeshire, UK, Botanographia brings together botanical subjects and photographic discipline to create premium quality botanical fine art prints for reflective, considered interiors.
Co-founded with Andrea Semas, she brings a career of design management, operational and programme delivery experience. In addition to website design and curation, her focus is to shape the foundations around our practice with a focus on sustainability, operational design and environmental essentials to support a considered, low-waste production model.
The Practice
A seasonal botanical study in light and form.
Botanicals selected focus on structure, character and presence. Rather than treating botanicals as decoration, the work approaches them as subjects, exploring how form interacts with light, space and surface. Each plant is also grown, sourced or carefully gathered respectful and sustainable manner.
Compositions are developed slowly. Adjusted. Refined. Observed.
This process draws directly from Duncan Smith's commercial still-life background, where precision, patience and attention to detail are essential. That discipline now finds a quieter expression in botanical form.
The result is a body of work that balances photography, botanical study and fine art printmaking.
From Commercial Practice to Botanical Photography
Duncan Smith began his photographic career in London decades ago, assisting established photographers during a period when studio practice was entirely manual, deliberate and exacting.
Working with large-format cameras and complex lighting setups, he developed a deep understanding of composition, material and light: skills that would define his career.
After establishing his own studio in Clerkenwell, Duncan spent years producing still-life advertising photography for global brands. His work later expanded into architectural interiors photography, portraiture and film, taking him across Europe, the United States and Asia.
Botanographia is not a departure from this career, but a distillation of it: a return to still life, slowed down and rooted in observation.
A Studio in Cambridgeshire
We work from our studio based in Cambridgeshire or in the field. Surrounded by seasonal change, Botanographia emerges.
The plants photographed are often grown or sourced locally and responsibly, reflecting the rhythms of our East Anglian landscape. Each subject is chosen with care, sometimes close to home, sometimes sourced further afield, but always selected for its visual and structural qualities.
This connection to place informs the work, grounds us in seasonality and drives focussed attention.
Fine Art Prints & Editions
Every Botanographia photograph is produced as a fine art giclée print, using archival pigment inks and carefully selected papers, including 308 gsm Hahnemühle Photo Rag.
Our work is offered primarily as limited editions, with selected photographs available as open editions. Each limited edition is carefully documented, with the total number of prints established in advance and clearly identified alongside the artwork.
Every print is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, signed by photographer Duncan Smith, recording the details of the work and its edition.
Our commitment is to create photographic works of lasting quality, produced and presented with the same care and attention that goes into making the original image.
Discover more about our Limited Editions →
Awards and accolades
In 2026 Duncan was awarded a Silver for "Horse Chestnut Stem" series in the Professional, Still Life Category at the June 2026 reFocus Awards and the October ExposureOne awards. In the 2026 TeraVarna 12th Flower international juried competition, he achieved Honourable Mentions for Plum Blossom No 2 & Flowering Japanese Quince. He was also Shortlisted in the 2026 Holt Arts Projects, Benjamin Hall photographic award for Horst Chestnut Stem No 1. Duncan's work has been included in Flora - Photo editions book by ShutterHub for Horse Chestnut Stem No 2.
Sustainability
Considered sustainability is approached with clarity rather than generalisation.
Botanographia uses UK and Germany-based print production to reduce transport impact, prioritise responsibly sourced materials and avoid unnecessary overproduction through print-on-demand methods.
Rather than using broad claims such as “eco-friendly”, we try to make measurable decisions: materials, processes and durability.
- Produced in the UK or in Germany (based on your location)
- Made to order to reduce waste
A photographic fine art botanical print should last, not be replaced.
An Archive in Progress
Botanographia is an evolving body of work: a modern herbarium expressed through photography.
Our images emerge gradually, following the seasons but coordinating with current trends.
Collections are built over time, allowing each piece to sit within a wider study of botanical form.
Wide-Spread Appeal
Designed for all, but may immediately resonate with collectors, designers and plant lovers. We hope this is a body of work that can be returned to, time and time again, for new finds and editions.
Where we see our prints:
- Design-aware interiors
- Plant lovers and gardeners
- Slow-living and wellness spaces
- Those seeking considered, enduring visual presence
- A premium gift
This is botanical wall art that rewards attention and continues to reveal itself over time.
Visit and Collect
Botanographia prints are available online across the UK and Europe, and in the future at selected events across East Anglia. Browse our The Collection or join our newsletter for seasonal information and early access to new releases.
