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Chinese Juniper (Juniperus chinensis Itoigawa)
This Chinese Juniper, on display at the Longwood Gardens, is on loan from the Kennett Collection. The image was cut from its unflattering white stipple background then replaced with a black one to enhance the impact and colors of this magnificent specimen. Training of this exotic tree began in 1963. When one considers that these trees live and are cultivated for more than 250-years, this one might be considered a youngster.
This print was created from an image made in December 2018 at Longwood Gardens. www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
buddylauer@vpolydesign.com
Hinoki False Cypress
Early May 2018, I visited Longwood Gardens. Among the things I wanted to photograph were the exotic Japanese trees. Although I went at a time when not many people would be visiting, I found it difficult to break out my tripod to capture their Hinoki False Cypress. The viewing corridor was just too narrow. None-the-less, I shot this handheld. The background was awful, certainly not an image I would ever want to print or even talk about. I ended up cutting the entire tree out of its ugly background and replacing it with this monochrome (black) background. It was a lot of work, but I believe it was worth it. The black background causes this image to pop.
The shot you are viewing is actually the backside of the tree. These exotic trees are rotated periodically to promote even growth. This specimen has been cultivated since 1930.
This print was created from an image made in May 2018 at Longwood Gardens. www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
buddylauer@vpolydesign.com
Japanese Black Pine
Early May 2018, I visited Longwood Gardens. Among the things I wanted to photograph were the exotic Japanese trees. Although I went at a time when not many people would be visiting, I found it difficult to break out my tripod to capture exotic trees. The viewing corridor was just too narrow. None-the-less, I shot this handheld. The background was awful, certainly not an image I would ever want to print or even display. I ended up cutting the entire tree out of its ugly background and replacing it with this monochrome (black) background. It was a lot of work, but I believe it was worth it. The black background makes this image to pop.
This print was created from an image made in May 2018 at Longwood Gardens. www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
buddylauer@vpolydesign.com
Dazzle – The Lights of Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens puts on arguably the best Christmas light presentation in the United States. This year, it’s no argument, they were voted the best. This stand of lighted trees is an example of what’s on display at Longwood.
This print was created from an image made in December 2018 at Longwood Gardens. www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
buddylauer@vpolydesign.com
Cattleya Henrietta Japhet Orchid
This image of the Cattleya Henrietta Japhet Orchid was created in the Longwood Gardens Orchid Room in December 2018. This is a focus stacked image made from 40 shots so that the focus is consistently sharp from front to back. The lens was a Nikkor 105mm f2.8 macro lens on a Nikon D850 camera.
This print was created from an image made in December 2018 at Longwood Gardens. www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
buddylauer@vpolydesign.com
Flamingo Flower
This image was made at the Longwood Gardens Conservatory. It is a long exposure that was light painted from underneath the flower with a flashlight. It is a trial and error process but didn’t take too many tries to zero in on the exposure and effect that I wanted to achieve.
This print was created from an image made in December 2018 at Longwood Gardens. www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
buddylauer@vpolydesign.com
Hibiscus Rain
This image was made at the Longwood Gardens Conservatory. This plant is officially known as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and sometimes referred to as the Chinese hibiscus.
This print was created from an image made in December 2018 at Longwood Gardens. www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
buddylauer@vpolydesign.com
Red Hibiscus
This shot was taken at Longwood Gardens in May 2018. I like the colors, lighting, and water droplets on the pedals. Viewing this image on a screen in jpg doesn’t do it justice. To be fully appreciated, this image must be seen printed on fine art paper, where the details and colors are spectacular. At the request of a customer, I added a black background to give the image a little more pop.
This print was created from an image made in May 2018 at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
Purple O’s
Early May 2018, I visited Longwood Gardens. I photographed these orchids inside the conservatory. As the background was less than complimentary, I removed the background and added the one you see here. I think it makes the orchids stand out.
This print was created from an image made in May 2018 at Longwood Gardens. www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
buddylauer@vpolydesign.com
Tiger Lily
This Tiger Lily thrives on the property at Gari Melchers home at Belmont near Fredericksburg, Virginia. It is along the trail from the studio down to the Rappahannock River.
This print was created from an image made July 2018 in Fredericksburg, VA.
www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
buddylauer@vpolypics.com
Purple Persian Shield Plant
This shot was taken at Longwood Gardens. There I was, minding my own business, lining up on this exotic Purple Persian Shield Plant, when this bee and his little cousin photo bombed me. Two lucky things worked to my advantage on this shot. Number one was that I was shooting with my Nikon 105mm f2.8 macro lens, and two, the camera was not on a tripod. Had the camera been on a tripod, I doubt I would have been able to focus accurately on the bee at the precise moment when his wings were motionless. Best macro focusing is accomplished by getting close, then easing backward or forward minute distances to achieve final (hopefully perfect) focus.
This print was created from an image made in May 2018 at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
Fountain Row
This image was made at Longwood Gardens. This is one small section of fountains located down by the old pump room and gallery. This is a great area of the park to go when you need a rest on a hot day. It’s cooler down here, and the water mist from the fountains makes it even better.
This print was created from an image made in May 2018 at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
buddylauer@vpolydesign.com
Longwood Main Fountain Garden
This image was made at Longwood Gardens. The view is from the upper deck of the Conservatory, lined up dead center with the Main Fountain Garden. There weren’t many people in the garden when this image was taken, so one is able to get a sense of just how large and perfectly manicured this garden really is.
This print was created from an image made in May 2018 at Longwood Gardens.www.vpolypics.com. Copyright V-Poly Design, LLC.
Buddy Lauer, Fredericksburg, VA
buddylauer@vpolydesign.com