Use White Wisely

The whitest or brightest spot in any photograph will always command the most attention. It's where your eye will always settle. When it is a stray flower, litter, a plastic chair or other insignificant object, it can ruin an otherwise stunning photograph. So use white wisely--intentially making it the focal point of your photograph or allowing it to help direct the eye around the image or toward a focal point.

This carefully tended English-style garden surrounds a pool in Connecticut. White coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan') are the stars of the garden.

Photo ©2008 Lee Anne White. All rights reserved.

Capture the Gesture of Plants

Like people, plants convey a sense of gesture. For instance, these dogwood blossoms looked to me as if they were "dancing" in the wind. So I moved in close with a macro lens to fill the frame with petals facing different directions--but not so close as to crop out that sense of direction or movement. Giving them a little breathing space or "face room" was important as well.

Photo ©2007 Lee Anne White. All rights reserved. Cornus florida 'Decker' photographed at Yew Dell Gardens, Kentucky.

Cool Pool

I spent much of last summer photographing pools and spas. This one, designed by Jamie Scott of Groupworks, Inc., is located near Fishkill, NY. Very contemporary with clean lines, it features an infinity (vanishing) edge; a raised, stained-concrete spa with a 360-degree overflow and runnel; underwater benches and a pavilion.

 

 

Photos ©2008 Lee Anne White. All rights reserved. Design: Groupworks, Inc.

Colorful Spring Combo

I love photographing great plant combinations. Those that I find most appealing feature harmonious color schemes or contrasting foliage textures. This spring planting by Atlanta gardener Ann Sheldon works on both counts, though it's clearly the color that catches your eye initially.

Planted in what is sometimes referred to as the "hell strip" between the sidewalk and street, where it could be enjoyed by neighbors out on their daily walks, this cheerful combination features Tulipa 'Menton', Phlox divaricata, Ornithogatum umbellatum, Papaver somiferum (foliage only) and Hosta.

Photo ©2007 Lee Anne White. All rights reserved. Design: Anne Sheldon.

Zinnia 'Zowie! Yellow Flame'

This striking annual adds a bright splash of color to the garden. A 2006 All-America Selection winner, Zinnia 'Zowie! Yellow Flame' features multiple layers of yellow-tipped reddish petals surrounding a central red and yellow cone. The petals are pinkish-magenta when they open, but gradually turn to a strong red.

The plants are 30-36 inches tall and 24-27 inches wide and are among the easiest annuals to grow from seed. Cut the flowers frequently, as they make excellent cut flowers for arrangements, and cutting them back will quickly produce new buds.

Photo ©2008 Lee Anne White. All rights reserved. Photographed at Park Seed Company.