Shoots and leaves
Freia Turland had worked as a photojournalist for 11 years for the Gloucestershire Echo and Western Daily Press newspapers in South West England when she started contemplating a change in the direction of her photographic career. With a photography degree and over a decade of experience under her belt she decided to enter the world of gardening photography. Helen Atkinson spoke to Freia about her career path and discovered some of the key tips and tricks to shooting gardens successfully.
Top gardens photographer Freia Turland.
Freia explains: “I had spent a couple of years working with garden designer, writer and horticulturist Bob Purnell on the gardening column for the Western Daily Press weekend magazine (West Country Life) when I began to realise that maybe I was ready for a move from newspapers. Around this time I also took on an allotment with friends at the end of my street and on the edge of a beautiful park. I really fancied growing some of my own food and was amazed at the tranquillity on the site despite being in a big city.”
“I had been at the paper for some years and was nervous about leaving this security behind, but the industry was starting to change, and the merging of the picture desks (of The Western Daily Press and Evening Post – Bristol) was on the horizon, and the prospect of a different and less attractive working life was becoming more apparent,” she reveals.
It was at this point that her colleague Bob Purnell mentioned that he was going to work with the British comedian Vic Reeves and his wife Nancy Sorrell on a project to redesign their front patio area.
The redesigned front patio area of British comedian Vic Reeves’ gardens shot on transparency film - film speed: ISO 100, shutter speed: 1/60sec, aperture: f/11.
Freia says: “He asked me if I would work with him to photograph the makeover and I decided it would be a great idea. It was a few days later that reality kicked in - not only had I never photographed an entire gardening makeover from start to finish, neither had I shot any transparency film in about eight years. There wasn’t going to be any time for errors or even nerves so I approached the shoot as I would have approached any news assignment I was sent on, basically I just got on with it. This is where I feel my newspaper background really stood me on good ground: I was able to deal with and photograph anybody at a moments notice, the biggest problem was getting over the hurdle of not being able to look on the back of the camera to check what I had a shot, something that I had begun to rely on too heavily.”
“If I look back at the images now I can see how far I have moved on, but I was really happy with what I had achieved. The first magazine Bob showed the feature to decided they wanted to run it, which was fantastic,” Freia recalls.
British comedian Vic Reeves gets busy with the shears in his garden in Kent, England - ISO 100, 1/250sec at f/5.6.
After this success Freia decided that she wanted to continue with the gardening photography but still wasn't absolutely sure about leaving the paper. However when potential work started to be offered to her through Bob Purnell's connections Freia realised that she had to make the move, as it would be impossible to do both.
When Freia left the paper in the beginning of 2006 she had to make the decision as to what kit to invest in. She says: “It had been clear for a while that I wanted Canon, with the EOS 5D an obvious choice. At the paper I had been using company (Nikon) equipment, so I was able to make a direct comparison with the Canon, and couldn't wait to get my hands on the 5D.”
“I was really pleased with the camera and just weeks later in the spring I got a deal to shoot a gardening book 'Crops in Pots' (published by Hamlyn). I knew my new equipment was up to the job and the book couldn't have come at a better time. Bob and I also started to get regular commissions from a number of magazines and so work started in earnest,” she remembers.
She adds: “The spot autofocusing on the 5D is extremely good in most cases, however sometimes I like to switch to manual focus for intricate detail such as close-ups of flowers. Focus is really critical when dealing with macro subjects. For accurate metering using a grey card, or shooting off the grass to get the right exposure is helpful ahead of shooting the plants. The meter in the viewfinder is very good for guidance under constantly changing lighting.”
Focusing is critical when dealing with macro subjects - ISO 100, 1/125sec at f/5.6.
At the end of 2005, many magazines were still demanding photographs on transparency film and the favourite choice of most gardening photographers was Fuji Velvia (renowned for its greens). Despite digital cameras producing more than adequate files for printing, Freia spent half her time trying to persuade the magazines that the image quality of digital was good enough, and the other half quite enjoying shooting film again as there was no staring at computer screens for hours on end, or editing and archiving into the night.
Because using digital images meant a whole new system of digital archiving for the magazines, the shift from filing transparencies in cabinets marked up with library cards to embrace the digital era meant that magazines needed to be confident in their new systems before employing them. However, once they realised it was the way to go they really embraced it quite wholeheartedly, to the point where suddenly they were querying whether they would accept things shot on transparency.
She explains: “Shooting transparency was good for my photography as it reminded me to consider my shots a little more and to really scrutinise the lighting and composition. It is all too easy to over shoot on digital and rely on a quick look at the screen to feel safe. However, having said that, I would not be without my trusted 5Ds, and I was shooting lots of digital alongside the film as I felt the magazines would suddenly catch up on the digital revolution. They did: almost overnight in fact!”
