On the iris forum we currently have a thread for comparing similar irises: The thread "Similar iris comparison photos" in Irises forum
This is for two or more irises in the same photo. The advantage of having two or more flowers or plants in the same image is that they will be shot and processed in the same way and that you can compare form and size as well as other characteristics in an easy way.

This is very nice and useful on its own, but I was thinking it would be even better if such photos were included in the database so they were searchable.

Technically this function sort of is there already when uploading images of Plant Combinations. As you tag the plants they become searchable. However, that is for "pictures of more than one plant and is intended to help gardeners put plant combinations together in beautiful ways" as the upload page says. So does not seem to be the ideal place for such comparison photos. Or maybe it is?

If not, maybe an area in the database just like Plant Combinations but dedicated to comparison photos would be a good idea?

Great idea!
It would be incredibly useful for a number of different plants besides irises, and parts of plants besides flowers, too!
Ideally, I'd like to see it "just like" and separate from plant combinations, perhaps another field above or below where currently tagged photos reside. I'd think it could be set up about the same without reinventing the wheel, but of course there would still be a lot of coding work involved...

I have been adding "comparison photos" in threads attached to a few of my database images, for example this recent one:



from

The thread "Winter comparison" in Photo of Aeoniums (Aeonium)

These two photos of the same plant are spaced 6 months apart.

This is a different kind of comparison than what William was talking about, but I have found it helpful to show seasonal variation, or growth over time, in a way that associates individual database photos with comparison shots of the same plant. If there was a formal way to link database images for comparison, that would presumably accomplish the desired function, either way. Seems like it might involve a fair amount of work, though.

Multi-plant comparisons tend to work best in the Plant Combination format when they are in pots and can easily be moved together. I don't see it working all that well for landscape plants that are not side by side, or flowers appearing at different times, for example. Here is one I made to show the differences between 3 types of "old man" cacti:

That photo certainly lends itself for both: a direct side-by-side comparison as well as an inspiring combination.

Imagine for plant ID purposes...photos comparing twig structure, for example, or several different species' individual leaves...those would be useful comparisons but not remotely related to the plant combo idea (and now that the plant combo thing is finally working as intended, I'd sure be reluctant to suggest that it get confused again )

I've seen folks do collage photos to show seasonal and/or time variation and thread updates to a particular database photo is a great idea too.

I think it would be more confusing than helpful. I see a photo that looks different in the data base, I think someone has made a mistake. I do think it would be very useful in the forums though...maybe with a link in the data base to the forum? Or a tag included with the photo ie; summer/winter...but there are many other reasons and this is an international site.

Maybe it doesn't have to be confusing...
Try this
Take a look at this page
Krimson Queen Hoya (Hoya carnosa 'Tricolor')
Scroll to the bottom of all the database pics and see where the plant combo photos are. It says "This plant is tagged in:"
and there are two plant combination photos there with plants identified and tagged. Hopefully not too confusing..
Now
Imagine another similar section down there labeled as "Comparison Photos" with a photo of the leaves of Krimson Queen and Krimson Princess side-by-side identified and tagged.
And perhaps Lin's perennial comment

plantladylin said:Krimson Queen has green in the center of the leaf and white outer edges.
Krimson Princess has white in the center of the leaf and green outer edges.

Now, would that be confusing or helpful?

Personally, I think it would be fabulous and Lynn could post the photo every time she explained it.

Good luck getting us all trained properly!

I really like that idea Dirt. Lots of good idea here. I think something like this would be very helpful.

Baja_Costero said:I have been adding "comparison photos" in threads attached to a few of my database images, for example this recent one:

• Aeoniums (Aeonium)
• Uploaded by Baja_Costero

from

The thread "Winter comparison" in Photo of Aeoniums (Aeonium)

These two photos of the same plant are spaced 6 months apart.

This is a different kind of comparison than what William was talking about, but I have found it helpful to show seasonal variation, or growth over time, in a way that associates individual database photos with comparison shots of the same plant. If there was a formal way to link database images for comparison, that would presumably accomplish the desired function, either way. Seems like it might involve a fair amount of work, though.

Multi-plant comparisons tend to work best in the Plant Combination format when they are in pots and can easily be moved together. I don't see it working all that well for landscape plants that are not side by side, or flowers appearing at different times, for example. Here is one I made to show the differences between 3 types of "old man" cacti:

Plant Combination by Baja_Costero

I find it interesting that you have used the Plant Combination photos for exactly the usage I was thinking about. If this is the proper way to do things, I'm all for it and all mechanisms to do this is already there. It might not be as flexible as to have it in a separate section, but it is very workable. My fear is perhaps that people looking for inspirational and beautiful plant combination images, all of a sudden have to wade through comparison photos, that they might not be at all interested in seeing.

It is true that many plants will not flower at the same time and it may not even be the flower that you want to compare, so this is of course not a one fits all solution... but for other plants it is easy to simply snap of a flower or a whole stem, place them in a vase or similar to make the photo. You would not need to grow them in a pot to compare them. One could also argue that if plants don't bloom at the same time a comparison is less interesting, because you would still get something out of growing two similar cultivars if they extend your bloom season.

I think making a thread under a photo would make it too hard to find for the usage I had in mind, but it is very good for what you have done. However what you do, makes me think that one could consider making a comment on the plant itself and place the comparison photo there. Look, here is the plant compared to this and that. That would be really useful as it would be easier to find. The downside is that one would have to copy the comment to every plant involved in the comparison.