Comments on: Garden Photography

By: barbara bell

barbara bell — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:09:12 +0000

So often when I am in the Cloisters’ gardens visitors say that it must be such a pleasure to work here. My immediate reply is always an affirmation. Besides working outdoors with the plants, one of the other pleasures is meeting the visitors, and seeing the gardens through their eyes. Thank you, too!

By: Michael Flory

Michael Flory — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:38:47 +0000

Barbara, it was wonderful to meet you today at the Cloisters and it is doubly wonderful to discover your very helpful photographic advice. The photographs give clear evidence of its soundness; they are beautiful and technically admirable. And who else would note the way water beads on ornamental plants? Thank you!

By: Barbara Bell

Barbara Bell — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:07:08 +0000

Merci, plantesjardinsnature! One of the garden chores that could be taken care of now is planning for autumn planting. Reviewing the photo library on my computer and looking at bulb catalogs are two activities perfect for a 93 degree Fahrenheit afternoon.

By: plantesjardinsnature

plantesjardinsnature — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:46:02 +0000

Good informations about plant photography. Hopeful to get more informations on future about this subject.Nice considering the camera as a tool needed for a garden and it’s true helps you get new ideas and improve your garden

By: barbara bell

barbara bell — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:10:37 +0000

Thank you, Kim. In the meantime, you might like to look for the work of Karl Blossfeldt whose photographs of seed pods and flowers were used as teaching aids in his design classes at Berlin’s Arts and Crafts School. They are lovely to look at and are in a book titled “Karl Blossfeldt”, published by Taschen in 2005. Also search the Met’s image archive for the green pepper photographs by Edward Weston, great examples of how lighting can elevate a subject to another realm.

By: Kim Searcy

Kim Searcy — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:18:08 +0000

Barbara,

Great information! I’d love to read more about plant photography in the future.

By: Barbara Bell

Barbara Bell — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:42:03 +0000

Yes, Tiffany, glass does reproduce very well under soft light, too. One of the unique challenges is trying not to capture the camera’s image in the reflective pieces. An exercise we did in photo class back in college was to look for the photographer in reflective subjects in magazine ads!

By: Tiffany Smith

Tiffany Smith — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 02:00:02 +0000

Difused light does wonders for mosiac glass as well, which can be found in gardens as part of the outside decor. It usually makes the piece much more reflective and therefore lively.