Bonsai And Bonsai photoshoot . How to get best photo of your Bonsai. Part 2

In last post we learnt every thing about the Back drop and its colors and how to use that.

Tripod setting for Photo shoot:

Tripod is an important instrument.in photography, if you place your camera on a tripod, , you can easily adjust shutter speed and time with out any jerks. Small jerk also makes your photo shaky without any clear, sharp picture. With Tripod we can adjust of the height the  camera with the same level of the plant with its position and angle. Fix  camera or mobile in tripod and adjust the height of tripod.

camera focus point and should match with pot level. The plant trunk base should and the camera eye will be in the same level. So plant will be visible as it is. we can get true image with out any Parallax error.

If you are looking at plant from an angle the picture you are getting wont be perfect , In out come photo the plant's image will be at an angle  and trunk line can be covered with branches. so its not proper way of getting a good picture.

In the above photograph the focus of camera is going above canopy of the plant. So in out come image of the plant the trunk line looks thin and  young.

camera Angle focus is from the Above the plant

    

Focus of camera in first photo it is on left side, and in second photo it is on right side  

The placement of tripod with camera and plant should be in 180 degrees line. If tripod is on right side or left side the image we are getting is not a actual image.

Tripod helps to take good photos when there is minimum light in the room, that time we need more shutter speed.  When  using camera with hand slight movement also reduces shutter speed, resulting in blur or grainy images.If camera is placed on tripod there wont be any  movement of the hand, On tripod minimum amount of movement resulting  best photos of Bonsai plants. If you dont have tripod there many home made tripod videos are there online, you can check them. you can make your own. The main use of tripod is stability for camera with least motion and best photo shoot..

To be continued in next posts with other tips like tripod placement and exposure etc.....

Bonsai And Bonsai photoshoot . How to get best photo of your Bonsai.

Photographing A Bonsai : Once we finished shaping Bonsai Plant, we feel like capture the beauty of our creation in a frame. Here I am sharing some important points of Photography . These I learnt with experience, I would like to share with you all. We can start our photography shoot with our mobile. we don't need any expensive camera, Simple camera is also makes lots of difference. Then a normal simple tripod of for stable photos. For taking  good photos one need not to be a great photographer just follow some easy steps and your Bonsai photos will be marvelous. 

Back drop for photo shoot : First to show your Bonsai clearly with depth we should have a solid back ground with out any distractions. If you have plain wall that also makes a good back ground. Otherwise next step we can use Black or White colour or any other colour of plain cloth is makes a superior back ground.  when you selecting a cloth it should not be a shiny cloth, because it reflects the light.  

 

The cloth can be a velvet or 100% cotton cloth or Lekera cloth is gives a best back ground. Some times if your Bonsai is small then our coloured chart paper is perfect as a back drop. Back drop should be hang from a stand or with some support . please try to hang the cloth  straight down with out any folds.. The folds distracts the view of  main image. Our Bonsai plant can be placed in front of the backdrop on a table. We can put same cloth on table and place the plant on table. Then complete back ground will be full black and entire viewers concentration will be on Bonsai plant. Some times we can place turntable on the this table, that also gives a elegant look.

 In this photo table is covered with the same backdrop cloth

A turn table is place on the first table to place Bonsai plant

Chart paper also can be used as back drop in photography.

One more option is we can place glass sheet below Bonsai plant with black or white back drop, the reflection of the plant in the glass gives a beautiful look.

Here below we can see a detail view of White and Black drop . Both of them are good . according to our interest we can use any back ground. So always one back drop without any interruption is compulsory to show your beauty of the Bonsai  plant. 

 

To be continued in next posts with other tips like tripod placement and exposure etc.....

How to make beautiful bonsai pot Easily at home.

Bonsai is unlimited imagination to your creativity. I tried to create different pot for Premna plant.

A beautiful cement block which is light and can be carved with a chisel, drilling machine, and hexa blade. here everything explained with photos. 

Tools required:

Cement Block before carving

   

                                                                  Started Carving with chisel,and drilling machine removed all the solid materiel from inside 

  

Drainage hole is also made at the bottom of the pot . 

and made some stone like carvings by knife and drilling machine 

If you want you can make drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.

And colors used are acrylic colors, not oil colors.

Video of Bonsai pot making

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdu_OjProeg&feature=youtu.be

 

the final product is this. then it is colored with Fevicryl brown, black and yellow. First put the black color and on brown , then put yellow color

let the color dry out.

Bonsai is a Beautiful Art there is no limit to our creativity.

