The beauty, color and variety of flowers ,as well as the somewhat abstract nature of close ups make them wonderful subjects to capture.
So as the season for tulips and springtime , I thought I’d write a blog on some tips to get us in the flower capturing mood.
1/ Be prepared – I just hate to carry around too much gear, however, for a flower- filled photography excursion I will bring my best camera body , 2 lenses , one that photographs details beautifully (my 24-70m) , and a wide angle so I can get some flower- field landscapes.
A tripod for the close-ups is a really good idea and if you have one , a reflector.
2/ Get in Close – Some cameras have a minimum focusing distance, so you might have to manually focus.
Use a small aperture to get all the detail in, (big numbers, like fg 11-16 ), remembering if your shutter speed gets below 1/60 you will need to use a tripod and a 2 second timer.
For really close ups , a tripod is essential and manual focus.
If you just want one part of the flower in focus, then a big aperture will achieve this and blur out the rest of the flower. Add a droplet of water, for an extra cool effect.
Don’t forget those close-up patters of nature, like leaves and insects that just happen to get into the scene.
3/ Choose your angle of view- better still takes lots of photos at different angles- looking up, down and to the side.
Move distracting backgrounds or move yourself. Decrease your depth of field , so the subject is the focus.
4/ Use the light- Late afternoon sun with a golden glow is beautiful, but so are deep shadows caused from harsh overhead light.
A reflector can redirect light in a shady spot, or you could use it as a shade.
Remember there is no good or bad light, just the effect you want to create.
5/Dont forget to go abstract- add some movement (below is a lot of movement , but interesting isn’t it)., choose the patterns of nature, convert to black and white.
6/ Don’t forget the wide-angle –photos of fields of flowers make beautiful landscapes, add a person for a portrait in the landscape.
7/ take lots of photos – experiment with your own creativity
*A little reminder, In this digital age , flowers make great content if you own a business , like to post on social media , or just like to send friends well intentioned messages.
Flowers will add lovely content for years to come.
