Inflorescence. (n) I like to showcase cannabis with inflorescence shots also known as branch shots.
There are many botanical terms that are misused in the cannabis community and industry. I’ve mentioned before words matter, that’s why I’m sharing this passage that explains when you we are referring to a branch or a cluster of branches we are actually talking about an inflorescence. If you check out the page on wikipedia, it can go pretty deep with botanical terms when describing the different aspects and morphology.
“An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches.[1] Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed. The modifications can involve the length and the nature of the internodes and the phyllotaxis, as well as variations in the proportions, compressions, swellings, adnations, connotations and reduction of main and secondary axes. One can also define an inflorescence as the reproductive portion of a plant that bears a cluster of flowers in a specific pattern.
The stem holding the whole inflorescence is called a peduncle. The major axis (incorrectly referred to as the main stem) above the peduncle bearing the flowers or secondary branches is called the rachis. The stalk of each flower in the inflorescence is called a pedicel. A flower that is not part of an inflorescence is called a solitary flower and its stalk is also referred to as a peduncle. Any flower in an inflorescence may be referred to as a floret, especially when the individual flowers are particularly small and borne in a tight cluster, such as in a pseudanthium. The fruiting stage of an inflorescence is known as an infructescence. Inflorescences may be simple (single) or complex (panicle). The rachis may be one of several types, including single, composite, umbel, spike or raceme.”
You’ ve decided the Who (photographer), What (Product/strains) and When (typically 1-3 days around harvest).
Want tips on how to prepare your space for a cannabis photoshoot? To help the professional photographer work efficiently? Help set them up for success for your on-site cannabis photoshoot. Keep reading.
Create them a workspace
Figure out how much space the photographer will need for your particular type of shoot. Different gear setups will require different space requirements. Depending on the photographers gear and the type of shoot they will be performing the specific needs will vary. Experience level and equipment your photographer possess will help determine a role on how much space they need.
Keep reading for general guidelines to set your photographer up for successful shoot
You will want to help find a spot that has:
Low traffic – If possible choose a spot without many other people needing to pass through.
Lighting – Firstly, Unless you’re after grow room shots, avoid having the photographer work under any grow lights. Grow lighting is really harsh lighting, it’s very difficult to make quality and beautiful pictures with. The photographer should be able to provide their own light and overpower standard room lighting.
Airflow – Turn off HVAC and fans for the workspace if possible for shooting branches, or on-site macro work. A fan can ruin a shot if stacking, the wind moves the trichome or fan leaf in between stacked shots.
Tools– You may feel inclined to offer your tripod, lights or some other piece of auxiliary photo equipment to the photographer. They will bring what they need to perform the job, like any professional. The photographers trust and experience is in their own tools, they have practised and know what works and the limits.
Space – The more space available the better, for product, macro or Inflorescence (live branch) photography. The greater area there is to spread out and setup a mobile studio the more efficient the photographer can be. It can be challenging if your tripping over your own gear and side stepping random grow equipment.
Vibrations – Are the enemy of macro and micro photography work. Depending on the level of magnification, it might make sense to schedule an after-hours shoot. This can allow more equipment, lights and traffic to be minimized.
Bonus preparation tips
Plan – Tag plants prior to the arrival of your cannabis photographer, help narrow the search down for the best specimens.
Shot list – Think about what content you will need, and for what purpose. For instance, if you said that you need a grow room shot for a website header banner. The photographer can help visualize they will need to frame the shot wide, that the main subject needs to work in more of a panoramic ratio. Making a list of needed shots and expressing what their use will be can drastically improve the results for your shoot.
Label – Be sure to have everything clearly labeled and legible. There is no shortage of acronyms or strain names, help stop any confusion from starting.
Water – Place stems in water if you cut any branches prior to the photographer arriving.This will help keep them plants from wilting. Just as you would for a bouquet of flowers or a christmas tree. For plants with larger fan leaves or highly magnified trichomes this is essential.
Every shoot and photographer will work differently. Hopefully these general guidelines will help you prepare for a cannabis photoshoot and help ensure its success. Reach out Let me know what has worked for you, or any questions in the comments below!
