Fill the Frame: Gardening Gone Wild’s photo contest
Saxon Holt, judge of this month’s photo contest at Gardening Gone Wild, says to tell a story with your photo, including no more and no less than what’s needed to convey that story. October’s theme for the contest is “Fill the Frame,” and this is my entry, from my recent visit to Michael McDowell’s prairie garden near Dallas (Michael blogs at Plano Prairie Garden).
The story? Fall brings color and life back to the prairie garden. The focal-point Yucca pallida tells you it’s a xeric garden, and the billowing salvia, liatris, agastache, hymenoxys, and bluestem adding their symphony of color tell you it’s fall in central Texas, and we’ve survived another summer. Yea!
If you’re interested in garden photography, check out all the entries in the contest. And read Saxon’s latest post about photography techniques; it’s very enlightening.
All material © 2006-2011 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
What is that blue-purple spiky plant, with two spikes on the right side of the frame? I walk past it in one of my fav native gardens on my way to work every day and have been dying to know what it is 🙂
It’s gayfeather, Juliet, either Liatris mucronata or punctata. —Pam
Thats a stunning photograph Pam!!
Thank you, Christine. I had great light to work with. —Pam
So glad to see you are entering the contest this time. You remain one of my favourite garden photographers! Get my vote every time.
Thanks so much for the kind words and encouragement, Elephant’s Eye! —Pam
What a wonderful photo Pam! I bet you will have no problem winning with lovely photo!
I don’t know about that, Candy, but thanks for the kind compliment. 🙂 —Pam
Lovely Pam !
This is a really nice photo Pam. I wish you all the luck. It is colorful and nicely composed.
Thank you, Donna! —Pam
This is a wonderful full frame Pam. I also enjoyed your post on Michael’s Gardens…he has done amazing things with his property.
I’m glad you enjoyed the prairie post, Darla. I had a wonderful time photographing it and meeting Michael. —Pam
That’s a lovely photo Pam~Good luck. gail
Thanks, Gail! —Pam
Great photo, Pam! And especially inspiring for me as I’m trying to envision adding a few succulents to my CA Native garden.
Thank you, TM. I really enjoyed your xeric-garden submission as well. —Pam
That’s an outstanding photo. The spiky plant architecture gives a focal point amidst the cloud of flowers. Way cool!
Many thanks for the kind words, hb! —Pam
Another great photo submitted to the GGW contest Pam. Very sophisticated composition using the Yucca as the focal point both with focusing and composition amidst the crazy quilt of late summer color. I like the really blurry far distance included in the frame but I think there is a bit too much of it. Maybe crop down on those dark patches in the upper right ? Maybe a bit form the bottom too. Nitpicking; great story.
Hi, Saxon! Thanks so much for the critique. I cropped more in my original effort but pulled back a little for the contest because I wanted to include the golden, lit-up foliage of trees in the background. The down side? Dark patches, like you said. I’m always learning from your posts at GGW and appreciate your taking the time to comment here about my photo. —Pam
Congratulations Pam! I am trying to see all comments by Saxon in all the entries and also try to learn from all of you. He is so kind to give comments so all of us, not participants, also learn from the posts.
Yes, he’s a good teacher, isn’t he? Thanks for popping by, Andrea. —Pam