Rose is a Rose

I keep fighting my natural instincts which are to photograph people and I pursue still life and landscape when the opportunity presents itself.

So I've been toying around with these dried up roses with little success.

I've got this idea of photographing dead and decaying things.
In my mind's eye, I can see exactly what these pictures are supposed to look like, but I fail miserably at staging and lighting the moment.

I've been half-heartedly vowing to stop photographing live models because of the time, expense and hassle involved in dealing with them, but so far they provide my best and most satisfying material.