Did you mention your findings to VB? A friend of mine recently bought himself a new camera, and the resulting pictures of various outdoor flowers and butterflies are amazing. I think that technology has gotten better, and the kind of pictures that might have required professional expertise in the past can now be taken by many more people.

I agree with you Paul. I find VB’s pictures lacking too. I sometimes compare the same plant to picture found on Pintrest, AVSA, and google for variance. They have wonderful plants but pictures seem to fail.

Their pictures seems like has a yellow tones. They look like from old newspaper. :D

No, Lucille, I did not mention it to them. Figured they should already know. I agree, Elsa --- they look like old yellowed photos or ones taken under sodium lights.

I can certainly attest to the quality of their plants after buying some which are all currently thriving. And can also attest to their thriving business. I think I mentioned that I had a bunch of violets I had put into my 'shopping cart' to purchase and when I went to pay for them a few minutes later one had sold out.

Regarding Irina's comments ...

Perhaps that is why we see, relatively, so few photos of full-grown mature plants ... (i.e. that it is so hard to catch that moment in time when they are at their peak ... and in good photo conditions).

And maybe that's just as well ... because we may only rarely grow a plant to peak, ... and thus we find ourselves disappointed when we don't duplicate what we have seen in photos.

OTOH, I took a look at VB's website, ... and I found the photography adequate to stunning, much better than the last time I visited. In fact, they had a large number of fully mature plant photos.

Perhaps we are looking at different plants.

I tend to shop for standards ...

Aegis, I bought minis from VB and was happy with the photos. I do think that some cameras like the one my friend has take amazing pictures, but if I had a choice between African violet vendors spending their time on their plants, or on photos, I'd choose plants.

For me personally, I would almost rather have it that way than to have professionally doctored photos that do not represent the true colors. Somewhere in the middle would work ok for me I guess.

I always look for other sources of photos just to see what that plant might do. Its a pig in a poke if there are no blooms on the specific plant that your looking at.

I looked mainly at the minis. Here were some of them.

Pic #1 -- yellowed like an old photo album & mediocre focus

Pic #2 -- over exposed/bleached out

Pic #3 -- over exposed/bleached out

Pic #4 -- over exposed/bleached out

Pic #5 -- over exposed/bleached out

Pic #6 -- over exposed/bleached out

Pic #7 -- yellowed

And I will say, no, it isn't the case with all their photos, but it is not favorable marketing on those plants for which the photos are poor. I do understand the challenges inherent in photographing plants indoors. Some are difficult to surmount, but others are not. If you have a show plant that gets awarded, as Irina mentioned, you do not have to settle for photo taken there if it is substandard. Before disbudded or what have you, take the time to photograph the plant under different lightings to obtain a better photo. Once you have one good one, you won't need to take another.

Some varieties are difficult to capture accurately in photos. Natural light usually works best if it is available. I use an iPhone 5s as my primary camera and it usually provides good results.

@Joanne:

"I take it you are probably a buyer of their AVs and would like to be able to choose purchases."

LOL Actually, Joanne, while I am an owner of several of their AVs, I have not purchased an AV in over a decade or more now. The AVs in my possession are all the result of trades or gifts from folks with whom I have chatted.

"But all you have to go by are photos of inconsistent quality. "

I do like to "window shop" at times at greenhouses/nurseries and I have helped an orchid vendor at orchid shows in my state for a number of years now. As a result, I am keenly aware of how critically important presentation typically is. With that in mind, it bothers me to see a small company -- who from all accounts sells a very nice product -- present their plants in a less than favorable light. (Pun in this case was unintended though appropo. ;-) ) There actually was one photo I came across -- can't recall if it was on VB or LL's site -- in which the photo didn't even match the plant description at all. Such a thing is bad on so many levels: it does not portray the company in a competent light, will have a potential custom reluctant to buy that plant as they can't be sure just what they will be getting, and -- depending upon which is wrong the description or the photo -- will potentially end with some very disappointed customers who do take a chance and purchase it.

"Years ago, they acted shy. I thought it was a big mistake when they named their business VB rather than their own names."

That part didn't "phase me" though I do hear what you are saying. I think what surprised me more is that his name isn't "Rob". Based on the names of many of their violets, "Rob's _____", I had thought that "Rob" was his first name.

"Just one more observation about VB, Rob's names are whimsical, bordering on cynical. That detracts from the attractiveness of the AV, especially for newcomers."

While, again, I do hear what you are saying, I don't agree with you on that. If anything, I would think it would be the old-timers who would have issues with some of the names as being too whimsical/"undignified". (Don't recall coming across any that struck me personally as bordering on cynical.) I think newbies would be more likely to be attracted by a humorous, memorable name as it may seem less "stuffy" or "intimidating" than a "fancy" more "highfalutin" sounding name. I have, in fact, had people literally laugh out loud when they found out what the name of some of VB's violets. At one of the orchid shows I worked this past winter, in addition to helping out a vendor with sales, I had a couple AVs on the table from which I sold some leaves. I had a couple folks who upon reading the plants' names "just had to go with Rob's Combustible Pigeon" because they found the name so amusing. (The other option was Kentucky Little Sister.)

I am feeling uncomfortable taking part in this discussion without VB being aware, I think if we shared the info it might be constructive instead of gossip. I'm sending him a link.

No problem with that, Lucille. :-)