I get a fair amount of reach -outs asking for advice on making it in this industry which can seem cut-throat at times.
I actually respond to everyone. Let’s dive into this. No, you shouldn’t work for free. You need to start out somewhere, I understand. You might feel like there aren’t many options or you don’t bring as much to the table as of yet. It’s a mindset, I’m not saying you shouldn’t charge a reasonable rate that aligns with your experience or lack of. It’s OK to TRADE in some way that will mutually benefit. When work is given away the result is- it devalues it unless it’s a hobby free work will not get you any farther along.
That client won’t stick around during the transition from FREE to professional rates.
Here is my full response:
✋ 🛑 You need to change your mindset if you expect to make it. At least call it a trade and acknowledge your offering something of value. If your time and efforts are to be given away for free, you will not turn those into clients. It only devalues what you trying to do. It’s a huge problem of canna companies expecting photos and media to be done for free, cause people keep offering it up at first thinking that will get them entry. It won’t. You just gotta be real with it, let them know it’s an intro rate or your doing a trade.
It’s ok to say your just starting out and your going to charge them little, it’s the mindset and principle that it must be paid work. Other than a favor, and you shouldn’t be handing out random favors to anyone.
You got this though. It sure wasn’t a quick process for me, but I think if you stick to your guns and keep at it you’ll find a way.
Well it looks like my Instagram account has been disabled due to “violation of terms and services”
– which isn’t correct. I went from 10.3K to nada real fast. This was disabled on Instagram’s part in error with the broken flagging system that Instagram has in place. Haters, competitors, insert your own conspiracy (big pharma), etc. is trying to silence a lot of us on IG and our reach. It’s really unfortunate, I’ve played by the rules- I don’t show consumption, I don’t sell anything on IG, all I am doing is showcasing my photography and trying to help bring the beauty of the cannabis plant into the public eye.
Hopefully, I can resolve this soon! IG really is the standard platform for photographers as well as cannabis companies and its auxiliary service providers.
Well that took a little longer than expected! It’s challenging, I’d much rather do the work than talk and that I’m doing the work. Ahh the tricky challenges of social media.
Thanks for all the support, as a thank you I’m doing a metal print giveaway on my IG.
As it ages it changes. WHICH ONE WOULD YOU PREFER TO SMOKE?
This specific bud was stored in a small glass jar and stored in a closed cardboard box out of light for 1 year at 60-74F. Same settings and setup for the comparison shots.
Is this interesting? Should I go another year? I’ve done this with about 15 strains.
From personal experience and observations
– I’ve noticed the leaves of the bud will darken, the green will fade and become more brown over time, purple can become more gray or even burgundy. Trichomes begin to mature to amber, even after the initial curing with age it seems to still mature the trichomes. I have found the sedative effects to be stronger on older weed (matured trichomes?) Sometimes it’s just like over-eating and you will just want to sleep, or you will drag if you resist the urge to sleep. The smell and flavor also changes. Terpenes start to change. When it’s stored for year(s) without interruption the change can be swayed by some environmental factors. Was the bud handled without gloves prior to this? The traces of bacteria, oils from hands and other contaminants can play a role in the development of the aging cannabis. The specific strain definitely plays a role, purple weed seems to hold up really nice flavor wise. Anything with a menthol, mint, or deep purple holds up well. The fruity strains flavors can get funky. I’ve noticed a strawberry fields turn from a sweet faint berry smell to a loud rotten mango. I’ve also noticed smokey smells, and less personally desirable notes… Often it’s the outer surface area of the nug, and once you crack it open a more pleasant smell will be found.
Let’s hear your thoughts on AGED WEED, or is it just OLD WEED?? Tell me what you know or have experienced in the comments.
This specific bud was was stored in a small glass jar and stored in a closed cardboard box out of light for a year in 60-74 degree temperature. Same camera settings and light setup for the comparison shots.
