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Taking good photos for your TreeAlert reports
Pictures of an affected tree can be more useful than a lengthy written description of the symptoms which it displays but only if the photos are taken well and they illustrate the correct range of features.
How to take your photos:
What to photograph:
Tree in context
Should show the entire tree and its immediate surroundings. This provides information on the nature of the site, the conditions in which the tree is growing, whether any other plants in the vicinity are showing signs of disease or damage, and a range of other factors which may have had an impact on the health of the tree. It may also provide an overall indication of how symptoms are distributed on the crown, stem or stem base.
Symptom in context
Should illustrate how the symptom is distributed locally on the affected part(s) of the tree. This type of image helps to indicate the severity of the symptom(s) and which part(s) of the tree may be affected by a problem (e.g. browning of leaves may be the result of damage to the shoot or branch which holds them rather than direct damage to the leaves themselves by a foliar pest or pathogen). It may also help to identify the species of tree concerned if there is any uncertainty about this.
Detailed symptom
Should show the fine details of the symptom as clearly as possible. This type of image helps to indicate the small-scale distribution of dead and live tissue and any associated discolouration on the affected part of the tree or may illustrate the pest or pathogen itself. Where the symptom is variable, it can be useful to include several affected parts (such as leaves or needles) in a single picture. Placing an object in the frame to indicate the scale at which the image was taken can sometimes be useful.
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