Sunken Garden visit, 2010

For the past six summers, I've made it a point to record in images the summer floral arrangements in the Sunken Garden of Garfield Park (a formerly simple and enjoyable task; but in recent years, it has become increasingly difficult -- not nearly as enjoyable -- because of an apparent misinformed security staff that tries to shoo away any photographers using (and this is their term) "fancy" equipment -- instead of just professional portrait photographers. But that, perhaps, is for another post).

I think my first visit to shoot the garden arrangements -- which was in July 2004, just five weeks after I had acquired my first digital SLR -- remains my most favorite, primarily because I think the arrangements that summer have not been topped since -- violet petunias bordered by white dusty millers in one arrangement, coral-colored blooms and bright green coleus in the other arrangements.

This summer, there are burgundy coneflowers, tangerine marigolds, apricot and dark apricot zinnias, bulls-eye salmon geraniums, Titan Bush periwinkle, Red Bunny Tails, diamond frost Euphorbias and Lantana "Lucky Peach." The coneflower images were the toughest to deal with in post-processing, although I expected that from the LCD views I was seeing after I took each image. The color was just not reproducing properly. I have the forgiving nature of RAW image format and Photoshop to thank for enabling me to restore those coneflowers' "look" to almost what I remember seeing!

Beneath the group of images below from this year's shoot, I've posted three images from the aforementioned shoot of the Sunken Garden arrangements on July 18, 2004.

Enjoy.

FROM JULY 18, 2004