For people who love floral photography, winter can be a tough time. Nothing is in bloom outside the sun belt, so tropical indoor plants are the only choice available. Thankfully, the Denver Botanical Gardens has a provided a place worth going in the winter. In addition to the normal conservatory, visitors can take in the Orchid Showcase through the end of February. Orchids are without a doubt one of the prettiest flowers to photograph. And the Botanical Gardens has lots of them. Located in the newest addition to the grounds, the orchids are set along a long glass-encased hallway. Unfortunately, the backdrop for most of the plants is a concrete wall so bring a small black reflector or posterboard to use as a backdrop. I used a 100mm macro and 90mm tilt/shift lens with an extension tube. The TSE lens gives more flexibility as far as depth of field is concerned. Raw is a must since many of the shots are of white petals or flowers that are reflective. Hot spots or underexposed images are a distinct possibility. In processing the shots, also look at converting images to black and white. The striped or patterned orchids look particularly good this way. The Gardens has also thankfully rescinded its tripod charge so photographers are once again welcome at the Gardens.
