The Portfolio category is a compilation of six images in a series or on a common theme and is judged for RHS medals at an RHS Flower Show
Please note: The Portfolio category is judged as a physical exhibition. Winners were announced and displayed at the 2017 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Best Portfolio Photography Exhibit - PortfolioBeech and Birch
A portfolio of six photographs depicting the unique beauty of Scotland's beech and silver birch trees in the woodlands and forests of Perthshire and Stirlingshire.The photographs evoke the special quality of light and the diverse tapestries of colour which exist in such places, especially in autumn, as well as a profound aesthetic presence that particular trees can have in the landscape.
PortfolioDeconstructed Fritillaria - Non-Linnean Compositions
Using Fritillaria characters (tepals, capsules, stamens, seeds, bulbs, leaves) I have constructed six non-Linnaean based, composite images. They compare characters across a genus - as opposed to the convention of grouping different characters of a single species. These create interesting comparative elements in a formal design.The work's main theme is 'internet search' – presenting the pictorial result of searching for images of plants online. Through its strong geometric structure, the work also references 'design' – a word synonymous with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show; and social media with the square format and appearance of curated objects.
PortfolioPast Perfect
While blossom is easy for everyone to appreciate and enjoy, withered flowers seldom get that kind of attention. Time is indeed ruthless in cutting down and destroying beauty. However, for a patient observer, an ageing plant can reveal a delicate, poignant and often unexpected charm.I have been working on the 'Past Perfect' project for the past three years, experimenting endlessly with different ways of preserving my graceful but extremely fragile models, and have exhibited images from this project at various events, including the RHS Shades of Autumn Show. This year I am presenting a collection of brand-new images on this captivating theme.
PortfolioThe Beauty of Birch from Autumn to Spring
The panel focuses on silver birch trees (Betula pendula) on common land within a few minutes' walk of our home in Sussex. The series sets out to show the great beauty and delicacy of these often-derided trees. The birches are presented in different seasons, perspectives and lighting conditions.Trees fill the frame in some of the images, to reveal the fine detail only seen in winter, for example, while other shots are more distant to show the trees' role in the landscape. The panel includes one panoramic shot of the landscape in autumn.
PortfolioUrban Magnolias
My naturally-lit photographs show specimens from selected magnolias growing in the streets, parks and gardens of Central London. This study documents their life cycle throughout a year, paying homage to the impact of their exquisite flowers – such an elusive beauty that comes for so short a time, but lives on in our memories forever.Nowadays the evergreen Magnolia grandiflora from the southern states of the USA and the deciduous Asian magnolias can both be commonly seen throughout the UK, as though they have always been here.
PortfolioDispersal
‘Dispersal’ explores the myriad ways through which plants protect and disperse seeds. Individually, each work is a fine art portrait illustrating the architecture of a fruit (seed pod). Collectively, the series reveals the staggering diversity of textures, colours and forms that species have evolved in pursuit of survival and reproduction.Images: Eryngium; Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia); Golden rain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata); Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora); Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) and Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale).
PortfolioThe Glasshouse
My exhibit is selected from an ongoing project that explores the glasshouses of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.As a child I loved spending time in glasshouses and greenhouses: enjoying the variety of plants, the smell, dampness of the air and a sense of calm. This love is still with me. Within the glass walls the air is humid and heavy. The air and light seem to absorb the silent energy of the plants. On entering the glasshouse I walk into another world that is filled with wonder and awe.In this small selected portfolio I'm primarily attempting to capture and convey the atmosphere of the glasshouses and evoke the spirit and energy of the flora.
PortfolioPlant Portraits
The intricate patterns and designs of close-up and macro images of plants have always appealed to me, particularly leaf structures. My panel of abstract images varies from the miniature shapes of the Echeveria to the impressive Ensete, Agave and Arecaceae (palms).
PortfolioBotanics
I see the photographic print as an artefact. It is becoming a rarity – that makes it even more valuable and precious.This series of images takes inspiration from the botanical illustration collections of Dr Shirley Sherwood OBE.Over time I have developed a particular process of photographing flowers for this body of work, developing a specific way of lighting with particular exposure times. This process reveals a rather painterly image. In keeping with tradition, they have been printed on to a vellum favoured by botanical artists, both contemporary and historical.
PortfolioAll That Remains
Using mostly natural light, I aim to capture painterly, almost dreamlike compositions of botanical forms. My images are produced in-camera, with only a small amount of post-production.As time passes, the photographic representation will be all that remains of my once-beautiful subject.
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.
