One white dress, three frames

On the second weekend of April the blossom walk in the old-town park was at its fullest. Our photographer and the model had arranged to meet at half past four in the afternoon. By that hour the sun has dropped below the treetops and the light comes slanting from behind, so that hair and hem each carry a bright edge.

The styling comes down to a single white cotton dress: long sleeves, a row of small pearl buttons down the front and a skirt wide enough to swing gently with every step. There is no jewellery at all, and the only accessory is a straw hat. The photographer's idea was simple. Spring clothes should subtract, and the colour can be left to the trees in flower overhead.

The three pictures in the gallery follow three actions: walk, pause, sit. The whole shoot took only forty minutes and was over before the light turned yellow. Nobody touched the petals lying on the paving stones; the wind had arranged them the night before, and set the scene for everyone.