Breathtaking Timelapse Videos Illustrate the Life of a Fresh-Cut Garden Rose

Timin Wang is a photographer based in Shanghai, China. Since early 2022, he has produced incredible timelapse videos of garden rose varieties grown at Alexandra Farms. Below is an interview we conducted with Timin in June 2025.

Tell us your full name and where you’re from.

My full name is Wang Xu, and Timin is my online and social media name. I was born and raised in Shanghai, China.

How long have you been a photographer? Is this your full-time job, or is it a hobby?

I was first exposed to photography in early 2015 and began to study and practice photography in earnest in 2017, with a focus on landscape photography. It has always been a significant hobby of mine as my dream is to display my printed and framed photographs at home, creating an art museum or gallery-like atmosphere. In 2023, I resigned from my previous job to pursue photography full-time, focusing on timelapse photography of flowers.

How did you get involved in working with flowers?

Interestingly, my foray into flower photography began with my desire to gift beautiful roses to a girl I admired. This led me to research various rose varieties and discover David Austin garden roses. Unsatisfied with conventional photography, I incorporated timelapse techniques from landscape photography into my flower photography to create more elegant, beautiful, and dynamic floral content.

What sort of equipment and space do you use for your timelapse videos?

I typically set up multiple spaces in my studio and use high-pixel DSLR cameras (with 45 million pixels or more) for their superior image quality and stability during prolonged shooting. As camera technology evolves, I am also adding high-pixel mirrorless cameras to my collection.

How did you learn about Alexandra Farms, and how did you first reach out to us?

As I delved deeper into the world of roses, I encountered David Austin garden roses and was captivated by their beauty. Among the David Austin cut garden roses from various regions, those from Colombia's Alexandra Farms stood out as the highest quality. I contacted the farm through the official website, and your staff were very passionate and friendly.

How did this particular collaboration come to be? How was it decided which varieties you’d get to film?

The collaboration came about through our shared appreciation for beauty. I am very grateful to Joey (Jose R. Azout, president of Alexandra Farms) for giving me this creative opportunity. His enthusiasm, kindness, and refined taste and aesthetics made us quickly reach a consensus on the shoot.

What’s your favorite part of your work?

I enjoy every moment of photographing flowers. But if I had to choose, it would be when I open the footage in software to restore and enhance the colors of the flowers and arrangements. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the results of my efforts and bring my vision to life.

Based on what you were able to film, do you have a favorite garden rose variety?

This is one of my favorite questions as it always reminds me of the most beautiful roses I’ve captured. My top favorites are the Sabrina and Constance from Alexandra Farms.

Why did you decide to keep the dying portion of a bloom’s journey in the filming process, and what do you think it shows us about flowers?

I want to capture the process of flowers withering because, after seeing the beauty of their full bloom, it's easy to forget how transient beauty is. Beauty is hard to preserve forever. Witnessing the withering process makes us recall the former beautiful moments, reminding viewers to cherish the present beauty. This is why I think flower timelapse videos convey more meaning and inspiration than traditional floral works.

What other kinds of videos or photos do you work on?

In addition to timelapse flower photography, I am passionate about landscape photography, which was my first venture into photography and remains an ongoing focus. I also enjoy documentary-style street photography.