Plant Paradise
Recently, I spent a day visiting a friend who owns and operates a boutique greenhouse in Central Alberta. A bright yellow door beckons you to step inside to take in every bit of foliage that immediately surrounds you. Thankfully, I packed my camera because there was lots of greenery (and more!) to photograph. Susan, in my opinion, is a plant master! While I was with her, she was busy with transplanting in preparation for her opening day. I was standing amid colour, patterns, water, activity and endless details needing my camera’s attention.
Photography Tips
The use of a variety of lenses made this a fun photography project. Being an indoor cramped space, my 35mm 1.8, 50mm 1.4, 70-200mm 2.8 and a kit lens that’s forever stuck at 18mm 3.5 all had their turn. I mixed and matched these with full frame and crop-sensor cameras.
For many of my business clients, I work to ensure their collection of images include wide shots, tight shots and medium shots. Wide shots allow me to get creative with camera angles or pushing in closer to the subject matter. I very rarely take an image from eye level.
How to Nail a Greenhouse Photo in 6 Steps
- Find the “Hero”: Scan for something eye-catching—a backlit blossom, a pattern or a vibrant colour. Let it steal the show.
- Play the Angles: Get low, get high, or tilt just right. Experiment until the shot feels like the one.
- Chase the Light: Look for soft beams or shadow patterns. A sunlit droplet? Absolutely!
- Frame Like a Pro: Offset your subject, blur the background…let the greenhouse do the work for you.
- Stay Ready: A bee or butterfly could be floating into frame.
- Edit for Impact: Enhance greens, boost contrast, but keep it real.
And there you have it. Your photo isn’t just a pretty picture; it’s a little slice of the greenhouse’s magic, captured forever. And the best part? Every time you look at it, you’ll remember that calm, green world and the fun you had exploring it!
Happy snapping!
Kim
