Highlights from Kew's 'Different world's' Photo Challenge

Throughout June and July 2011, we invited members of our 'Your Kew' and 'Natural Neighbourhood' Flickr groups to take part in our 'Different world's' Photo Challenge. Philip Smith, Director of the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition, picks his favourites.

09 Aug 2011

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Summer Garden Flame by pallab seth, shared with Kew on Flickr

Summer Garden Flame by pallab seth, shared with Kew's Natural Neighbourhood Flickr Group.

Each month Philip Smith, Director of the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition, picks his favourite photos from Kew's Flickr Photo Challenge to share with you. Philip is a professional photographer who specialises in gardens and plants. His photography has featured in many magazines and books, including The English Garden, The Garden (RHS) and Gardeners’ World. His work has also featured in exhibitions at Kew Gardens and the Royal Horticultural Society at Wisley .

Below you can see Philip's favourite photos from our 'Different world's' Photo Challenge, which took place on Flickr throughout June and July 2011. If you enjoy taking photos of plants and nature and would like to get involved in this month's challenge, the theme for June is 'Changing weather'.

You can see more outstanding photos in our 'Different world's' Photo Challenge galleries here:

Join Kew on Flickr

Featured photos - Your Kew 'Different world's' Photo Challenge

Featured photos from the Your Kew Photo Challenge, July 2011

Top: 1107 127 by Kitinkew.
Bottom: Sg105996 by acornuser.

1107 127 by kitinkew (top)

There are some great images in this gallery – but my favourite picture is 1107 127 by kitinkew. This is a very calm and atmospheric image, very well seen and composed. It seems calm to us because it is dominated by horizontal lines and symmetry. I like the succession of framing through the shot – the outer doors, the foliage, the inner doors, then the doors at the other end. This is a lovely rhythm. I like the light on the glass in the doors and the strange shapes within that. It is a photograph you can look at for a long time and see more and more things in it – like the repetition of shapes in the roof and sunlight on the ground. It makes us to look afresh at our world, in a different and more contemplative way. See this photo on Flickr.

Sg105996 by acomuser (bottom)

Another favourite for me is Sg105996 by acomuser. A very effective abstract with just that one tiny point of focus. It shows us what can be done in limiting the colour palette and by really making a conscious decision about what is in focus and what is not – don’t leave it to the camera’s autofocus to decide! Perhaps it could have been cropped a little tighter- the area to the left wanders off visually a bit. See this photo on Flickr.

Featured photos - Natural Neighbourhood 'Different world's' Photo Challenge

Featured photos from Kew's Natural Neighbourhood Flickr Group

Top: England Surrey by Richard mcmanus.
Bottom: Summer Garden Flame by by Pallab Seth.

England Surrey by Richard Mcmanus (top)

My favourite in this gallery is England Surrey by Richard Mcmanus. It looks as if the photograph is the product of many hours of watching to wait for that special moment. The fox here looks so relaxed, wrapped up in its own foxy world. The framing of the out of focus grass helps us to concentrate on the main subject – the beautiful animal - and the vibrant dandelion splodge of colour enlivens the background. See this photo on Flickr.

Summer Garden Flame by Pallab Seth (bottom)

I also love Summer Garden Flame by Pallab Seth. Bees are so difficult. They always show you their backside but the technique here is great – the backside in question is so sharp. The angle of the bee makes me smile because – like the fox – the creature is totally absorbed in his own world. I would have liked to see a tighter crop on this; the vibrant Crocosmia red is great but the area to the left of the frame starts to become irrelevant to the subject. But it is really difficult to get in tight with the insect moving around all the time. See this photo on Flickr.

Join Kew on Flickr and take part in our 'Changing weather' Photo Challenge

'Kew on Flickr' is the official Flickr group for Kew Gardens and Wakehurst; we invite visitors to share their photos of the Gardens and take part in monthly photo challenges. Help Kew show off the beauty and fascinations of the Gardens and see your photos featured on Kew's website.

'Your Kew' Flickr group

Help Kew celebrate biodiversity by sharing photos of nature in your local area. Post photos of what you’re doing at home or in your neighbourhood to help support and safeguard the diversity of plant and animal life.

Natural Neighbourhood Flickr group

International Garden Photographer of the Year competition

Find out about the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition and how you can get involved. It is the world’s premier competition for garden, plant and flower photography and culminates each year in an outdoor exhibition at Kew Gardens.

Browse this year's competition categories | Visit the exhibition at Kew Gardens