Leycesteria formosa

I have taken a few photos of Leycesteria formosa (also known as Himalayan Honeysuckle) that is growing in the flower garden at Orchard View:

Leycesteria formosa - 1

For this set of photos I used my fish-eye lens. This enables me to get on close (I am only a few inches away from the flowers in the above image) yet still show the surroundings to give context to the planting. The fish-eye lens does distort the view quite significantly, but it is not too noticeable in the above image.

However, in this view the distortion is noticeable:

Leycesteria formosa - 2a

You can see the edge of the trellis on the left of this photo – it has quite a distinct curve. But with a little judicious editing we can remove the worst:

Leycesteria formosa - 2b

The weather was quite windy – I took many photos just to get 3 usable images; this is the third:

Leycesteria formosa - 3

I am quite pleased with the results. For me, taking a photo of a plant within its setting is far more satisfying, and informative, than just showing the pretty flowers (although I do that too!)

These are now in the Garden Gallery.

Author: Paul L.G. Morris

I am an amateur photographer whose photography is mostly of gardens, nature and the rural environment. My specialities are close-ups, panoramic views, or a combination of both that I call 'Nearscapes'. I work mostly for my own interest having closed my business PM Studios Ltd.