Over the past 30 years, I have been hired to photograph all kinds of things: over-the-top advertising images, breathtaking wild landscapes, and far-away city streets. But as a passionate lifelong gardener, I always return, camera in hand, to the creative wellspring of the garden. I find that any landscape, large or small, offers daily opportunities to practice the art of observation and try out new ideas.

People often assume that the secret to taking great garden pictures is all about equipment. But I suggest there are two things that can make anyone a better photographer, no matter what camera they use: lots of practice and a willingness to look with fresh eyes in order to make conscious decisions about how to capture images worth sharing. If you’d like to take better garden photos, be willing to spend some time experimenting, let your garden serve as your classroom, and you’ll be taking…