“I find I shoot in quite a methodical way, thinking about what I want to shoot on what lens, and working round a subject, which works well for many of our ‘step by step’ features. I find changing from one camera to another can be enough to break my train of thought. That’s why I like to shoot on the same model of camera because it’s seamless. When working with film and digital simultaneously the full frame aspect of the 5D and ability to manage the colour in both pre- and post-production helped facilitate this transition too, although the digital quality superseded the film. This camera is also the best choice for me as I don’t need speed for what I’m doing,” reveals Freia.
Although overcast conditions are best for garden photography sunlight can be used for impact on occasions - ISO 100, 1/250sec at f/5.6.
“My ideal day shooting gardens is when it is bright but overcast. When you walk round the garden on a bright sunny day everything looks fantastic: the way the light catches the flowers, backlit petals look amazing, close up detail is really accentuated. This is absolutely fantastic visually, as your brain can process all that information.”
She adds: “Unfortunately while the latest digital cameras can also handle these situations (and are constantly improving) when you see the whole image in print the harsh shadows and highlights are a real distraction. So, although bright sunny conditions make great days to be out in the garden, they often make some of the most terrible images on a page. Plenty of people walk past me (when I’m shooting) saying ‘Ooh it’s a bit dull today! It was really bright and sunny yesterday, why weren’t you taking pictures then?’”
“With gardening photography you are absolutely dependent on the weather. It can completely conspire against you and you can literally not shoot for weeks upon a time because of the wind, sun, or rain. You can wait for hours upon hours to get the one shot you want to complete a project, so I’ve had to become patient. This is a very different way of shooting and pace of life from that which I used to work under: In press work there’s never enough time, you want everything to happen instantly, and you’re always rushing from one thing to the next.”
The book ‘Crops in Pots’ illustrated how to grow vegetables in containers. Shot with EOS 5D, ISO 100, 1/100sec at f/5.6.
Freia has heard it said that: “literally an entire season can be lost due to the weather: when you can't get the images that you need it can make a feature null and void. Of course as a freelancer this can really affect you.”
She reveals: “The most ideal condition for shooting plants and flowers is overcast as there is not as much light intensity as on a bright, sunlit day. In order to keep the centre of attention on the subject I use and aperture of f/5.6 or lower, thus dropping the background out of focus and keeping the viewer’s eye from wandering off my intended subject. Thus I can sometimes be shooting at speeds of 1/15sec or slower, so when using an EF100mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens you immediately realise the benefits of a tripod in this situation.”
Freia adds: “In addition to this if it is slightly windy and you have to get the shot, having the cameras set up on the tripod means you can shoot during lulls in the gusts of wind, so long as you have the patience. If necessary building a makeshift shelter - that’s not in shot – can help. Of course this can be very time consuming and it’s not always easy to position for the required shot.”
Shooting mainly between the months of March and October Freia works on many projects simultaneously with Bob. She utilises the rest of the year to develop ideas and seek commissions for the following season. “The great thing about working with Bob is we are both very creative people, have a great working relationship, and are known as a ‘working team’ with the magazines. I get involved with all our projects from inception: helping with processing ideas, designing, and building prior to shooting. Bob’s horticultural expertise balances well with my photographic visions, so what I lack in knowledge can frequently aid our creativity,” says Freia.
Wider garden vistas require more depth of field - ISO 100, 1/30sec at f/11.
Freia and Bob produced the ‘Crops in Pots’ book (published by Hamlyn) early in their working relationship. It illustrates how to grow vegetables in containers and is aimed at everyone, from the keen gardener to flat owners with just a window box. It demonstrates that there is no need to dig raised beds, or halve your garden up for vegetable plots, and that vegetables can be planted along with edible flowers, or even the odd non-edible plant, to be incredibly ornamental and beautiful. “We don’t have to think of vegetables as something that’s grown at the bottom of the garden by the shed or hidden away. Bob and I wanted to show what is possible, and inspire people to not only grow some of their own food but to make them realise that edible plants can look fantastic too.”
She reveals: “For wider vistas it can be more beneficial to use higher f-stops, for more depth of field, such as f/8 or f/11 on wideangle lenses (such as the EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM) in order to show off the whole scene to the viewer. However, there may be a specific plant in the foreground that’s more eye-catching where shallower depth of fields would be better employed.”
Choosing the best angle is vital to add impact to plants.
Being at the behest of nature’s light can prove problematic. “When looking for the best angle to photograph my subject I am also aware of where the sun is behind the clouds, as my own shadow can drastically affect the speed I shoot with and the colour and contrast of the image. When such situations cannot be avoided sometimes using a longer focal length lens, such as the EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM, can help.”