This bud is Gnome Walker by @gnomegrownorganics It was entry No. 7225 at last years @cultivationclassic Photography by @resinated_lens
I was remote flying my quadcopter (drone) the other morning working on a personal project at Willamette Falls. It was a beautiful peaceful morning shortly after sunrise. The air was cool but not cold. This spot of the Willamette River often has quite a lot of bird activity, I’ve become accustom to seeing crows, seagulls, ducks, geese, lots of little birds and the occasional hawk. This was my first time seeing an eagle there, let alone two!
I had done a few passes towards Mt Hood and was making another south back towards the falls when a couple of bald eagles buzzed my drone. They swiftly came out of seemingly nowhere and disappeared almost as fast. I managed to capture a picture of them before they were too far off in the distance. Enlarge the picture and you’ll see the pair in the center rapidly flapping their wings making distance fast.
FAA licensed remote pilot
I am a FAA licensed remote pilot. If you are interested in having aerial photography or video. Contact me.
This site refers to the Cannabis plant (Cannabis; Indica, Sativa and Ruderalis), as the botanical name for the plant ‘Cannabis’
Marijuana vs cannabis, does it even matter? Yes it does – The word ‘marijuana’, was a term popularized by the Drug Policy Alliance (precursor to the DEA) in the 1930’s. The same hysteria and propaganda that echo’d racist and untrue myths about the cannabis plant and its users can be felt through the connotations of the word ‘marijuana’ to some people. The word was utilized and promoted by for it’s Mexican sounding name, that was campaigned to vilify minorities and spread false claims about cannabis and its users. Some words are just left better to the past, cannabis has much more positive connotations, than marijuana, it also is the botanical name of the plant that is widely used throughout the world. Whatever you like to call it; grass, refer, weed, pot, dope, flower, herb, 420, green, bud, etc. I prefer to call it cannabis.
For more reading please check out some of the links below:
I decided I’d better capture the eclipse with Super Silver Haze. Once again I utilized a ladder or two to be able to make the plant high enough in the horizon to be able to capture both the plant and the eclipse. Grown by yours truly, I always grow at least a couple plants in pots outdoors for the occasional celestial event (scroll down for a lunar eclipse a few summers ago =).
My favorite personal shots have a backstory. I was determined to get a cannabis photo during a lunar eclipse this past summer. I could have created a better image with multiple angled shots and compositing – but this wasn’t for an ad -this was for me, it had to be real.
The Red of a lunar eclipse is for a short duration of the entire eclipse, that was surprising. After dialing in my settings, I realized the moon was higher in the horizon than I anticipated, and a fence blocked the view of the plant from shooting at ground level. I tried everything I could think of but nothing would quite get me that height I needed. My ideas were starting to get a little more risky, as the red started to fade. Finally I remembered my ladder. I use them all the time to get me to the right perspective, but somehow I needed to get that plant up there. At that point the Red had completely faded, it looks more like a moon shot-but this is my favorite lunar eclipse photo that I’ve taken to date.
Often we just see walls and obstacles, often it’s just our perspective we must change.
Puffco Pro Vaporizer – Review after serious testing for the past several weeks ?
If your’e not familiar with terms like: dabs, oil, rigs, globs, nails, domes – check outHigh Times Dab Dictionary
The button lights green, on low mode.
I have been using the pen multiple times a day, and letting others try?
Exactly what is the Puffco? It is a vaporizer or vape pen that is specifically made for cannabis concentrates (dabs), not flower or bud. Most vaporizer pens use inductive heating, heating an element to the point where the material will vaporize. Traditionally dabs are taken with an oil-rig. Rigs are usually water pipes that have a ‘nail’ that sticks up that is heated with a torch. Once the nail (bowl) is at the right temperature, you take a dab tool and ‘dab’ a piece of concentrated cannabis onto the hot portion and it vaporizes. Some rigs need domes, others are dome-less. A vaporizer pen such as the Puffco, allows you the freedom to vaporize concentrates on the go, without the use of a torch. The pen has a ceramic chamber that you load your concentrates into.
