My best pictures from a recent photography workshop at the Ruth Bancroft Garden

Last Saturday I took my first-ever photography workshop at the Ruth Bancroft Garden. I would have missed it if Kathy Stoner of GardenBook hadn’t brought it to my attention—thank you, Kathy.

The workshop was billed for beginners, and while after 30+ years of taking photos I’m not exactly a novice, I thought it would be great to have early access to the garden (8 a.m.) in order to take advantage of the best light.

And the light was sweet indeed! The silk floss tree (Ceiba speciosa) near the back fence, one of the garden’s signature trees and in full flower right now, was spectacular backlit by the morning sun.

I think this might be the most beautiful photo I’ve ever taken at the Ruth Bancroft Garden:

Agave ‘Mr Ripple’ and silk floss tree (Ceiba speciosa)

Since this post is about photography, I’ll keep my commentary to a minimum and let my pictures do the talking.

Silk floss tree (Ceiba speciosa)

Silk floss tree (Ceiba speciosa) and opuntia

Silk floss tree flower (Ceiba speciosa)

Calliandra ‘Sierra Starr’

Yucca ‘Bright Star’ and Agave ovatifolia

Agave flower stalk and Yucca rigida

Opuntia leucotricha

Cleistocactus hyalacanthus seen through Dasylirion sp.

Cleistocactus hyalacanthus

Cleistocactus hyalacanthus with ×Mangave ‘Espresso’

×Mangave ‘Espresso’ (a variegated sport of ×Mangave ‘Macho Mocha’)

x

Oreocereus sp.

Opuntia sp.

Harrisia pomanensis, one of several cactus species whose fruit is referred to as “dragon fruit”

Opuntia sp.

Euphorbia echinus

Euphorbia sp.

Euphorbia sp.

Encephalartos sp.

Xanthorrhoea nana

Agave parrasana

Agave colorata × bovicornuta

Agave attenuata

Buckwheat (Eriogonum sp.)

Possibly cardon (Pachycereus pringlei)

Agave franzosinii

Agave franzosinii

Agave bovicornuta

Agave stricta

Agave victoria-reginae

Agave horrida

Agave horrida

Agave guadalajarana

Agave gypsophila and Echeveria ‘Lace’

Echeveria ‘Lace’

Echeveria shaviana (right)

Leucadendron ‘Ebony’

Leucadendron ‘Ebony’

Palo blanco (Mariosousa willardiana)

Palm fruit

Calliandra ‘Sierra Starr’

The workshop was led by Bay Area fine-art photographer John Ricca, assisted by Charlotte Gibb. After a brief introduction we were set loose and could wander the garden at our leisure. John and Charlotte were available anytime for questions. This format worked great because everybody who needed it received personalized instruction.

According to RBG event coordinator Alice Kitajima there will be similar photography workshops in the future so sign up for the RBG’s newsletter on their home page. For members the workshop was free (awesome benefit!), for the general public is was $25.