Introduction to Plant Photography Purpose Being able to

Introduction to Plant Photography

Purpose • Being able to use photographs to identify the species adds validity to the data collected and entered into the SE-EPPC EDDMap. S

Photography • Learn the diagnostic characteristics of the invasive species • Capture them in enough detail to make identification possible – Usually will require a series of photographs

Common Characteristics Used for Identification Garlic Mustard Bicolor Lespedeza Flowers Seeds/Fruit

Common Characteristics Used for Identification Nepalese Browntop Whole Plant English Ivy Growth form

Common Characteristics Used for Identification Woody Plants - Leaf arrangement Chinese Privet Opposite

Common Characteristics Used for Identification Woody Plants - Leaf arrangement Oriental Bittersweet Alternate

Common Characteristics Used for Identification Woody Plants - Leaf shape Amur Honeysuckle Simple Norway Maple Lobed Tree-of-Heaven Compound

Common Characteristics Used for Identification Unique Features Cogongrass Pointed Rhizome Tree-of-Heaven Glandular Notch

Common Characteristics Used for Identification Unique Features Yellow Star-thistle Air potato Thorns Bulbils

General Principles of Photography • To reduce shake, use a tripod when possible • Take multiple photographs of the same subject and choose the best one • Use the highest resolution and best quality images available with your digital camera • Images uploaded to system in JPEG format

General Principles of Photography Position yourself so that the sun is over your shoulder for the best light (Frontlit image)

General Principles of Photography If the sun is behind the plant (your are looking into the sun) then details of the plant may be lost in the shadows (backlit image)

Backlit image Frontlit image

General Principles of Photography • A flash can work when the natural light isn’t enough or coming from the wrong direction • Try adjusting your flash intensity

Low intensity flash Removes shadows and illuminates detail without “washing out” colors

Focal Plane • A plane parallel to the face of the camera’s lens in which everything is in focus (aka depth of field)

Focal Plane

Common buckthorn

Camera Settings • Automatic settings are usually adequate • Manual setting options – Shutter Priority • Hand-held situations • Long exposure (with tripod) – Aperture Priority • Depth of field • In conjunction with macro – Macro (close-up)