ESSENTIAL GEAR
The kit Andrea relies on for capturing pro-quality garden shots
1 A HOME FROM HOME
Andrea says… My VW Transporter allows me to sleep on site, meaning I can access a garden whenever I want. It also makes life much easier having nearby access to a bed when you’re shooting at first or last light. I group together my shoots that are far from home, and sleeping in the Transporter is easier than arranging accommodation – and it’s more cost-effective too.
2 CART
Andrea says… I carry a lot of kit and, as I tend to work on big estates, I can end up covering a lot of miles. My Foldit Cart allows me to haul everything around with relative ease. It’s US-made and it wasn’t cheap, but it’s stood the test of time. I do have to be mindful of the wheels though, especially on dewy mornings, because I don’t want to ruin any perfectly coiffed lawns, or create tracks through the middle of a scene that I’m about to shoot.
3 REFLECTOR & DIFFUSER
Andrea says… At one point the lighting was too harsh to continue photographing the borders and features, so we turned our attention to individual specimens. I work with natural light, but I use modifiers to manipulate it; this allows me to instil some form of consistency into my close-ups. I mount my diffuser and reflector on dedicated stands, leaving my hands free to operate the camera. The diffuser allows me to continue working as the sun rises, because it acts as a barrier to soften the light. The reflector is used to bounce light back onto the subject, which is essential, because I almost always shoot towards the sun, as this creates lovely rim lighting, and accentuates details as it shines through leaves and petals.