Clive Nichols On Photographing Some Of The World’s Best Known Gardens

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With over 25 years’ experience in photography, Clive has built an extensive portfolio of more than 100,000 images, photographed some of the world’s most renowned gardens (including the private gardens of HRH The Prince of Wales in Scotland) and published several books.

Beyond his photography, he is committed to sharing his expertise through master classes in flower and garden photography for the Royal Horticultural Society.

Clive spoke with me about his original love of travel photography, and his early morning shoots, and also offered advice on how to use light successfully when shooting gardens.

Imagery featured in this interview is provided with permission by Clive Nichols.

How Did You First Get Into Photography? 

“I went to Reading University and studied Geography,” explains Clive.

“I worked in a restaurant whilst I was at university to earn money to travel, which was my dream, alongside taking photos. Afterwards, I became a Head Chef in an Italian restaurant in Reading, where I stayed for a couple of years until I finally realised that it wasn’t for me.

“From there, I knew I had to go into photography because that’s what I was passionate about. I started doing travel photography. I went to the Falklands and Hong Kong, which was funded by tourist boards. Those experiences were amazing.

“After a while, I realised that with all the travelling, I wasn’t ever going to be able to make enough money to sustain a career in it, so I had to think about what else I could do.

“I soon discovered that gardening was massive and there were so many magazines featuring hundreds of photographs. After this discovery, I went to a local garden and took lots of photos, then sold them to Homes & Gardens magazine. They asked me to do some more, and it just went from there.”

How Has Your Photography Style Evolved Over The Years?

“When I first started, I was shooting medium-format shots, which nobody else was doing. This meant that my images stood out, because they were already in a bigger format than others like them.

“I also took a landscape approach and always carefully composed my shots. I think that taught me a lot about competition in the long run.

“That’s how I got started and it has evolved from there. I’d say I’m definitely a bit more fluid and looser now in my style than I used to be.”

Can You Explain Some Of The Challenges With Garden Photography? What Difficulties Have You Faced?

“The biggest difficulty is obviously the weather,” Clive says.

“Every day I check the Met Office and other weather apps to see what’s happening at the gardens I’m planning to shoot. Some days, you can’t take photos, so you have to be very patient and wait for the right time to come.

“The other thing that people don’t realise is that the wind is difficult to deal with. The conditions are horrible if it’s windy, so I like to shoot on still days, especially in the mornings.

“You also have to get up very early, which is not for everyone! In the summer, I’ll be in the garden at 4:30am, so you have to be able to do that.

“The job also comes with a lot of driving, my Golf has done over 400,000 miles!”

What Does A Typical Day In Your Working Life Look Like?

“There are a couple of different days really. A typical office day involves lots of admin, invoicing and post-production on the images I’ve shot.

“I have to work up all of the photographs and caption them with the correct botanical names to upload them to my online photo gallery, which has over 100,000 images on it currently.

“The other typical day for me is when I go on a shoot. I’ll wake up at 2 or 3 in the morning and then spend the rest of the day resting, as it is very tiring work. I get to the point where I can’t do much else other than sleep!”

Have You Got A Favourite Garden That You Have Shot?

There’s a few that I shoot a lot which I love,” shares Clive.

“One of them is called Morton Hall, as I am commissioned there a lot. I’ve probably been there over 50 times! I’ve also become attached to Silver Street Farm in Devon, as I know all of the best angles [from] which to shoot it.

“Another of my favourites, Pettifers, is in my village, so I could get up early and go and shoot there. Unfortunately, the owner has recently died, but it’s still one of my most memorable.”

Are There Any Gardens You Dream Of Photographing But Haven’t Had The Chance To Yet?

“Some of the gardens in France and Morocco really stand out to me. Having said that, I also would love to continue shooting Irish gardens, as I’ve been over there a couple of times recently.

“There are certainly some designers who produce brilliant gardens that I would love to photograph.”

You Regularly Give Master Classes In Flower And Garden Photography For The Royal Horticultural Society. What Are Some Key Takeaways You Hope Your Students Gain From These Classes?

“It’s usually about the right sorts of light and learning to read it,” he explains.

“It’s so important to know where the light is coming from. One of the biggest mistakes new photographers tend to make is shooting in the middle of the day when the sun is too harsh.

“Teaching them about when to shoot gardens and where the light should be is very important to me.”

Your Work Has Appeared In Hundreds Of Books, Magazines, Calendars, And Brochures. Is There A Particular Publication That Stands Out For You?

“My book, Brilliant English Gardens, is definitely my best achievement. I designed it myself and did the whole thing on my own, so it was quite satisfying.

“It’s currently sold out, but it is getting reprinted in November. It features 26 of my favourite gardens in England.”

What’s Next?

“I’ve got a book coming out on the gardens, landscapes and interiors of Corfu, which is looking amazing at the moment,” says Clive.

“Hopefully, that will be out next spring.”