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 an RHS Flower Show in 2018.
Best in Show - Portfolio Dancing Flowers
Series of white flowers taken at slow shutter speed, with intentional camera movement (ICM) and in-camera double exposure. The aim was to create the appearance of ethereal dancing flowers. Basic adjustments in Photoshop, but no major alteration. Location: all images taken in my home studio, London.
Gold - Portfolio Botanical Prints: Where Art Meets Science
My portfolio is inspired by the artists of the golden age of botanical painting. The RHS Lindley Library supported my research, providing the opportunity to see original works and first prints. My objective is to capture in a 21st-century medium the essence and purpose of this genre. Digital techniques including focus stacking and image blending have been used to provide the required level of detail and accuracy. Location: all images taken in my home studio, London.
Gold - Portfolio Species Boundaries: Fritillaria affinis
Horticulture frequently presents us with plants that are uniform in appearance. However, a taxonomic description can be very broad to reflect a range of natural variation. Species Boundaries is a project I am currently working on to show this variation across several species. Fritillaria affinis is a variable species from north-western North America and this series shows specimens from Oregon and California to illustrate this variation. To underline the geography and unify the group a map motif is used as a background. Plants are shown life-size. Both focus stacking and layer stacking were used to create the digital images. Location: studio.
Gold - Portfolio Abstract Images RHS Garden Wisley
Although not on my doorstep, Wisley is close enough to enable me to make frequent visits to this location. As a keen natural history/botanical photographer Wisley is a delight and I am particularly attracted to the intricate detail and patterns of plant structures particularly in abstract form. My subjects were mostly photographed in The Glasshouse; and the Canna in the Exotic Garden. Location: RHS Garden Wisley. Please note: some of the images were re-selected prior to judging - the final composition will be shown here shortly.
Silver-Gilt - Portfolio Ephemeral Pearls
This portfolio showcases close-ups of plants adorned with droplets of dew or rain water. The images have been converted to cyanotypes. Location: various sites across the UK. Please note: some of the images were re-selected changed prior to judging - the final composition will be shown here shortly.
Silver-Gilt - Portfolio Flora of the Silk Road
A collection of flowers to showcase the temperate Asian flora of the former Silk Road trade route and the countries it passed through. All are taken in the wild in the countries named. Location: various countries along the Silk Road: Turkey, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, China & India. Please note: some of the images were re-selected prior to judging - the final composition will be shown here shortly.
Silver - Portfolio British Lichens on Flint
Six colour images of lichens on flint. Cambridgeshire.
Silver - Portfolio Lochside
The inspiration for 'Lochside' began a few years ago, when photographing water lilies at Loch Chon, in Stirlingshire. Dull weather dictated a slow shutter speed but there was also a brisk breeze, ruffling the water and disturbing the lilypads. I was unsure of how this would affect the final image; however, I soon realised I had captured a pleasingly evocative effect in the movement of the water lilies over the duration of the long exposure. Ever since, I’ve been fascinated by the transformative potential of photography. For me, the camera is an instrument which allows familiar plants to be seen in unfamiliar ways. Location: Various sites across Scotland including Perthshire, Stirlingshire and Highland.
Bronze - Portfolio Spring Wildflowers from Southern Appalachia
All seasons offer something special. However, it is only in spring that we get to see these native wildflowers in Appalachia. Appalachia is a culture; it’s a way of life, a time before modern medicine. Well-known in common folklore to be medicinal plants, meet these wildflowers: Arisaema triphyllum (jack in the pulpit), Cypripedium acaule (pink ladyslipper), Erythronium americanum (yellow trout lily), Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot), Uvularia sessilifolia (sessile bellwort), and Xanthoriza simplicissima (yellowroot). I pressed these specimens and photographed them on a light table to illuminate their individual beauty. My hope is that by sharing these plants, they will become more well-known and nurtured.
Bronze - Portfolio Faerie Woods
Weaving images to illustrate the beauty and enchantment of our native woods. I am fascinated by the history of plants and their folklore, and wanted to create a series of images which captured the rich cultural heritage of our native trees. I have used multiple exposure to create a sense of timelessness and evoke a fairytale.
Bronze - Portfolio The Magic of Water
Water scenes. Location: RHS Garden Wisley & Savill Garden. Please note: some of the images were re-selected prior to judging - the final composition will be shown here shortly.
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.
