Join former Creative Director of the Theodore Payne Foundation, Marie Astrid Gonzalez, for the return of the ever popular photography class!
The key to a beautiful botanical portrait begins with simply paying attention—slowing down to notice what makes your subject unique before you even press the shutter. Bring your DSLR or phone camera, and together we’ll capture the way light highlights the textures, colors, and patterns of the plants around us.
Key Topics Include:
Lighting and Composition: Learn how to use lighting and framing to make your plant photos stand out.
Special Techniques: Learn how to use light modifiers and backgrounds to add creative flair to your photographs.
Ways to Share: Discover various digital and printed methods to share your beautiful plant photos so they don't stay hidden in your photo library.
Come prepared to practice your photography skills outdoors in the Theodore Payne Foundation's Demonstration Gardens! All experience levels are welcome.
Background materials will be provided. Class will be held primarily outdoors. Participants are encouraged to bring a water bottle, sun protection, and closed-toe shoes.
Marie Astrid González is a Los Angeles–based photographer and graphic designer whose career bridges commercial art direction and environmental advocacy. Rooted in a lifelong fascination with plants, her botanical portraiture captures the quiet moments we often overlook—now explored further through a new time-lapse series—and highlights the personal connections between plants and the people who love them.
Marie holds a BFA in Photography from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA in Graphic Design from the University of Illinois Chicago. Her photography has appeared on the cover of the Los Angeles Times, and her site-specific painting for the Wende Museum’s Berlin Wall installation is part of its permanent collection.
