Biography and Awards

Molly Hollman is a British flower, garden, and natural world photographer, writer, and educator based in Kent, England. She is known for her macro and close-up photography of flowers, plants, insects, and gardens, and has won multiple national and international awards.

Early life and education

Molly grew up in Kent, the daughter of artists and potters, which exposed her from an early age to visual arts and galleries.[1] She trained as an artist and later as a teacher, earning a BA (Hons) and a PGCE.[2]

Career

She began experimenting with photography more seriously after the birth of her children, initially using a Pentax DSLR before moving to long-zoom and macro lenses. Over time she transitioned from portraits, weddings, and landscapes to specialise in close-up flower and garden photography.[4]

She photographs extensively in her own garden in Kent and in heritage gardens across the UK, with an emphasis on natural light, seasonal change, and pollinators.[1] Alongside her photographic work, she runs workshops, webinars, lectures, and one-to-one tuition on flower and plant photography.

Publications

Her first book, Creative Flower and Plant Photography, was published in 2022 by Crowood Press, offering guidance for beginners and experienced photographers. She has also contributed articles to photography and horticultural magazines, including Amateur Photographer.[5]

Awards and recognition

Molly has received numerous awards for her work, including:

Winner of the ‘Plants’ category, Royal Horticultural Society Photography Competition (2021).

Winner of the Flora & Plants category (2021) and Insects category (2022), Guild of Photographers.

Winner of Portfolio Photographer of the Year at the Garden Media Guild Awards (2022 and 2023).[7]

Winner of Natural World – Botanical and Fungi Photographer of the Year, Society of Photographers, and multiple commendations in International Garden Photographer of the Year, Close-Up Photographer of the Year, and British Photography Awards.[1]

Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Bar from the Guild of Photographers in the Natural World category.[1]

Personal life

Molly lives in St Nicholas-at-Wade, East Kent, with her partner Ross and their two children. She also works as Head of Music at a school in Ramsgate, Kent.

Style and approach

Her style emphasises fine detail, soft backgrounds, and delicate use of light and colour. She often uses long lenses or macro equipment to capture subjects without disturbance. Hollman also employs creative editing techniques such as textures and overlays, and has discussed her workflow in interviews and webinars.[7]

References

Horticulture: Molly Hollman profile

Garden Media Guild – Molly Hollman

Molly Hollman portfolio

International Garden Photographer of the Year – Molly Hollman

SheClicks – Flower & Plant Photography webinar

Camversation – Molly Hollman

SheClicks feature on Molly Hollman

Isle of Thanet News – Award wins