Freia adds: “Adding a touch of artificial light to the subject can sometimes help to highlight it against an otherwise dull background. The small size of the Speedlite 580EX flashguns means they can be easily positioned, whether hidden or held, in order to achieve the desired affect. In this situation you have to watch closely to ascertain where the shadows are going to ensure they are out of shot. Both the natural sun and flashguns can create beautiful backlit flowers however it is important to know the output for these images as the contrast and lack of detail may not be suitable.”
Freia is entirely dedicated to every commission that she works on. “Often one commission will take many days, if not weeks, to complete photographically because you’ll get fantastic shots of plants in a certain light, but other plants aren’t quite ready for their ‘moment’. You want the photographs to match up, so you wait until the plants are at their best, then you wait for the light to match perfectly the light on the first ones that you did. It’s a constant juggling act. You never shoot a single project from start to finish - you go back and forth between the numerous projects we are working on at any one time catching each stage at its best. I want every photograph to be as good as it can be.”
Shooting through foliage with juxtaposition of elements in the picture can provide dramatic images - ISO 100, 1/125sec at f/5.6.
Freia does not believe that she is a perfectionist, but does think that there is always room for improvement. Both her and Bob like things to be true and realistic to life. “We were incredibly excited when we found out that one of our recently published magazine features showing how to plant a border that will de-stress you at the end of a long day (planted with amongst other things textural and scented plants) was taken into a local garden centre and the plants requested in order to recreate it.”
“There are many considerations to be taken into account when devising a project but luckily I can leave all that responsibility with Bob. I take the best possible photos, but we always endeavour to keep the projects real and true to life, otherwise the people who do decide to do recreate our vision could end up bitterly disappointed.”
She reveals: “I am always looking for different, interesting angles to capture my subjects from. For some of the images of smaller flowers I get down low to achieve more dramatic or interesting shots. Shooting through foliage, using different depths of field, looking at the overall composition and juxtaposition of colours, shapes and textures in the shot can really enhance the image too.”
Shooting from low down angles can produce more interesting and dramatic pictures - ISO 100, 1/500sec at f/8.
Freia has been involved in other celebrity garden makeovers, but nothing on the scale of Vic Reeves until she and Bob decided to do an article with the former Dr. Who star Tom Baker at his home in the south of France. Covering national and international briefs for the Western Daily Press had taken Freia to South Africa to cover HIV and Aids and the USA to cover disabled skiing – this meant that she was no stranger to working in foreign climes.
Freia explains: “It was an amazing trip, although not without its difficulties as we only had a few days there and despite getting up at 5am every day the light was never exactly as I wanted it. We ended up with a great set of pictures, which has lead to so much other work that we are now working closer to home for time effectiveness, well for the moment anyway, and our next adventure is awaiting a lucky celebrity!"
Former Dr. Who star Tom Baker in his garden in the south of France amongst the Agapanthus - ISO 100, 1/250sec at f/5.6.
Freia and Bob’s gardening features are published regularly in periodicals ranging from Gardening Which? to Ideal Home. And, during the bad weather and out of the gardening season, Freia’s cameras are never idle. “I like to keep my eye in for dealing with people and news, so I carry out portraiture for my company www.littleprintsuk.com and editorial-based PR work. I like to keep life interesting photographically,” says Freia.
“No two days are ever the same in press photography: you never know where you’re going to be, who you’re going to meet, or what hours you’re going to have to work. After over 10 years of that I still like to work in a similar way and a lot of people can’t completely understand that. I’m entirely dedicated to every commission that I work on, and like the fact that one day I may be doing a portrait of a flower, the next a portrait of a child or even a team of people.”
She adds: “Working with people and gardens is more challenging due to all the variables constantly changing, and there’s a limited time frame to work in.” But it’s one in which Freia works well and has carved out a niche for herself as one of the most accomplished garden photographers in Britain.
- Technical
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Freia Turland’s equipment:
Cameras
2 x EOS 5D
1 x EOS-1V
Lenses:
EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM
EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM
EF100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Accessories:
3 x Speedlite 580EX flashguns
Off-camera shoe cord
Spare batteries & cards
Arctic Butterfly sensor cleaner
Think Tank Airport Antidote bag
Manfrotto Tripod
Manfrotto Monopod
Manfrotto Nano stand – with attachment for flashgun
Lastolite - largest circular 48” – white/sunfire (gold/silver)
4 x Bowens 500 heads (built-in slaves)
Softboxes
Umbrellas
Shoot through umbrellas
PC system
