Capturing the Beauty of Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Plants in Pictures

The mother-in-law’s tongue plant, also known as the snake plant or Sansevieria, is a popular and striking houseplant. With its upright, sword-shaped leaves in variegated shades of green, this plant makes a statement wherever it’s placed. Capturing photos of this plant can highlight its sharp angles and eye-catching patterns.

Getting Great Shots of a Common Houseplant

Mother-in-law’s tongue is a common indoor plant. You can find it decorating windowsills, gracing tabletops, or marking corners in homes and offices worldwide. While it’s ubiquitous, a few tips can help you take interesting pictures of this familiar plant:

• Play with lighting – The upright leaves of the mother-in-law’s tongue plant look dramatic when backlit. Place the plant in front of a window and use the natural light to silhouette the leaves. Side lighting and spotlights also emphasize the striking lines of the foliage.

• Try different angles – Get low and shoot upward through the leaves. Photograph down the length of the leaves. Take a side angle to highlight the thickness and shape of the leaves.

• Go macro – Zoom in on the intricate patterns on a single leaf or the new growth emerging from the base of the plant.

• Maximize texture – Capture the nubs and ridges on the leaves by using side lighting to create shadows A shallow depth of field can further emphasize the texture

• Add color – Capture the green leaves against colorful backgrounds. Complement or contrast the hues of variegated cultivars by carefully selecting your backdrop.

Ideal Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Varieties for Photography

With around 70 species and countless cultivars you can find a mother-in-law’s tongue plant perfect for any photographic concept. Here are some top varieties to try

• Snake plant – The snake plant or Sansevieria trifasciata features long rigid, green leaves with light gray-green horizontal stripes.

• Bird’s nest snake plant – A unique, compact variety, the Sansevieria cylindrica has cylindrical, spear-like leaves that thrust upward.

• Golden bird’s nest – A cultivar of the cylindrical snake plant, Sansevieria cylindrica ‘Boncel’ has golden yellow leaves.

• Laurentii – Dracaena trifasciata ‘Laurentii’ offers wide green leaves with central yellow stripes.

• Moonshine – The pale gray-green leaves of Sansevieria ‘Moonshine’ seem to glow when lit.

• Black coral – Nearly black leaves make Sansevieria ‘Black Coral’ stand out in moody photos.

Capturing the Snake Plant in Its Natural Habitat

To show the mother-in-law’s tongue plant in its original setting, you would need to travel to the sub-Saharan African regions where it grows wild. These tropical and desert locales offer scenic backdrops. Photographing sansevieria plants in the desert highlights their ability to thrive in arid conditions. For a vivid pop of color, capture Sansevieria flowers emerging from tall stalks against the African landscape.

Setting Up the Perfect Snake Plant Photoshoot

To artistically photograph a mother-in-law’s tongue plant at home, select a suitable setting:

• Simple, neutral backgrounds like a plain wall or cloth let the foliage take center stage.

• Complement warm-hued leaves with earthy backdrops in sandy, green, or terracotta tones.

• Cool grays and blues provide contrast for green varieties.

Use natural lighting near windows or set up artificial lights. Simple spotlights, floodlights, and reflectors can create dramatic shadows and dimensions. Position lights at angles to illuminate leaf textures. Building a DIY light box lets you perfectly control the lighting.

Finding Stunning Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Stock Photos

Don’t have time for an elaborate photo shoot? Access a wealth of eye-catching sansevieria images through stock photo sites. Getty Images, iStock, and Adobe Stock offer hundreds of high-quality snake plant photos suitable for blogs, websites, print materials, and more. Search for terms like “mother-in-law’s tongue,” “sansevieria,” or “snake plant” to find stunning pictures of these statement-making houseplants.

The mother-in-law’s tongue plant presents unique photographic possibilities. With its striking silhouette and variegated foliage, the sansevieria offers visual interest from every angle. Use lighting, composition, and color to capture the artistry of this common yet photogenic succulent.