Hosta

[rob marshall]

Rob: Can I pick one?
Head Gardener: NO!
Rob: But there are lots...
Head Gardener: NO!
Rob: Wouldn't you like it turned into a nice work of art?
Head Gardener: Who were you thinking of getting to photograph it?

So it goes on (life) What can you do when it's so difficult to get good staff these days?

Six shots stacked in CS5, shot with Canon 5D Mk2. Studio lit. ISO100, f/11, 1/125s, 105mm.

[Geoff F]

How did you find such a perfect specimen without any snail damage, Rob.

I grow mine in pots, and even spray WD40 around the sides, but they still get eaten.

Admittedly, I don't have a Gardener to stand guard over them.

[Donald]

Gorgeous. Our Hostas are nowhere near flowering yet (said the man stuck up in teh far north).

Were any Hostas or Robs damanged in the making of this image?

[Rasbury]

That look's great Rob.My wife would have said "That's not real ,you done something to it with your program".

[jimpayne]

Great photo!
Jim

[Katy Noelle]

Ooooo! You got the pretty subtle grayishness that I so like about them.

[Katy Noelle]

I have to say.... it's far worse for me being the HG AND the photographer - you should see the open discussions that I have with myself about it all!

[rob marshall]

How did you find such a perfect specimen without any snail damage, Rob.

Don't ask daft questions! Do you think a slimey little snail is any match for a formidable HG?

They do say that beer works, but I prefer to drink it.

Cheers!

[rob marshall]

That look's great Rob.My wife would have said "That's not real ,you done something to it with your program".

Get yourself an HG - they tend to know naff all about photographic software.

Ooooo! You got the pretty subtle grayishness that I so like about them.

Yes - I noticed that too. I think it's the studio lighting. I use a diffuser screen on one (a softbox) and on the other a white shoot-through umbrella. I think that gives a very soft light. But I also reduced the WB in RAW edit to make it look a little bluere, so that may account for the grey. These shots I do always remind me of those botanical sketches you see in some text-books. Do you know what I mean? A bit clinical looking, but quite interesting.

[Katy Noelle]

These shots I do always remind me of those botanical sketches you see in some text-books. Do you know what I mean? A bit clinical looking, but quite interesting.

Yes, I do know what you mean. Clinical is a good word for it but it's still quite lovely - actually, at first, I thought that it was rather simple but wound up just staring at the flower for a good long bit. It must be because there's nothing to distract from it - just the flower in wonderful detail.

Rob, why are you using such bright and modern lettering for the label? Just curious.

[ilovelucydog]

That look's great Rob.My wife would have said "That's not real ,you done something to it with your program".

[rob marshall]

Rob, why are you using such bright and modern lettering for the label? Just curious.

I just used a colour picker tool to get a similar colour that was in the flower, and I used a flowing script as the angle matched the lean on the plant to the right. These things are so important... I did it in Flickr using Picnik editing software. It does the drop shadow very easily.