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“Photography: Painting and Drawing with Light”
Olinda, Victoria – Australia. Cloudehill Gardens Photographed by ©Karen Robinson – Feb 2017. Here in this photograph, I (Karen) was setting up my EOS 1100D Canon DSLR camera on a tripod and photographing the lower meadow of Cloudehill where bulb flowers are in bloom. It was such a pretty location. Featured in the background is my daughter and son-in-law. My husband took this photo of me with my Samsung Galaxy S6 mobile phone. NB: All images are protected by copyright laws.
INTRODUCTION
Another photography adventure! With my husband, and this time joined by our daughter and son-in-law, it involved visiting the glorious Cloudehill Gardens. We drove through the highly scenic Dandenongs to reach our destination. It was hard not to want to just stop every few minutes to photograph this beautiful region of Victoria – Australia. During this garden photography exercise – I used my EOS 1100D Canon DSLR camera on a tripod with a remote timer for the big shots. I also used my Samsung Galaxy S6 Mobile Phone for quick spontaneous photographs. The aim of this photography adventure was to gain some experience taking garden photographs during a time of day not ideal – being late morning and over mid-day. I found it particularly difficult to work out how to shoot sky and garden together without over exposing the sky. Although shady spots proved to be interesting – as filtered light offered soft lighting photographic opportunities.
Olinda, Victoria – Australia. Cloudehill Gardens Photographed by ©Karen Robinson – Feb 2017. As I (Karen) was setting up to take this photograph the lighting changed a few times as the clouds covered and uncovered the sun. At one point the clouds uncovered the sun allowing for it to filter through the over arching tree branches and leaves. The dappled lighting was just beautiful which help create this wonderful natural tunneling effect. The location for this particular photograph was just behind the Marquee Lawn area. The trees run alongside of Woolrich Road section of the gardens. NB: All images are protected by copyright.
ABOUT CLOUDEHILL GARDENS
“Cloudehill Gardens is located at the top of the Dandenongs, has an altitude of 580 metres with deep volcanic loam soil and 1.25 metres of rainfall which falls throughout most of the year with February, March and April being drier. Sometimes there is a little frost and snow (Cloudehill 2017). Not many have the chance to make a garden out of an old flower farm. Cloudehill’s original planting goes back to Jim Woolrich when he began planting shrubs and trees and bulbs for the cut flower market and florist trade in the ’20s. The flower farm thrived through to the ‘6os then, after 20 years gently resting, Jeremy Francis bought what was now something of a sleeping beauty’s garden and began making Cloudehill in 1992. Cloudehill’s design derives from Italian renaissance gardens, English arts and crafts gardens, and from contemporary meadow gardening. Compartments threaded along axes incorporate themes such as ‘expectation and surprise’. Deep volcanic soil and moist mild weather allow plants to achieve majestic proportions; for example, the two weeping maples at the heart of the garden. These glorious trees are historic, they came from Japan in 1928″ (Cloudehill 2017).
THE PHOTOGRAPHS
On my return home, I downloaded all the photographs into Adobe Lightroom 6. I developed a small selection of photographs. It was once more a new experience, especially developing the garden photographs where some of the skyline was over exposed. A number of the photographs I decided to crop the sky out of the photograph itself. I also decided to turn one into a black and white photograph in order to gain the best raw photographic details using Lightroom 6. Overall though I was happy with my efforts and feel that the essence of a beautiful garden was captured. Please find both above and below the best of what I took on the day.
OLINDA, Victoria – Australia
Photographed by Karen Robinson
Please click on the images to view in full and find camera setting details
FLOWER BEDS AND GARDEN FEATURES – Locations (throughout)
HEDGES, LAWNS AND GARDEN FEATURES – Location Quadrangle (I)
THE SUMMER HOUSE – Location (H)
SUMMER HOUSE WALK – Location (H)
Olinda, Victoria – Australia. Cloudehill Gardens Photographed by ©Karen Robinson – Feb 2017. This particular photograph I decided to turn into a black and white. I (Karen) had a problem with the skyline being over exposed and I had read that these kind of photographs can make good B & W’s. So I gave it a go. I do love all the different textures of the plantings and how the light and shade have a wonder creative effect. NB: All images are protected by copyright laws
FLOWERING BULBS & GRASSES – Location (S)
Olinda, Victoria – Australia. Cloudehill Gardens Photographed by ©Karen Robinson – Feb 2017. During the processing of these photographs I (Karen) decided to experiment with a black and white look but keeping the colour of the flowers prominent within the image. To soften the overall look I also added some post-crop vignette which I think works well. NB: All images are protected by copyright laws.
COOL AND WARM BORDERS, PATHWAYS AND ARCHES – Locations (T – J – E)
BEECH WALK THROUGH TREES AND GARDEN FEATURES – Location (R)
Olinda, Victoria – Australia. Cloudehill Gardens Photographed by ©Karen Robinson – Feb 2017. The Beech Walk (R) was just so beautiful. Looking through this tree-lined pathway down towards my daughter and her husband who had strolled ahead of us, just seemed to be the perfect photo. The dappled light that manage to creep through the over arching trees made this photograph seem intimate and personal I feel. NB: All images are protected by copyright laws.
MY FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DAY
Olinda, Victoria – Australia. Cloudehill Gardens Photographed by ©Karen Robinson – Feb 2017. This is my favourite photograph of the day that I took! It is located just near the Summer House (H). The lighting and leaf foliage is just beautiful and I think because I was standing up on a pathway that looked down over this area, just gave the photograph a more interesting perspective. NB: All images are protected by copyright laws.
SLIDE-SHOW OF ALL PHOTOGRAPHS
CONCLUSION
This day was more than just a time where I got to spend together as a family, it was also a time where we remembered my husband’s brother, also being my daughter’s Uncle who had passed away late last year 2016. These moments truly reinforce that we only have a short time in this world and I am trying to spend it well…
“In memory of Greg Robinson – a lover of fauna and flora”
Please click here to visit my ‘Photography – About’ page where you will be able to find blog links and photographs about other photographic adventures…
© Karen Robinson – February 2017
Whilst you are here – please check out my home page! Post-traumatic Growth – My Art Therapy Journey – A window into the soul of an Abstract Artist through art therapy, photography and storytelling…by Karen Robinson
ido art karen robinson 
Your art and photography are both stunning! I look forward to wandering through your many creative blog pages! Art is such an amazing outlet for life! 💚Roda
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Thank you Roda – so appreciate your words of encouragement – the use of art, creative writing and photography has been an important part of my later life that has helped to improve my sense of wellbeing. Hopefully by sharing will encourage others to look towards these creative methods as a way to improve theirs…warm regards Karen
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How lovely, Karen. I especially like what you did with the shot where you took out almost all the color and I like the the second one of the Beech Walk. Of course, I like them all, but… 😉
janet
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Hi Janet, thank you – I was experimenting and surprise – it worked! And the Beech Walk – yes my daughter loves that one as well. Thanks for dropping by and taken a look … warm regards Karen
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