Juror's Statement
Botanical has to do with plants. And for this show, we asked for images that capture the beauty and unique character of plants. The selections focus on the plants themselves rather than the gardens or landscapes in which they grow. What are the unique characteristics of plants? What gives them personality? What compels us to photograph them? To dissect them? Or even to reimagine them? How do we express the memories they stir up and the way this makes us feel?
Among the challenges we face as botanical photographers is moving beyond the beauty of the plant to create a compelling photograph. It means composing thoughtfully, interpreting creatively and executing with a sense of mastery. These are the images which did that. They caught my eye, drew me in and dared me to take a closer look. They surprised, intrigued and delighted me. The range of processes used—from straight photography to black and white to alternative processes—reflect the current photographic environment in which the exploration of style and experimentation with techniques, both old and new, are fully embraced.
The Juror’s Award selection made a powerful first impression and remained my first choice through the many rounds of review. It is bold, elegant, exquisitely executed and beautifully captures both the spirit of ranunculus and the exhibition theme. The plant selection, styling, lighting, colors and interpretation are all outstanding. The Director’s Award image effectively uses light and shadow to emphasize the unique form of the subject, and the plant keeps our attention by dancing through the frame. It was a perfect choice for black and white interpretation.
Spending time with all of the images submitted for this show was both an honor and joy. As always, sorting through the many images was enormously challenging and there were so many additional images I would have loved to include. Through your photographs, I briefly escaped the winter cold and imagined myself in a warm spring garden. Thank you for sharing both your love of plants and your photographs.
Lee Anne White
Call for Entries
Humans have a long and interdependent relationship with plants. They provide us with every requirement for life: food, shelter and clothing, as well as incredibly diverse beauty.
For Botanical, we’re looking for images created in nature, the garden or the studio that capture the beauty and unique character of plants of all kinds. All capture methods and processes are welcome.
We are very pleased that Lee Anne White jury the exhibit. She will select approximately 35 images for exhibition in the Middlebury gallery, and another 35 images for our Online gallery. All selected images will be published in the exhibit catalog.
Information about our printing service and free matting and framing here.
Banner image: Hank Gans
Click to enlarge image.
About the Juror
“I create intimate portraits of place—the terrain, plants and indigenous elements that give a landscape character. I am drawn by a sense of mystery, quietude and emotional connection with place, and seek to reveal both the unexpected and overlooked in nature’s details.”
Lee Anne White is a fine art photographer whose work is rooted in the landscape. In addition to exhibiting and publishing her work, she teaches landscape, botanical and creativity workshops for Maine Media Workshops and Madeline Island School of the Arts, as well as on Amelia Island and in New Mexico. She has photographed and authored numerous books on landscape architecture and garden design, is the former editor-in-chief of Fine Gardening magazine, and has photographed feature stories for dozens of magazines including Garden Design, Better Homes and Gardens, Landscape Architecture and Sunset. Lee Anne earned a master’s degree in creative studies at the State University of New York/Buffalo State and a bachelor’s degree in journalism and commercial art at Brenau University.
www.leeannewhite.com
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