Spring is right around the corner, which means more opportunities for pictures of flowers! Get your camera and find beautiful subjects in your own backyard.
Here are my 6 tips for taking epic shots of flowers:
- Photograph on an overcast day
Is the weather not sunny enough on your spring day? That’s okay! White sky days are best for photographing flowers because of the soft light. Harsh light or shadows can ruin the picture. The photo below was done inside a greenhouse.
2. Avoid background clutter
Try to keep your background with the least amount of distractions as possible behind your flower. Using a shallow depth of field can help this. Change your aperture to a wide aperture (low f/stop number) like f/8 or lower if you can.
3. Wind is your enemy
Avoid windy days by doing your flower photography early in the morning or even taking your flowers inside. The picture below was taken in a greenhouse, so no wind was present.
4. Backlight makes flowers glow
Another type of light is backlight. Backlight happens when the sun is directly behind the plant, making it seem like it is lighting them up. Flower petals and leaves are translucent, so the late or early sun will make your flowers appear to glow
5. Change your perspective
Try new angles to create unique pictures. Viewers will not expect seeing a flower from underneath or behind because we’re used to a standing perspective. You can also take pictures of mushrooms and other foliage like the one seen below.
6. Contrast is key
A good photo has a lot of contrast. To make the flower pop out of the background, pick a plant that sticks out, such as having a different color or shape. If there’s a group of flowers, try to focus on one unique thing about one flower.
Hannah Matt 