Creative Garden Photography

Book excerpt: Make great photos of flowers, gardens, landscapes and thebeautiful world around us Gardens are everywhere, all around us. In this long-awaited guide to garden photography, noted botanical photographer and author Harold Davis tackles the subject of garden photography with an expansive brush. In this book, you''ll find techniques for photographing extreme macro subjects while becoming a better landscape photographer. From tiny flowers to vast landscapes, your photography can be enhanced using the techniques you will discover in Creative Garden Photography. What is a garden? The topic of garden photography encompasses a huge range of photographic styles and techniques that can be applied to almost any kind of photography. Learn to use this toolset from one of the acknowledged modern masters of photography. * Explore gardens, types of gardens, and how best to photograph them * Create stunning floral macros and high-key imagery * Learn techniques for adding impressionism to your photos * Use light and creative exposures to enhance your imagery * Master close-up focusing, depth-of-field, and focus stacking * Create your own custom field studio "in a bucket" * Complete exposure data and the story behind every photo "My goal as a photography teacher and writer about photography is to inspire andto help you become the best and most creative photographer and image-makerthat you can be." --Harold Davis "Harold Davis''s etherial floral arrangements have a purity and translucence thatborders on the spiritual." --Popular Photo Magazine "Davis is a pioneer and a new art form--part photographer, part digital illusionist." --Rangefinder Magazine "Harold Davis''s Creative Photography series is a great way to start a photographylibrary." --PhotoFidelity TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ENTERING THE GARDEN Understanding Gardens Garden Styles and Purposes Different Kinds of Garden Photography Garden Purpose and Design Informs Photography OF LIGHT AND GARDEN Sunrise, Sunset, Blue Hours, Golden Hour ON LOCATION: THE ROMANTIC GARDEN, SCHWETZINGEN AT SUNRISE, GERMANY ON THE IPHONE: SNAPSEED USING A TRIPOD Using a Tripod for More Creative Options Tripods for Garden Photography: Materials, Legs, Types of Heads Tripod Tips and Tricks BLENDING EXPOSURES TO EXTEND RANGE BLACK AND WHITE IN THE GARDEN Photographing the Zen Garden ON LOCATION: IMPERIAL GARDENS OF OLD NARA, JAPAN CONVERTING TO BLACK AND WHITE IMPRESSIONISTIC PHOTOGRAPHY Camera in Motion Subject in Motion with Camera Stationary Creative Exposures In-Camera Multiple Exposures Post-Production ON LOCATION: PHOTOGRAPHING MONET''S GIVERNY, FRANCE ON THE IPHONE: WATERLOGUE FOCUSING ON REPETITION Compositions with Repeating Garden Elements and Patterned Spaces Best Practices in Focus Depth of Field ON LOCATION: THE PARC DE SCEAUX, FRANCE FOCUS STACKING DRAGONFLIES, BEES, AND WASPS Stopping Motion Getting Close Dealing with Those that Sting Auxiliary Lighting: Reflectors, Macro Strobes, LED Lighting WATER DROPS AND SPIDER WEBS Refractions in Close-Up Photography Spider-Web Studio MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR GARDENS OF THE MIND PRINTING GARDEN PHOTOS NOTES & RESOURCES Off-Beat Garden Photography Tools Places to Practice Garden Photography Recommended iPhone Apps for Garden Photography iPhone Workflow ImageBlender NOTES AND RESOURCES GLOSSARY INDEX