Talkback: Garden photography

Gardeners' World Web User · November 2011

Try to make use of the Golden Mean like artists do. Imagine you have lines across your viewer one third and two thirds horizontally and vertically and where they intersect is the Golden Mean where the most important part of the picture should be, a choice of four. Also, finding straight diagonal lines from any of the corners of the frame will give you a good composition. Try to get complementary or harmonising colours and have fun experimenting with the editing of your pictures on the computer. I hope you have as much fun photographing plants and gardens as I have,Lila.

Gardeners' World Web User · July 2010

I can't agree more with point number five. I took some wonderful photos of penstemens in my garden and when the photos came back (before I went digital) there were a goood many shots which featured the gigantic underpants of my neighbour hanging in the background!

Gardeners' World Web User · July 2010

I take pictures of our garden and allotment every month and then download them on to MSN, it's a pleasure looking back and enjoying the garden over and over again.

Gardeners' World Web User · July 2010

I much enjoyed your post on camera gardening. I take average pictures with my mobile which I always have on me. Until the advent of camera mobiles I never took pictures. I use it for a variety of purposes. Record/diary keeping (then adding text with Picasa, so I know what I planted where in the next season, and also it reinforces the plant names), passing wildlife which won't wait for you to go and get your camera (birds, butterflies, frogs, moths), artistic views, identification, (most recently what turned out to be a garden escapee, Linum grandiflorum, in a butterfly meadow in a country park, had to call in the experts).It's a bit addictive and a brilliant tool.

Gardeners' World Web User · July 2010

I have got a few little galleries that I have done, just when in my parents garden and in the inlaws garden... you can get some great shots, but would recommend a decent camera... Macro lens work a treat.

See them here www.timbronze.co.uk/horticulture/

Gardeners' World Web User · July 2010

Lila

The best thing I ever did re garden photography was take a weekend course -- Andrea Jones (http://www.andreajones.co.uk/template.cfm?pID=1) offered 2 last year and I took the Spring one. Amazing to do nothing but photographing plants and flowers for weekend with Andrea's bunch of pros, including PhotoShop pros who show basic tips for making colours look real if the camera didn't catch them right.

You're right about the tripod. One tip Andrea gave me was never try to do handheld (without a tripod) on a shutter speed below 80. If I can't use a tripod I also use the timer function -- 2 or 5 second delay eliminates the shake caused by the hand when pressing the button.

Sheila Averbuch -- Stopwatch Gardener

Gardeners' World Web User · July 2010

Thank you for a good post on camera gardening, I started taking photo's of my garden plants a month ago and needed some advise.

Gardeners' World Web User · July 2010

Thanks everyone for these encouraging comments. I have been mulling over a course and am now persuaded.
Not lucky enough to own a Digital SLR, but Paul, mentioned above, told me that if you are an amateur and can't afford a macro lens, an extension tube costing around £10 works very well indeed.

Gardeners' World Web User · August 2010

hi can anyone tell me what to do with my potatoes. they are growing extremely tall and leggy, they are in bags, and when I looked to see if there were any tubers, there were none. Only one plant has flowered so far. I have early and lates in. I filled the bags and covered the foliage when I should have.

Gardeners' World Web User · August 2010

The best way to learn is to take pictures, then take more and more.

I have been doing it for 20 years - I still learn every day.

Gardeners' World Web User · August 2010

You are so right Andy!

Talkback: Garden photography

Posts