Garden photography can be so rewarding in many ways. Flowers are beautiful. They attract birds, bees, bug and butterflies. With garden photography, you can use numerous techniques to photograph different subjects and the subjects are so diverse.
Long zoom lenses, macro lenses and wide angle lenses are all functional. Still life, fine art, bird or wildlife photography, many genres are possible in the humble backyard garden.
If you are a keen photographer with some space around your house, think about building the best garden you can. A little research before you put the spade into the ground can help you choose the ideal subjects for your photography passion. You can actually provide yourself with a never ending number of photography subjects.
Don’t worry if you are in an apartment. Pots on the window sill can be substituted for garden beds, so don’t despair. Garden photography is possible for anyone, no matter where you live, how much space you have available, or the climate of your area.
Garden Photography Subjects
Garden photography is not just about the plants you can grow, there’s the added excitement of the animals and bugs you attract with those flowers and shrubs.
We touched on the research in the introduction to garden photography. Research is an import phase in the overall planning of a garden. While this blog post isn’t about how to grow flowers, it is important to know exactly what you are going to photograph when certain plants have grown.
Many flowers are totally gorgeous. Do your research before purchasing plants to see if your area is ideal. For example the hibiscus flower makes a beautiful subject to photograph but doesn’t tolerate cold, frost or snow.
Hibiscus is more of a tropical plant. You may need to grow it in a pot and bring it indoors during the colder, winter months. It’s that type of research that will make your garden photography experience much more fruitful.
Make Full Use of the Garden
Talking about fruit, there is nothing better than nice fruit trees for the garden photographer. You may not be overly enthusiastic to photograph the bare branches of the fruit tree during it’s winter hiatus. Although in gloomy light with heavy clouds, leafless limbs and an active imagination, a spooky type of image can be captured.
Then when spring starts and the blossoms erupt in beautiful colourful clusters, as a photographer, you are in heaven.
While the fruit tree blooms, you not only have the flowers to photograph, many different types of birds, bees and bugs are attracted to your garden by these very same trees. When the flowers become fruit another form of photography beckons, paving the way for lovely still life subjects. Even the skin or peel from the fruit can be amazingly transformed into fine art images.
Keep Costs Down
Part of your garden photography planning should include how much money you are prepared to spend.
If you live in a city or town that has beautiful gardens that are not far from where you live, perhaps your taxes are all you need to pay. Use your councils parks and gardens as your backyard. It may not be as rewarding as doing it yourself, yet certainly cost effective.
Search Google images for flowers and plants you would like to photograph. Learn how to grow them from seeds. Seeds are the cheapest way to grow flowers. When they do bloom, learn how to harvest their seeds so you never need to buy them again. Don’t forget to photograph every step along the way.
Sometimes you will need to purchase a plant or bush. Learn how to propagate then from a cutting. If anything happens to the mother plant you have a replacement at no extra cost.
Perhaps you can take a cutting from your local park or a neighbours garden. Photograph the mother plant first to remind yourself what you have potted. Perhaps time-lapse the cutting as it grows. Yes, another form of garden photography.
Take Time To Smell The Roses
The rewards for making a beautiful garden are huge, especially for photographers. You give yourself the gift of a variety of photography challenges, without the need to travel.
Gardening is also good for your health. You actually get a good workout. The bending and lifting you perform while weeding and tending plants is really beneficial to your physical body, whilst the challenge of rearing the plants to maturity stimulates the mind.
Stand back every now and then and look at the beauty you have achieved. Take the time to smell the roses. Then run inside, grab your camera and enjoy the experience of garden photography.
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