Then Nursery Plant Premna  is place inside the pot and soil is added. Now  it is looking as a old wood and the plant  coming up nicely. Any one can do this pot. Shaping premna plant. pruning and ramification will be done depending on the development of the plant just started.

Defoliating a Bonsai plant

Defoliating a Ficus Bonsai plant

Defoliating means removing or cutting down the leaves of Bonsai plant. It is a regular practice all Bonsai masters do it their deciduous trees during the autumn season before spring. First we will see what are deciduous trees. Deciduous trees are usually Maple,oak mostly giant flowering trees around the region of equator , between tropic of cancer and tropic of Capricorn. Deciduous means  fall off or shedding the leaves. Most of these tropical plants they shed their leaves during Autumn season after their flowering season is over.  Leaves of  these plants are broad and the canopy of tree is round are umbrella shape. Ficus is Pan tropical ever green tree with broad leaves. Ficus tree sheds their leaves to reduce the leaf foliage and evaporation of water during dry season to control water storage in the plant. As soon as monsoon returns new leaves starts developing.
In Bonsai We do regular defoliation to reduce the size of the leaves. Bonsai is a miniature tree , so if the plant is having Big leaves as it in nature the proportion of the leaves and size of the plant won't match. To have Balance and Harmony of the plant and to get a pleasing look of the tree Most of the Bonsai masters reduce the size of the leaves by cutting them. Usually it can be done twice a year to keep the Bonsai tree in a perfect shape. Some artists do defoliation before wiring the plant to have a clear look tree and the branches.
Before starting defoliation two points are very important.
First overall Health of the tree
Second don't do defoliation on a freshly re potted plant
To defoliate we need a tool like sharp leaf cutter
To Defoliate first select a plant which is healthy, energetic with full leaves without any infection . Start removing leaves leaving the stalks of the leaf . Remove only the leaf . stalks will fall down on its own.  see the picture below .

Below video gives How to reduce the size of a leaf. For More Information Click on below Link

To Reduce the Size of a Bonsai Tree

This Ficus Plant Leaves are already in size when compared to the natural leaf growing in the Nature.

Peepal Tree as Bonsai

Peepal is called as ASHWATHA in sanskrit. It can be also called as Pippala, peepal peepul.It is considered as a holy tree. This is a native tree of India, held sacred by the Buddhists, who believe that Gautama Buddha received enlightenment under a Bo tree at Bodh Gaya. The botanical classification of this tree is:Family:  Moraceae.

Scientific name is- Ficus religiosa.

  

Aswatha is a fast-growing species. It is a large deciduous tree. In about 50 years it matures to a height of about 15 meters, with  

dense umbrella like crown about 10 to 15 m in spread. Peepal grows profusely and abundantly in and around any openings, inhabited plots, and grow as an epiphyte on other trees and then when the host-tree dies, they establish on the soil. The bark of peepal is grayish white in colour. The bark secretes a kind of milk like latex which dries into a kind of jelly having considerable medical utility. In fact, all parts of the tree have medicinal value.

The leaves of peepal are alternate, orbicular to ovate, like pan leaves. These are reddish when young. Subsequently these are somewhat coriaceous, shining above and dull green below, they hang from long, flexible petioles and rustle in the slightest breeze. Individual leaf is about 10 to 15 cm in diameter. The species sheds its leaves during autumn. New leaves sprout in February-March. Peepal bears small dark purple hardly visible flowers during February-March. The fruit is purple in colour, globule in shape and nearly 4 to 5 mm in diameter, appear during March-April. These are sweet in taste.

However, peepal seedlings can be raised from seed. and also the cuttings in well-worked soil can propagate the species. Peepal trees are wonderful and very versatile plants, beautiful to look at during any season of the year. Tolerating a wide range of soil conditions and a certain degree of drought, Peepal trees add permanence to the garden landscape as they maintain their foliage color throughout summer and winter. Foliage color change within the same plant vary a little, depending upon season.

In general, peepal are the trees which are easy to grow. Usually they should be grown in free-draining soil, and do well in poor or impoverished soils. They do not like boggy or water-logged soils.  Their native habitats are often rocky or mountainous in nature, and they look particularly good in such settings in a garden

They can be grown well from the cuttings of 5 to 6 cm in length in mixture sand and peat. They generally enjoy full sun and good drainage. During summer droughts they withstand heat and dry conditions much better than other plants. 

These plants give compact new growth with regular pinching of the new leaves once in three months and this encourages the plant a bushy growth. Repotting should be done during growing season preferably every second year for a full-grown plant or when the pot is root bound. After the repotting, don’t allow the soil to completely dry. And one more important thing is that, keep the plant in shade, or in semi shade at least for one month. Regular Watering is important, and allow the soil to dry out completely in between watering.

