| Taking
better pictures in your garden
A bright sunny day always makes the
garden look great to your eyes, but unfortunately it is not the best time to take
photographs. The harsh sun
casts deep shadows, and your pictures end up with highlights washed out and the
shadows too prominent and dark. Sometimes the strong sun can be used to good effect
by back lighting your subject. This is particularly effective with poppies and
other plants with few paper thin petals.
Open
shade is a better situation to give you more even light, but of course you can't
always move a plant to shade for a better photo opportunity. You can follow the
shade through the day and take different parts of the garden at different times.
A bright overcast day, with high cloud cover, is a good time to take pictures.
Early mornings are also good, when the light is soft, and as a bonus you have
dew drops to accent your flowers. The light may be reduced at this time, so break
out your tripod if you need a longer exposure, or use a table or whatever is available
for support. Having a steady camera is essential to sharp photographs in low light.
Avoid using a flash because that also creates shadows that you are trying to avoid.
If the weather is not cooperating, you can create your own lighting situations.
Get a couple people to hold a large white sheet between the subject and the sun,
or use a white umbrella or wax paper for smaller areas. Tin foil can be laid on
the ground to bounce light into dark shadow areas, helping to define the underside
and even out the shadows. You could also use something solid to throw a dark shadow
behind your subject to block out something you don't want in the picture.
Composition
is an important element in achieving the exceptional photograph. Panoramic
shots can be useful for record keeping, but rarely do they succeed in showing
off the best of your plants. Although your eye can take in the whole field, there
are usually a few stronger elements which stand out. Zero in on those, and fill
the frame for a dramatic effect. Sometimes it is a single flower, sometimes it
is an attractive plant grouping. Consider what the essential thing that attracted
your interest is.
 Look
for natural and man made patterns, such as repetition of seed pods or hardscaping.
Set up the edge of a bed or a path on a diagonal to suggest depth and lead you
in to the picture. Use
garden sculpture as a focal point, but place it in the environment to give it
context.Try unusual views, such as down low on eye level
with a flower, framing the view with a doorway, or climbing a ladder to see it
from above. Don't put your subject smack in the middle, but divide your composition
and line a major element up on the one third line. Fascinating designs are abundant
in plant life. Sometimes all it takes is a clever eye to focus on what we often
overlook.
Remember to check what will be visible or distracting in the
background. Groom the beds a little, deadhead and pull out weeds and drifting
leaves. Changing your angle may help to cut something undesirable out of the picture.
Leave the sky out of the composition as much as possible so the light meter doesn't
read off the sky and cast your garden in darkness.
We
are proud of our gardens and, like our babies, want to show them off to others.
We have all had the disappointment of bad pictures that just don't do any justice
to the feeling of being out there among the vibrantly growing plants. Focusing
on the subject that most draws you in will help capture the elemental joy of gardening.
|
 Getting
a
Start
with
Garden Art
Here
are a few tips for increasing the pleasure in your garden and creating a personalized
statement by including some garden art.
Winter
is a good time for assessing where you might need to add some art, because that
is when the bare bones of the garden are more evident. Look for holes where you
need something to draw the eye. Select something to be a focal point, whether
it is a fountain, statue, or arbor. Place large pieces to the back, just as you
would larger plants, and allow them to draw you down the path.
Make the
path meandering with gentle turns, so you come upon other unexpected elements,
on a more intimate scale. Provide seating so you can stay and contemplate the
object within its environment. Enhance your experience by providing for the other
senses as well, with the sound of moving water, scented plants, or wind activated
elements, such as kites, flags, and mobiles.
You can use natural elements
to make an accent as well, by winding white twinkle lights in a tree, or spotlighting
from below so that the trees’ form is highlighted. A large scale rock can anchor
a point; if you are bringing in a large rock, it is best to bury it by half to
three quarters, so it looks naturally set into the ground.
Many found or
cast off objects make unusual trellises or planters, and add an element of
surprise and often humor. Mattress springs, with their spiral coils, might make
an attractive trellis; an old claw foot bathtub can be a pond or planter; a crystal
chandelier hanging in the tree will catch the light. Broken dishes and tiles can
become a mosaic table top, or decorate a terra cotta pot.
We are spending
more time in our outdoor rooms and it makes sense to carry art into the outdoors.
Garden art is a personal statement that reflects who you are. It should fit the
style of your garden, whether it is formal or funky. And as is true with all art,
most of all, it should please you.
Here
are some other links related to garden art
http://www.the-artistic-garden.com/
http://www.gardenartisans.com/
http://www.flyingmobiles.com/
http://www.herrsculptures.com/
http://www.gardenartaccessories.com/
http://www.garden-art.com/
http://www.gardenart.com/
http://www.bottle-tree.com/resources/gardeningproducts.htm
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