Josie Elias winner of the RHS Photographic Competition 2012 (image courtesy of picselect)
We’re surrounded by glossy gardening magazines and beautiful, photograph packed books but garden photography often gets overlooked. Maybe because we are so spoilt with such stunning photographs that are just there. I bought an old gardening book the other day and the contrast between it and its black and white photographs and poor quality printing with today’s gardening books is startling. I have always loved photography right from the time I got my first tiny camera when I was about 8 and, of course, I love plants so it’s probably no surprise that plant photos are quite a passion too. I recently had to find a photo of myself and after trawling through thousands of photos stored on my computer from over the last seven years I found only a handful; there were several more of Wellyman, the rest were mainly of plants.
I avidly read gardening magazines and books and yet, and I’m quite embarrassed to say this, until about 9 months ago I could have only named one gardening photographer. Thinking about it now I think it’s rather strange that whilst I could name quite a long list of gardening writers and journalists, the people whose work appears alongside the words had gone unnoticed. Sometimes you’ll come across a book or article that hasn’t any images and they don’t suffer for this but they will invariably have some sort of illustrations to accompany it, as if the words on their own aren’t enough and that our eyes crave some kind of visual stimulus.
Some of my favourite books such as the collections of Elspeth Thompson’s articles for The Telegraph and the recent Gardening series by Val Bourne lack any photographs and yet I love them. However, I am a bit of a photo-addict. For instance, I really dislike recipe books without photographs. To see the prepared dish and its appearance is what makes me want to cook. As for garden writing, I’ll admit there are elements such as the heady perfume of Viburnum bodnantense which can’t, disappointingly, be captured by a camera but there is so much about plants and the spaces we create for them that is about visuals. How dull would life be without these images capturing the light glistening on grass seed heads, frost sparkling on evergreens and water droplets captured on the leaves of Alchemilla mollis?
Amber Rose Amos RHS Photographic Competition 2012 (image courtesy of picselect)
Over the last year I’ve met a few garden photographers and have had the pleasure of working with one of them. It has certainly opened my eyes to the skill that is involved in capturing the beauty of the plants we love so much. Botanical art has always been held in great regard but outside the circles of the garden media plant photography seems rather neglected and yet some of the best images really are beautiful works of art.
I’m so often frustrated with my own camera skills. I have a decent enough camera but lack the technical knowledge that allows me to achieve want I really want. Occasionally, I’ll take a photo I’m really happy with but this tends to be a bit of a fluke rather than any actual skill. Certainly the right camera, lenses and other equipment that are part of a professionals kit make a huge difference but it’s not as simple as having all the gear, years of training learning to understanding light, texture and form as well as depth of field, apertures, shutter speeds and all the other terms that go over my head are all prerequisites for creating great photography.
Plants have always been at the heart of photography. At the same time photography was developing in Victorian Britain so to was our understanding of plants. It’s not surprising then, that the pioneers of photography such as William Fox Talbot, Julia Margaret Cameron and Anna Atkins used plants as their subjects. The latter used a technique called cyanotyping which consisted of laying on top of photo-sensitive paper the object you wanted to capture and then exposing the paper to sunlight. The area around the material would change to a blue colour but under it would remain white leaving an image on the paper. Atkins was particularly interested by ferns. These were very basic images but must have been captivating.
Cherry Blossom on the way to the plot. One of my own favourites.
Today, the increasing popularity of print media has meant that plant photographs are in huge demand but when it comes to exhibitions, landscape and portraiture still come out on top. I think this is such a shame as they are certainly just as worthy of the audience. The International Garden Photographer of the Year, in conjunction with the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, hold a competition every year open to amateurs and professionals alike, to find the best photographers out there. Each March the winners are announced and an exhibition is held at Kew which then tours the country. If you love plants take a look at their website and I’m sure you’ll be blown away by the images on display.
For me a visit is already pencilled into the diary for next year but in the meantime I’ll keep trying to improve my own attempts whilst making more of an effort to appreciate the work of the garden photographers whose images we see so much of and yet know so little about.
