Photographing Plants and Flowers

by Davies, Paul

• ISBN13: 9780817455026
• ISBN10: 0817455027
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2002-02-01
• Publisher: Amphoto Books

Summary

Destined to become the plant photographer's bible, Photographing Plants and Flowers is the most complete guide ever to photographing plants and flowers in gardens, the studio, or the wild.

The beauty and variety of the world of plants is quite extraordinary. From the sculptural beauty of exotic orchids to the majesty of giant redwood trees, this lavishly illustrated reference is packed with dozens of clear techniques and 250 full-color photographs. Readers will learn how to "see" the art and design of plants and flowers, and take imaginative photographs that both record and create an inspirational work of art. They'll also find suggestions for setting up a tabletop studio, a special section on digital manipulations, and much more. This definitive guide is a must-have addition to every photographer's library.

Table of Contents

Introduction	6	(2)
Exposure	8	(14)
Metering	10	(2)
Controlling Tonality	12	(2)
Extremes of Lighting	14	(2)
Yellows	16	(2)
Problem Blues	18	(2)
Plants in Snow	20	(2)
Lighting	22	(14)
Time of Day	24	(2)
Direction of Light	26	(2)
Bright Sun	28	(2)
Diffuse Light	30	(2)
Rain and Reflections	32	(2)
Reflectors	34	(2)
Plant Communities	36	(26)
Telling the Story	38	(2)
Meadows	40	(2)
Case Study: Poppies	42	(2)
Woodlands	44	(2)
Mountains	46	(2)
Case Study: Plants on Ledges	48	(2)
Coastal Flowers	50	(2)
Aquatic Plants	52	(2)
Carnivorous Plants	54	(2)
Deserts and Succulents	56	(2)
Rainforests and Cloud Forests	58	(2)
Epiphytes	60	(2)
Plant Portraits	62	(28)
Plants in Groups	64	(2)
Case Study: Orchids	66	(2)
Flowers in the Landscape	68	(2)
Symmetries and Perspective	70	(2)
Texture	72	(2)
Color	74	(2)
Case Study: Roses	76	(2)
Berries	78	(2)
Seeds and Seedheads	80	(2)
Fungi	82	(2)
Mosses and Lichens	84	(2)
Ferns and Grasses	86	(2)
Seaweeds	88	(2)
Trees	90	(14)
Silhouettes	92	(2)
Tree Flowers	94	(2)
Leaves	96	(2)
Leafe Patterns	98	(2)
Bark	100	(2)
The Power of Monochrome	102	(2)
Close-up and Macro	104	(18)
Depth of Field	106	(2)
Sharpness	108	(2)
Individual Flowers	110	(2)
Back Lighting	112	(2)
Lighting with Flash	114	(2)
Macroflash Systems	116	(2)
Mixing Sun and Flash	118	(2)
Reversing and Coupling Lenses	120	(2)
The Home Studio	122	(18)
The Studio and Lighting	124	(2)
Films for Artificial Light	126	(2)
Building Rigs	128	(2)
Natural Backgrounds	130	(2)
Dark Fields	132	(2)
Case Study: Still Life	134	(2)
Soft Focus and White Backgrounds	136	(2)
Black Backgrounds	138	(2)
Image Manipulation	140	(12)
Scanning and Printing	142	(2)
Photoshop Basics	144	(2)
Monochrome Backgrounds	146	(2)
Selection: White Backgrounds	148	(2)
Filters and Color Manipulation	150	(2)
Technical Appendix	152	(4)
Index	156	(4)
Acknowledgments	160