Cultivation documentation photography — sharing your grow
29 replies · Cultivation
The grow journals that actually teach me something are the ones with good photos — showing colonization progress, contamination spots, pin formation, flush timing. What's the minimal photography setup for documenting a grow well? And what are the key moments to document?
A phone with a decent camera is sufficient for most documentation. What matters more than equipment: consistent lighting (overhead natural light or a daylight LED, same every photo), consistent angle and distance (so you can compare shots over time), and consistent timing (same time each day if doing daily documentation). Consistency matters more than quality for tracking colonization progress.
Key moments to document: inoculation day (your baseline), first signs of colonization (typically days 3-7), 50% colonized, full colonization, first pins, each flush at harvest, any contamination or unusual growth immediately when noticed. This chronological record is invaluable for troubleshooting and for sharing.
For contamination documentation specifically: capture both macro (the overall substrate) and close-up (the contamination spot itself). Describe the color, texture, smell, and location. Good contamination photos and descriptions help the community give you accurate ID and advice. Most 'is this contamination?' questions are answered with 'need a clearer photo.'
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