Bob Fugger brought out some of the tricks of the trades as the Manteca Garden Club guest speaker.

He’s the son-in-law of the club’s Vice President Paula Elias, who brought in Fugger in to talk and provide helpful photography hints to members, using the slide show he created from the May 11 Manteca Garden Club Tour.

“It was inspiring to see your gardens,” said the director of the feature film, ‘Chateau Meroux.’

A professional photographer as well as producer, Fugger is currently the Vice President of Marketing at Tycrop in the fast-growing Canadian city of Chilliwack, B.C.

He has a new perspective on the backyard after the recent garden tour. “You really don’t need grass at all,” said Fugger during his Photography 101 session held in the McFall Room of the Manteca Library.

For the slide show, he shot over 400 photos but, of that, used about 120 for the slide show. The same could be said on taking a picture of a lavender shrub. “One piece of a flower took me 70 shots just to get one (strong photograph),” Fugger said.

He added: “I’ve taken photos for a long time but never of gardens.”

That was prior to the Garden Club Tour.

Since then, he’s the backyard garden as a relaxing getaway with plenty of layers and pieces to focus his lens on.

“It’s those little pieces that jump out on you,” Fugger said on taking that ideal snap shot.

For example, he might focus his camera on objects hidden behind the leaves on a shrub.

He might do something monochromatic like a green plant on a green backdrop.

He might place one hand slightly over his camera while shooting his subject in direct sunlight.

He might take the same photo twice but at different times of the day. “Find the right light,” Fugger added.

He might even spray water on to a pedal of a flower to enhance the subject.

“The theme is to move and look around,” Fugger said. “Changing your perspective will give you options.”

He met his future wife, Lisa, about three years ago during the filming of ‘Chateau Meroux.’

“She went to the set to be an extra,” Elias recalled of that initial encounter.

Fugger was in the Escalon, Oakdale and Collegeview area while directing his first feature film. For that, he was taken to the Gnekow Family Winery of Sean Gnekow, who was one of the film’s executive producers.

Since they’ve been married, Fugger has enjoyed toiling in the garden with his wife Lisa.

He brought two DVD copies of ‘Chateau Meroux’ at the Garden Club meeting for the drawing.