For more details of IGPOTY, how to enter and where to see the exhibition go to igpoty.com
The RHS also runs a photographic competition every year if you fancy giving it a try.
If you love plants and photography take a look at a few of these photographer’s websites for some great images. They are some of my favourites.
I have to say that I don’t understand photography at all. I have a couple of cameras, one a pocket point and shoot, and the other a bridge camera, yet I more often than not use them on automatic. Many people these days use editing software rather than manual camera settings, yet I don’t even do that. I do notice fantastic photographs on many blogs I read though.
The more technology involved does seem to have made photography even more complicated. Well certainly the editing side of it. I never use any of that stuff. Wellyman does sometimes but I fond the whole process incredibly fascianting.
We are lucky with the images that are in gardening books today, some photos make you want to rush out and buy the plants straight away. We saw the photos one year of the RHS photographic exhibition when we were at Rosemore, they were really amazing, absolutely beautiful, way beyond what my little camera could produce!
I’m really looking forward to getting to the IGPOTY exhibition this year. I need a few things for the walls in the house and I had been looking at paintings but I think I’ll go down the photography route.
I wonder if you read Saxon Holt’s posts? He is a garden photographer, gracious about sharing the howtos.
http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=22480
Thanks for the link Diana. Always on the look out for new things like this.
I have planted ferns here having seen images of their young fronds unfurling in spring. And yes dew snapped on the leaves of Alchemilla mollis makes you want to plant them in every available space..
The more photos I take, the more captivated I am by photography – ah for more spare time! Garden photography is particularly beautiful, I too really savour the photographs in modern garden books; combined with good writing that could often (and often still does) stand alone, beautiful illustrations really lift the whole volume to a new art form.
Some times just the writing is enough but sometimes photographs lend a completely new dimension and can make a book. I’m aware of a few garden photographers by name mainly through participating in a one day (not enough time) garden photography workshop, followed by some reading on the subject. However their talents are often sadly not talked about or written about enough. Thanks for the links WW – will explore when I’ve some spare time to linger and appreciate
Love the sound of a garden photography workshop. That sounds like something I might look into doing at some point. Oh if only there were more hours.
Hi Wellywoman! I love the way you call your other half Wellyman!! What a lovely post. I can’t describe just how much I’ve enjoyed reading this. I have never even thought of garden photographers before (sorry photography dudes!) but what an absolute skill it is. I love taking photos too but the professionals just have something else on what I could do, even if I got myself all the best equipment. I have a few friends who are photographers and just love meeting up with them and trying to take in some of their tips. I am better with landscapes but really want to improve. The websites you’ve linked to are really inspiring. Thank you for such an excellent and really original post
Thanks,
I’m really glad you liked the post. I think because camera equipment is more available now and to a much wider audience many think they can be as good but when you really look at the work of the professionals it shows there is much more to it than just the kit. I just think it’s a real pity they don’t get as much coverage as the writers.
An interesting, and informative, post which I really enjoyed as I’ve always liked taking, and looking at, photos.
I’m very much just a point, shoot and hope for the best photographer, and always pleased when I do take a really good picture.
Thanks for the links which I’ve been looking at which much admiration of the many superb photos shown. xx
It’s the garden photography that will stop me in my tracks, every time. What about Jonathan Buckley? or (as a non-professional) Mark Diacono’s photos? Both heart-stoppingly beautiful. I think a lot can be learned by studying the photos that call out to you, why they appeal, etc. I love Garden’s Illustrated for the photos as much as the articles and, despite years of taking photos, I’d love to go on a garden photography workshop! (If you discover a good one, let me know!)
PS. I’m now intrigued as to what your job is … Caro x
Very thought-provoking, I can’t name ANY garden photographers, and yet they can make or break how useful I find a gardening book. I, too, love to play around with a camera, however ineptly, and fully appreciate the skill it takes to get the wonderful images that we are so used to now. Good for you, singing the praises of the often overlooked artists. Am off to check up those links…