Jane Davenport Blog

I am at the Sydney Royal Easter Flower and Garden Show trying not to eat fairy floss ( how can something that looks so fluffy, pink and innocent be so bad for you?!).

the Institute of Cute continued its journey from Melbourne to Sydney and  landed in the lovliest spot at the Royal Show – right in the Horticultural Pavilion! My artwork is displayed on giant 3m x 3m murals hanging from the walls and that is the biggest I will have seen my work. Seeing them for the first time, caused a real rush of excitement.

The exhibition continues at both major entrances. Yes, I am trying to take over ‘The Show’ bit by bit…!

I held a competition for my ‘Ladybird Letter’ subscribers for double pass to the show, and received so many entries for my question: “If you were a bug, what bug would you be?”!  Last week the Melbourne Flower Show competition caused great excitement and the entries were WONDERFUL!

I have been watching the hordes of people at the Sydney Royal Easter Flower and Garden Show taking photos of the competition flowers on display.

99% of people must have their point-and-shoot camera set on full auto and just poke it at the Grand Champion rose, BANG! flash goes off, on to the next flower. I really do pity whoever would be shown all the bleached out, non-composed snap shots…Boring!
What would make those shots so much better straight away would be for people to line up a non- distracting background. If you are going to the trouble of snapping something, why not make it fairly clear what you where trying to take a picture of!
2nd, make sure you select the ‘Macro’ mode ( usually represented by a tulip logo).
3rd – check your flash mode. Judging by all the flashes going off around me all day ( I am getting to know how Britney feels!), most of those little cameras are in. ‘forced flash’ mode- that means the flash will fire- no matter what! “Experiment with your other flash modes people!” is what I feel like calling out…a little fill flash, 2nd curtain sync, or no flash at all may give better or more interesting results.