Ever wonder how to take really good pictures of your garden? Here is your chance to learn."Photography in Your Garden" is one of nine garden-related classes offered at this year's Insights into Gardening Seminar to be held Saturday at the LaSells Stewart Center at Oregon State University.
Tammy Skubinna, a 4-H extension agent for Benton County, and professional photographer David Paul Bayles will offer tips on how to improve your photography.
Amateur prospectiveSkubinna has worked in 4-H Youth Development ever since moving to Corvallis 23 years ago. Her second love is photography.During her first year in Corvallis, Skubinna purchased a camera and immediately begin taking photos. Almost exclusively, she focused on nature and flowers.
"I enjoy bringing the outside world into my home to enjoy all year round," she says.
Since "photos are a part of who you are," Skubinna recommends taking lots of photos and only keeping those you really love. Don't be afraid to make mistakes either. Show photos to friends because their perspective may influence your choices.
Matted and framed, photos make great gifts, she says. To personalize your gift, tie your photo in with the intended recipient. For somebody who collects roses, consider a theme calendar with rose photos. Someone else may prefer an outdoors or nature theme. A good frame and mat can bring out a feature in your photo that you never noticed at first, such as the photo of a tree in all its autumn regalia hanging in Skubinna's living room. Her choice of a secondary mat color to match the bark in sunlight - a feature secondary to the oranges and yellows of the leaves - makes this photo shine. Don't limit yourself to your own garden when taken garden photos either. Skubinna likes to go to the Corvallis rose garden at Avery Park. She also recommends the tulip and daffodil gardens at Greengables Gardens in Philomath, Wooden Shoe in Woodburn and others for some spectacular blooms.For other amateurs, Skubinna says there is more than one right way to take photos. So when taking pictures of a field of tulips or daffodils, look at the potential from different distances - shoot one across the whole field, one closer - across a few rows, and then close-up - a single flower can be awesome!
Photos of the same area at different times of day or year will offer unique perspectives as well. Framing these contrasts in distance and seasons together into photo collages can show the beauty of one species or seasons in the garden."The biggest mistake people can make is not taking photos at all," Skubinna says. It is easy to be in the moment - enjoying the garden in bloom one minute - then the blooms are gone, leaving you with regret for not taking photos when the flowers were flourishing.And remember - have fun while you are doing it. Professional prospective
David Paul Bayles first explored his relationship to nature while camping and backpacking. Later he worked as a logger to save money for photography school. During those years his relationship to nature, and trees specifically, became quite complex. Today his photographs explore the complexity of our relationship to nature, from the harmony and beauty to the use and misuse. His photography has been exhibited in U.S. museums and galleries and in Europe. His work has been published in numerous magazines and in 2003, the Sierra Club published a book of his photographs titled Urban Forest: Images of Trees in the Human Landscape.Bayles writes, "Our tree-lined streets and garden spaces have been woven into a living fabric that shades and soothes our souls." He offers these simple tips to improve your flower and plant photography. Use the telephoto setting (as opposed to the wide angle) on your zoom lens to give a little more working room between the camera and the flower. The angle of view will be narrower, reducing the amount of background in your picture. The background will also be more out of focus which helps to make the flower stand out.Regarding clutter and/or unwanted elements in the picture, Bayles says, "Always remember the old saying, 'If it isn’t helping, it’s hurting!' "Decide on your composition by moving all around the flower while viewing it through your camera. "You are looking for an elegant composition, the most harmonic background colors and tonal values to compliment the flower, and the best height from which to photograph," he says. Once you have selected your view, then set the camera on a tripod. Get down and intimate with your subject. Using a tripod will help you work slowly and deliberately to compose, light and expose the image with the greatest care. Your pictures will also be much sharper than when you hold the camera by hand. However if you do not own a tripod, (although it's an investment well spent), Bayles suggests this technique: "Steady your body and feel your energy root down to your feet, or knees if that is where you are. Take a deep breath, and after releasing your breath, depress the shutter half way and relax, then slowly depress the rest of the way," he says. This will help to reduce the amount of camera shake your body is transferring to the camera when you push the button quickly. Note: With digital cameras - view through the lens and not from the external LCD screen. If you want to take a picture and the light is not ideal then you have to do what pros do - modify the light to make it suit your vision. This may sound difficult or very technical. Bayles will demonstrate just how simple and easy these light modifying tools can be to soften and shape the light to suit your creative vision while photographing an individual flower or small plant. Contrary to what most of us might think, photographing in softer light, rather than bright sunshine, will yield more saturated colors and give you greater control, he says. Examples of simple materials to use as light modifiers will be given away at the end of the demo to the attendee who can correctly guess the author of a garden poem he will read. He will also hand out instructions on to make them and where to purchase the materials.Working with light modifiers is very simple and fun, but requires a willing assistant to hold them. Bayles recommends planning photography dates with a gardening friend, one date in your garden and one date in theirs.Whether you are an amateur or professional, photography is a light to the world, uniquely captured by your lens.
Tammy Skubinna's tips
1. Take lots of photos.
2. Find different angles to take photos from.
3. There is more than one right photo. Keep taking photos of the same flower or garden space, from difference distances or at different times of the day.
4. Make mistakes!
5. Have fun!
Tips from David Paul Bayles
1. Use the telephoto setting (as opposed to the wide angle) on your zoom lens or use a telephoto lens
2. Decide on your composition by moving all around the flower while viewing through your camera.
3. Use a tripod.
4. Use light modifiers.
5. Have a willing assistant.
Thanks to Lynn Welp
http://www.gtconnect.com/articles/2007/02/18/lifestyles/home_garden/1hom01_photography.txt
http://www.ct-graphics.com/entertainment/venetian-woman-2585.html
http://www.ct-graphics.com/domestic/page5.html
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