In the garden

Photographers have long been drawn to the beauty of a garden, inspired to capture its essence in an image. Shepton Snowdrop Festival’s Photography Competition has opened; each of the three age categories carries prize money for the winner.
This year the focus is on the garden. It could be a cultivated space or a natural garden in the wild as long as the focus is on flora; flowers, plants, trees and other vegetation. Each year the Festival welcomes entries from all over the world and the judge, award-winning photographer Jason Ingram, hopes people will be inspired wherever they are to capture the essence of their favourite plants and green spaces.
In 2024 Jason was awarded the prestigious Garden Media Guild Features Photographer of the Year Award; the judges said his use of light and the skill of composition were ‘breathtaking’. He has a tremendous back catalogue. His photography has been featured in two books: Piet Oudolf’s Piet Oudolf’s garden at Hauser and Wirth in Somerset, and Sissinghurst Castle. In each, he captured the seasons as the garden changed month by month throughout the year. Over a period of several years he has worked with Dan Pearson, shooting ‘an exquisite garden’ he designed.
Speaking about what he’ll be looking out for in entries to the competition, Jason said: “I’ll be looking closely at how you use light. A glimpse of light through a tree creates an ethereal image, but I’ll also be looking for dramatic and eye-catching photos that use harmonious and contrasting colours or the texture of foliage. Look closely at lines, patterns, shapes, shadows and light. You’ll find that sepals, stamens or petals of a flower, veins of a leaf or the texture of tree bark all make compelling and powerful subjects. I’ll also be looking for exemplary technique, and creativity. Use your imagination; even with the extreme weather many of us have been experiencing there should be no shortage of subject matter. Above all, enjoy!”