Paul James, host of HGTV's Gardening by the Yard, offers tips on taking better garden photographs. Choose the right film. Each type has its own qualities of color and light sensitivity. You can use a medium or fast film (ASA/ISO 200, 400 and higher) in shady or low-light situations, but faster film has a coarse grain pattern, and you may lose detail when making enlargements. Slower film (ASA/ISO 25 or 100) needs more exposure time but has better color rendition and can be used for making enlargements. Avoid taking pictures in the middle of the day. Shoot your garden when the angle of the sun is low in the sky -- in early morning or evening. Colors tend to wash out in midday, especially in summer. To see what the camera will record, squint your eyes before you shoot. See how the details get lost in heavy contrast conditions? Overcast days are good for garden photography because an overcast sky evens out the contrast. If you do shoot in bright sunlight, shade the lens to prevent streaks and hot spots on the photograph. A white umbrella may be used to shade a subject in bright light to bounce light into shadowy areas. Keep the sun at your back so that your subject is lit by the sun. Be careful not to cast your shadow onto the image. Sometimes, however, you'll want to make an exception to this rule. Backlight the subject. By having the light source coming from behind the subject (you'll be shooting into the light), you can add interest and highlight an object's form and shape. This method is good for shooting grasses and plants with pointy foliage or woody plants with interesting branch structures. Water the garden before taking pictures. Watering creates contrast between the soil and the plants and adds sparkling droplets that look like dew. Use a garden hose or your sprinkler system minutes before you shoot. If an area becomes dry before you're done, wet it again after moving your equipment to a safe area. Use a reflector to cast light upon a subject. A reflector can be as simple as a piece of poster board, insulation material or cardboard covered with aluminum foil. If a subject is in deep shade, angle the reflector to shine light on it. This method of lighting works well to brighten a subject in an otherwise confusing or dark background. Experiment with using different angles. Try shooting the subject from ground level or overhead from a ladder to add interest and a sense of movement to your photographs. Keep the subject on the side of the frame. Don't center the subject in every photo. By placing it to one side of the frame, you add depth and interest to a photograph. Use the viewfinder as a picture frame to compose your photo. Move close to your subject, and let it fill the frame. Use the foreground to add interest. If you have an compelling feature in the foreground of the photo, it leads the eye to the main subject. Don't overlook close-up photos, which make a bold statement. Use a tripod to minimize camera movement. Your photos will be sharper. Close-up photography should be attempted on a windless day or with very fast film. Texture is important. Stones and bark, for example, make a texture statement and add interest. Place a smooth petal on a rough surface such as bark, and you have contrast.
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