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Learn how to capture stunning photographs of floral designs for ARS shows using the guidelines and rules provided by the American Rose Society. Discover the importance of aspect ratios, lighting, and avoiding harsh shadows. Presented by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham, ARS Accredited Horticulture Judge and Photographer.
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Photographing Floral Designs for ARS Shows Following the Final 2017 Edition of the American Rose Society “Guidelines and Rules for Judging Rose Photography”
Dr Susan Brandt GrahamARS Accredited Horticulture JudgeaRS Arrangement Judge Emeritus PhotographerMember, First ARS Photography Committee 2012-2018First PSWD Photography Chairman, 2009-2012 Albuquerque, New Mexico
The American Rose Society’s first Photography Committee, Chaired by Curtis Aumiller and with members Tom Mayhew, Bill Kozemchak, Bruce Monroe (all Penn-Jersey District) and Susan Brandt Graham (Pacific Southwest District) has worked on Guidelines and rules for judging rose photography since 2012.The ARS Board approved the final version of the first edition in September, 2017 This PowerPoint looks at Floral Designs (Rose Arrangements) using these Guidelines.
The most important thing is to have fun with photography and Roses! Create Images YOU Like. Everything Else Will Fall Into Place. PowerPoint Presentation by Dr Susan Brandt Graham
Arrangement in the Oriental Manner (Low Container) Design by Lois Brandt 2009 Compact digital PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Visitors Are Drawn to Both Rose Arrangements and Photographs in Our ARS Shows, But Arrangement Photographs Are Among the Least Entered Images WHY? PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
WHY?Not meant as an exhaustive list, these may be some of the reasons: A floral design image first requires a floral design, and not everyone arranges. However, photographers are allowed to use designs arranged by other, as long as they credit the arranger. Backgrounds and lighting in show conditions can be challenging to manage. However, photographs of designs outside of the show venue are not only allowed, they may even be encouraged. Creating successful images of floral designs requires understanding aspect ratios, as well as uses and limitations of on-camera flash. PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
I’ve certainly had my share of “learning opportunities” but hopefully others can learn from my mistakes. That is the only reason I am showing some of these images. • All of the images in this presentation were done by me between 2004 and 2013. • Some were made with a little compact digital, others with a dSLR. • People, not cameras, create images. • In photographing floral arrangements, use of on-camera pop-up flash is usually more harmful than helpful. • If you plan to make an 8x10 inch or 5x7 inch print to enter in an ARS show, knowing the aspect ratio of your particular camera is of utmost importance for a successful outcome. Our ARS digital competition does not require specific sizes. However, ARS Calendar submissions also require specific sizes, so knowing aspect ratios is always useful. PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Importance of Knowing the Aspect Ratio of Your Camera When Planning an 8x10 or 5x7 Inch Print PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Most, but not all, compact digital cameras and dSLR cameras have 2:3 aspect ratios and not 4:5 or 5:7 aspect ratios. You need to know your particular camera.Arrangement by Pat Jeremiah, 2013. 2:3 aspect ratio will print an 8x12 image (among other sizes) 2 inches are lost when printing such an image as an 8x10 inch print PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
What happens if you try to cram an image at 2:3 into a 4:5 image?Major ugliness and distortion!Arrangement by Pat Jeremiah. Original image in 2:3 ratio Same image, not cropped, but forced into a 4:5 ratio for an 8x10 print PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Neither cropping off two inches of line material nor forcing an image into a different aspect ratio is a good option.Arrangement by Pat Jeremiah. Two inches of the image cropped off. Image distorted by forcing into a different ratio. PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Line material being cut off is one of the major issues I have seen when judging prints of floral designs. Allow plenty of room for cropping.Arrangement by Pat Jeremiah. Original image in 2:3 aspect ratio Same image cropped for printing as an 8x10 inch print PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Allow yourself plenty of room for cropping to an 8x10 or 5x7 inch print. You’ll be glad you did!Design by Mary Ann Moreno, 2013, Garden Council Show Looks like way too much room, doesn’t it? But, it really wasn’t! PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Floral Designs and Distracting, Harsh Shadows Whenever possible, try to avoid using the pop-up flash on your digital camera. PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Modern Design This is one of my designs from 2004, right after I got my first digital camera, a Nikon Coolpix 4300. Everything wrong with this image, from the glare off the container to the harsh shadows of the design to the gradient background shadow is due to use of the camera’s built-in flash.I did this design at my Arrangement Judging School, taught by Lew Shupe, Gary Barlow, and Bill Carlson. I’ve kept the image, faulty though it is, because at the School some of the other instructors thought it was Lew’s design.Create images. They may bring you fond memories, even if you would never enter the image in a show.Learn how you can improve your images. PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Traditional Design A wonderful miniature line arrangement, but with harsh shadows from on-camera flash.Design by Pat Jeremiah, 2008 PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Oriental Manner, Tall Container Design by Lois Brandt, 2007.On camera flash. PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Oriental Manner, Low Container Design by Lois Brandt 2006.On-camera flash. PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
And, then there is out-of-focus if you try to avoid flash but fail to use a tripod Arrangement in the Oriental Manner (Low Container) by Lois Brandt 2008 Compact digital PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Another out of focus image shot with neither flash nor tripod. No harsh shadows, though Traditional design by Laurie Price 2007 Compact digital PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Current ARS Guidelines for Judging Photographs of Rose Arrangements From the 2017 ARS Guidelines and Rules for Judging Rose Photography PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
New Scorecard and Scale of Points in the 2017 Guidelines • CONFORMANCE ....................................................5 • SPECIFIC SECTION .................................................50 • COMPOSITION .......................................................15 • TECHNIQUE .............................................................15 • DISTINCTION ...........................................................15 • TOTAL .....................................................................100 • These are defined in Section 6 of the Guidelines. PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Important Resources • The website of the American Rose Society has information available to both members and nonmembers. • Members have access to the Guidelines for Judging Roses, the Guidelines for Judging Rose Arrangements and the Guidelines and Rules for Judging Rose Photography under Resources. PowerPoint Presentation by Dr Susan Brandt Graham
