Question on Photography of our flowering bulbs

Leo A. Martin leo@possi.org
Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:34:21 PST
> I was wondering about what everyone things is the ethical limit (if there
> is one) as to what one has to do to "clean up" the flowers for photos.

What I've seen done by many different plant people who take good photos:

> ...dirt or some other unwanted item on a leaf or on the
> bloom. [on a plant in your collection]
> Should you clean it up before pics?

Yes, by all means.

> Does the same hold true for in
> situ bulbs out in the wild?

Yes, by all means. I first take a photo as I found it but most plant
people clean first, then snap.

> You walk five miles to find a new species of
> bulb but the flower has a stick over it.

Most people will move the stick, pull out the weeds near the plant, and
many people I know would chop down shrubs and even tree branches blocking
the light. I don't do this last part myself but I have seen it done by
many other people.

But if you look at photos taken in forests and jungles published in many
different scientific periodicals, it is clear many published field
photographers remove lots and lots of vegetation before taking
photographs, and this usually involves machetes and/or axes.

You're trying to make the plants look good and display them so viewers can
get a good idea of how your subject looks. It is also fair to mist
lightly, put something of a contrasting color in the background you leave
out-of-focus, and use flash, reflectors, or other artificial lighting.
Misting is especially useful for plants against a similarly-colored
background.

And another thing many people forget... don't just take dozens of
close-ups. Take complete landscape scans of the surroundings so people can
get an idea of the surrounding ecosystem. Back fifty steps away from the
plant and take photos with the plant just barely visible for the same
purpose. Take 360 degree landscape photos every quarter mile on your hike
in. In 30 years you won't remember where you took those photos but if you
review the whole series of photos starting at the trailhead you'll
remember.

Leo Martin
Phoenix Arizona USA


>
> Like for example you have your prize bulb blooming and you go to take a
> pic and you find dirt or some other unwanted item on a leaf or on the
> bloom. Should you clean it up before pics? Does the same hold true for in
> situ bulbs out in the wild? You walk five miles to find a new species of
> bulb but the flower has a stick over it. Can you move it or should you
> move it?
>
> I realize there is no one set rule but I would hate to take lots of pics
> only to have my hard work discounted because I had moved a stick or clean
> dirt off of a leaf.
>
> The standards are most likely different for scientific research and just
> a pic to look at. I guess I am just trying to figure out the difference
> between the two. Or if there is any difference at all.
>
>
> Justin
> Woodville, TX 8b/9a
>
>
>
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