South African photographers Bruce Boyd and Tharien Smith were always interested in unique images of flowers. Together, they came up with the concept of encapsulating native South African flora in ice and then photographing them. As time wore on, the pair experimentally dropped the ice blocks into a swimming pool, causing the ice to melt and crack. These imperfections added dimension to the photos and became the signature look for the pair’s art.

Continue on for photos of these captivating works of art simply using water and flowers.

The flowers are frozen in plastic containers overnight and then are dropped into the nearest pool, stream or puddle.

Typically, the photos are captured at either dusk or dawn to maximize the day’s soft lighting.

It took Boyd and Smith more than a year to perfect the process, due to experimentation with various conditions.

For more of this talented pair’s work, visit their website below.