Remember to credit the Arranger of designs you photograph. • From the Guidelines, 6-2: • “Arrangements that are photographed do NOT have to be entered in an ARS rose show to be eligible. An arranger can make an arrangement at home and take photos of the arrangement, but they must adhere to the ARS Guidelines for Judging Rose Arrangements.” • “One requirement in this area is that the person who created the arrangement MUST be credited on the entry tag. Just as photographers want credit for their intellectual property in their photographs, the arranger has spent time, money, and energy creating this display and must be given credit. Photos where the arranger is listed as unknown or not listed, should be heavily penalized under conformance.” PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Current recommendations from the Guidelines(6-2) on angle for photographing Arrangements • “Many individuals that take photographs of arrangements are not photographing them as they were designed for judging. It is strongly recommended that the photographer take the photos at “eye” level and get the assistance of the arranger or someone familiar with arrangements that can assist them in placing the camera in the correct spot. The photograph of the arrangement will be judged as though the arrangement is sitting in front of the judge in that same spot.” PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
The Three Classes of Arrangement Photographs Recognized in the 2017 Guidelines • 1. Traditional ArrangementA photo of a Traditional arrangement, miniature or standard, following the American Rose Society Guidelines for Judging Rose Arrangements. Arranger’s name MUST be indicated. • 2. Modern ArrangementA photo of a Modern arrangement, miniature or standard, following the American Rose Society Guidelines for Judging Rose Arrangements. Arranger’s name MUST be indicated. • Arrangements in the Oriental MannerA photo of an arrangement in the Oriental Manner, miniature or standard, following the American Rose Society Guidelines for Judging Rose Arrangements. Arranger’s name MUST be indicated. • Section 10-3 PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Some Examples of Rose Arrangement Images Prepared to Print at 8x10 Inches I offer these examples only to illustrate a range of possibilities and to encourage you to photograph rose arrangements as well as rose specimens. I would like “do-overs” on many! PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Traditional arrangements PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Traditional Arrangement Design by Debi Harrington 2013dSLR PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Traditional Arrangement Design by Pat Jeremiah 2013I should have given that one a bit more room for cropping!dSLR PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Modern arrangements PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Modern Arrangement Design by Lois Brandt2007Compact digital PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Modern Arrangement Design by Lois Brandt 2005 Compact Digital PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Modern Arrangement Design by Susan Brandt Graham 2008 Compact digital PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Modern Arrangement Design by Juanita Ortega 2013 dSLR PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Arrangements in the Oriental Manner PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Arrangement in the Oriental Manner (Low Container) Design by Lois Brandt 2009 Compact digital PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Arrangement in the Oriental Manner (Low Container) Design by Helen Baird 2008Compact digital PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Arrangement in the Oriental Manner (Low Container) Design by Hetty Shurtleff, 2005 In 2005 Lew Shupe and Gary Barlow taught an Arrangement Judging School here in Albuquerque, which produced an unheard of plethora of arrangement judges for the PSWD. Unfortunately, that interest was not sustained over the years. Hetty, already a well known arranger, created this marvelous design with donated roses and line material. Compact digital with flash; I’d like a photography do-over for light and line material to do justice to Hetty’s arrangement. PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Arrangement in the Oriental Manner(Tall Container) Design by Marylou Coffman 2007 Compact digital PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Arrangement in the Oriental Manner(Tall Container) Design by Lois Brandt 2006 Photographed with on camera flash, so there are shadows, but they do not cut across the design. I would not use flash today. Compact digital PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Arrangement in the Oriental Manner(Freestyle) Design by Lois Brandt 2007 Compact digital PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Arrangement in the Oriental Manner(Freestyle) Design by Lois Brandt 2006 Photographed with on camera flash, so there are shadows, but they do not cut across the design. I would not use flash today. Compact digital PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Arrangement in the Oriental Manner Design by Lois Brandt 2005 Compact digital Given a do-over, I would not use flash, and I would allow more room for the line material! PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
A Few Take-Away Points • Allow plenty of room for cropping if you plan to make prints. Otherwise, you may find you have a beautiful image, but that some of the line material has been cut off. • Harsh shadows can detract from any image, and this is as true in arrangements as in other images. Whenever possible (not always possible), try to avoid on-camera flash. • Whenever possible (not always possible), try to use a tripod. • The show room can be a particularly difficult place in which to photograph arrangements, although all of the images in this presentation were done in the showroom. The Guidelines allow, perhaps even encourage, photographs of arrangements done outside of the show room. Create arrangements at home, or with friends, following ARS Arrangement Guidelines, and then photograph them in surroundings easier to control than the show room. PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Photograph, photograph, photograph whenever you can. • Every photograph is a chance to learn. • Every image in this presentation has been a learning experience for me, and I continue to learn. • My hope is that by sharing these images, you may be able to avoid some of the mistakes I made over the years, my “learning experiences.” • My wish is that photography brings you as much pleasure as it brings to me, even as I continue to learn. • Unattributed quote: “The Master has failed more times than the Beginner has tried.” I plan to keep trying… PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Plan to Enter Some Rose Arrangement Photographs in upcoming Rose Shows PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Susan Brandt Graham
Wishing you good light and beautiful roses Dr Susan Brandt Graham Albuquerque, New Mexico