Georgetown Horticultural Society

Georgetown Horticultural Society
Photo Contest January 20th, 2026

Convenor: Ingrid Nordmeyer

Do you realize that there's a great way to enjoy gardening WITHOUT getting your hands dirty!! Take pictures in your garden, gardens you pass driving around, during vacations, anytime at all. You'll have the pictures to enjoy year round and you can even enter them in the Photo Contest.

Class A       Garden beds or landscapes (at any time of year)
Class B       Flowers or foliage(flowers, trees, leaves)
Class C       Creatures or critters in the garden (animal or insects)
Class D       Autumn (changing colours)
Class E       Garden images (anything else)

  • Photographs are to be garden related.
  • You may enter up to three photos per category.
  • Photos may have been taken at any time.
  • Colour, black and white prints; using any type of camera or software.
  • 4 x 6 inch photos only and photo must fill the entire area, no borders.

    Before you arrive:

  • Each photo must have your name and class you are entering on the back.
  • Press gently when writing on your photograph, so as not to indent the picture.

    When you arrive:

  • Photo entries are from 6:30 p.m. until 7:15 p.m. only.
  • Please enter your name in the photo contest register.
  • Your photos will be placed inside free standing frames by photo contest volunteers.

    General Rules:

  • The GHS does not accept responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged prints.
  • All exhibitors in the photo contest agree to let the Georgetown Horticultural Society keep all winning prints and to publish some, or all of them in the Yearbook, on our website, and other club projects free of compensation and liability.
  • No previously entered photographs.
  • Winning prints must be left with the photo contest directors.
  • All non-winning prints (no ribbon awarded), must be picked up by the exhibitor 30 minutes after the show chair has declared the show open for viewing.
  • Unclaimed prints will be disposed of.
  • No members are allowed in the show area during judging.
  • Exhibits not meeting entry rules will be disqualified.
  • All judging decisions are final.
  • No professional photographers

    Composition:

    Take some time and walk around your garden, looking for angles that you enjoy seeing. Look at these through the camera lens and imagine
    you are looking at a painting. Move the lens to remove distracting/unwanted items so your 'frame' holds the image you want to look at.

    For an overall shot of a garden, try taking the picture from a porch, or an upstairs window.

    Get into your garden bed and shoot a picture from the back outward.

    Try getting low to the ground for a different perspective.

    Lighting:

    Quality of light is critical. Bright sunshine is not the best light, as it washes out the colour of your subject.

    The best time of day to photograph is early morning (just after sunrise), and for a couple hours after that.

    Try an angle where the light is streaming in from the side, or behind the subject.

    Avoid letting any direct light into the camera lens.

    Try photographing on cloudy days. The lighting is even and will allow the colours to shine.