Loading up the chamber
Design:
I really like the clamshell hard case the Puffco comes in, it’s sturdy and holds the pen as well as the USB charger. The pen itself has a nice feel, it’s substantial in your hand. Not heavy, but surprising how solid it feels in your hand when you grip it. It weighs just under 2 oz. The Puffco has a single button in the shape of a cloud, when pressed it lights up both button and the bottom of the pen. It’s surprisingly strong glow that can be used as flashlight dabbing into the night. It is also easy to cover the glowing with your hands if you want to conceal. There are three temperature settings which are displayed by the color glow; low, medium and high translates to; Green, Blue and Red.
I’ve tried 10+ different concentrate types so far in the Puffco Pro
C02 Oil
PHO Shatter
BHO Live Resin
Crumble
Sugar
Rosin
Clear
Everclear Quick Wash Shatter
Wax
A few I’m not quite sure their classification ?
Simply put, the Puffco is amazing. I’ve only used a rig literally twice since receiving my Puffco. I’m not a glob guy, but I use to frequently use preloaded vape pens on the go. The type that are mixed with glycol and fillers. Using a straight concentrate with no cut or e-juice trumps pre filled-pens when it comes to; effect, taste, and value.
One thing: What you put into it, is what you get out of it
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Let me explain, what I mean by what you put into it is essentially good in good out, bad in bad out. If you get top shelf concentrates, it will taste amazing and it lasts. On the contrary, if you put in some home-made or half-ass attempt at a concentrate – it’s going to taste like bad. If you start with a quality concentrate it’s a fantastic product, but if you have a dirty product, you will taste those impurities or toxins.
It’s primo until the bottom of the chamber, I’ve only gotten a reclaim taste on concentrates that were shit to begin with (see above Everclear Quick Wash Shatter). Those where the couple times I did try a rig again, to see if that concentrate would taste any better in a rig, and honestly it did, but it was harsh. I don’t want to smoke or vaporize garbage though, so this really isn’t an issue for me. Garbage in garbage out, gold in gold out. No matter what, you will taste the flavors more for the good or bad.
Concentrate Capacity & Battery Life:
The ceramic chamber is said to have the largest for concentrate pens on the market at least at the time of writing this. I found I could load between .3 and .5 grams in the chamber. .5 is pushing it though. So what does that mean? Well, at least for me it means I only have to load the pen no more than once a day, and that was with hitting it heavy and sharing. I’ve read elsewhere online that you get about 75 hits off a full chamber, I’ve never counted but I’d say that sounds about right. The strongest hits will always be right after is loaded, when it gets down near the end it keeps going forever but the hits are comparable to other pre-filled cartridges I’ve tried. You can load up and easily make it through a weekend trip, if you’re not going to be vaping all day. The battery lasts me personally 3.5 days of moderately heavy use. I’m not sure how long it can go, I’ve only had it die on me once or twice, which was generally due to me not locking it and it going off in my pocket. See tips below.
Tips
Always lock your pen (5 simultaneous clicks) before you put it in your pocket or bag for travel. The first couple times I didn’t do this I’ve learned to since, which dramatically helps your concentrate last and your battery life last.
Solid concentrates work better than oils. Oils and viscous concentrates are doable, but you will need to use a dab tool to clear a path at the bottom for airflow, and move around the concentrate from time to time, sort of stir the pot.
If the airflow does start to get clogged, just simply change your angle, if you’ve been vaping down hold it out like a cigarette, if you’ve been holding it out try up or down. I like to slightly twist, I press the button and when you start hearing the crackle sound you know it’s making contact enough with the element.
For the largest hits that feel like taking dabs out of a rig, you’ll want to make sure the concentrate is touching the element inside the chamber and that there is spacing allowing airflow from the bottom of the chamber up.
Final Thoughts
I highly recommend this vape pen, at its approximate $80 price tag this thing helps you stay medicated in style, and conserve on your concentrates. It’s 100% metal construction and finish on the loading chamber make this thing really slick, and easy to clean. It’s not advertised as waterproof, but I live in Portland, Oregon and mine has lasted a sessions out in the elements without issue to say the least. If you’re on the fence let me help- go get one. Solid company and product, they have a great support department. I actually contacted their support team before I got my Puffco, I had questions and they where more than happy to provide answers. Excellent product and company!
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