Regular fertilizing makes the plant look beautiful. Spray the foliage at once in a month with liquid fertilizers, generally neem based. Fertilize the soil once in a month with sufala or bone meal in very little quantities just like half a tea spoon. Before fertilizing the plants wet the plant fully and put the fertilizer in the soil and again water the soil a little bit. Regular spraying of fertilizes keeps the plant hale and healthy.

How to Fertilize a Bonsai plant

Fertilizers for Tropical Bonsai plants
Information of fertilizers for our Bonsai plants,

Generally all plants needs fertilizer when they are growing in pots. Potted plants have confined soil with limited nutrients. It is advisable for proper growth of a plant. Plant needs organic and inorganic fertilizers for overall growth of the plant.

Organic fertilizers like completely dried cow dung , sheng kath means excreta of animals like sheep , goat, bonemeal , kitchen waste made in to fertilizer, neem cake, neem seed cake it also acts as fertilizer and pesticide .Organic fertilizers are without any chemicals and are natural. These organic fertilizers are used in once in three months.Organic fertilizers take a little more time to mix it into the soil., the best way is to fertilize is in the morning or in the evening, first water the plant and take out top soil, put the fertilizer,cover the fertilizer with soil and  water the plant again. Fertilize the plant on regularly, maintain a calendar, and you can see the difference.

Dont fertilize a freshly re potted plant, wait for two months let the plant settle and start fertilizing the plant.

Liquid fertilizers are chemical fertilizers which can be absorbed by the plant instantly. they contain micro nutrients. Plants  require minor elements which are also called as micro elements such as calcium, sulphor, magnesium, along with trace elements such as zinc, copper, manganese, iron, chlorine etc. All these nutrients are available in liquid fertilizers. Regular course of feeding the plants with micro nutrients is once in a month. these liquid fertilizers are mixed 1 ml in one liter of water  and will be sprayed it on the plant. 

One more chemical in - organic fertilizer is to be used in powder form is super mix it is the combination of potassium and other micro nutrients, these elements are to be provided to the soil regularly for proper yield.. Potassium mainly contributes to the plant for  proper growth of fruits and flowers.This super mix to be used once in a month to the soil in very little quantities like half tea spoon. First give a shower to the plant. feeding of fertilizer depends on the size of the pot. if the pot is small with 6 to 14 inches half tea spoon is enough. if the pot is big more than tree feet then it needs one teaspoon.

Ficus  plants grow well in  sunlight but not as much as Bougainvillea,the hot summer sun burns the leaves of the plant . They need fertilizers like nitrogen which are water soluble, Example Ujjala or  suphala can be used . Suphala  ( start with little doses ) and neem cake are the best combination for ficus plant because neem cake avoids loosing of nitrogen in the soil and it improves its efficiency. Suphala and  neem cake can be used alternatively, watering the plant before and  after fertilizing is very important.

Bougainvilleas are the beautiful among flowering bonsais , they need lees or dont need wiring , they love lots of hot sun and well drained soil,These plants need some dryness in between watering , they bloom  twice in a year during march and September because they bloom well when the night and day lengths are equal. they need lots of fertilizers like micronutrients and organic fertilizers like completly dried cow dung , sheng kath means excreta of animals like sheep , goat, bonemeal , kitchen waste made in to fertalizer, neem cake, neem seed cake it also acts as fertilizer and pesticide , as bougainvillea plant prefers little acidic soil. The best way is you can buy a bio fertilizer from a shop or neem cake or neem seed cake are best. once in a month provide the plant with fertalizer, you can choose two types of organic fertilizers and alternative you can use them.

for example this month if you are using neem cake , next month you can use other like bone meal or any other fertilizer  like cowdung etc...

Schefflera doesn't need that much ferlalizer, once in 3 to 4 months is enough for the plant. This plant needs only morning or evening sun light and right amount of water .

Learn About Bonsai Art ...... 

More About Bonsai

https://www.youtube.com/user/kapilaas

Selection of Branches for styling Bonsai Plant - Part Two

Selection of Branches for styling Bonsai Plant - Part Two

Styling Bonsai branches is very important because it gives a good look to the plant . Here in this video it is clearly shown how to select  branches, draw a  future plant, and how to give a shape to the Bonsai plant. Re potting of Plant and selection of pot was shown clearly in this video.
Same plant after Six months of training

                                                               Plant with full flowers

Link of Part one Blog of Bonsai Styling
http://www.kapilaas.com/2018/01/selection-of-branches-for-styling.html