A Photography Lesson with Rich Pomerantz
Honing your photography skills is a surefire way to improve the quality of your blog and create unforgettable photos. We want you to get the most out of the time you spend with your camera. That is why we are excited to present to you Rich Pomerantz Photography, the newest recipient of our Best Gardening Blogs 2011 award. While this may not be a gardening blog in the purest sense, Rich Pomerantz does share our enthusiasm for gardens.
Photography and gardening are a lot alike. To become a better photographer or gardener takes hands-on practice, the willingness to go back and try again (how many times have you moved a plant?), a desire to learn from others and the understanding that there is always something new to learn.
Rich’s post on back light had me eager to head to the garden with my camera and capture my plants in a new light.
“For a while now I have been looking for light that comes right at me, full force, from behind whatever it is I am photographing,” Rich writes.
Rich explains that back light is an old studio glamour technique that makes the subject glow from behind while accentuating the edges of the subject.
“Think of those old Hollywood movie star photos from the 40’s and 50’s with their hair all glowing and afire from the lights placed behind them in the studio,” Rich shares. “I love to use this same effect in the garden.”
After reading Rich’s blog I was excited to work on my photography skills and add a little glamour to my photographs. I was curious, where is the best place to start to get the most out of our photographs?
“Sometimes the best path to improvement starts with getting back to basics,” Rich explains.
According to Rich, there are three rules of thumb experienced and new photographers should follow to get the best results.
1) Get closer. If you think you are close enough to your subject, you are probably not, so get even closer!
2) Watch the light. It has direction, color and intensity. You should be aware of all three aspects. The word photography means to draw with light. Master photographers consider light the most important component of any photograph. You should too.
3) Compose your image carefully. Look at the four corners of the frame before you press the shutter; you will see all kinds of things in your picture you did not realize were there and you can decide whether to keep them in the picture or not.
Spending time with this beautiful blog and studying how Rich uses light, finds interesting textures and tones and the way he approaches his subjects will guide you in improving your own photography skills.
Jenny Koester, AKA The Landless Gardener, is the Garden Blog Editor for Horticulture magazine and the author of The Garden Life.
