Flower Photography Top Tips

17 May 2017

English Accent Gifts Blog - Flower Photography Top Tips

I'm obviously a very keen photographer of everything floral!

Spring is currently in full force and accordingly there are loads of blooms showing up for you to photograph.
Here are some basic top tips for anything who's interested in capturing spring blooms:

The bluebells may have been out for some time now but don't forget that the standard old daffodils and crocuses make extremely photogenic subjects.

Grab your macro lens.
As you'll need to do some very close up shots of some very small blooms, a full scale focal point is prescribed to give you the right field view to confine the flower head.

Grab a tripod!
A sturdy support is really essential when you're working down on the ground with flowers in the spring. Don't forget that even the slightest movement could blur and ruin your image! It's a good idea to set up on a tripod if you have one handy, giving you the freedom to move around and tweak the look of the area around your subject. If you don't have one, then use a small table or even some house bricks from the garden! 

Get down low to get that great shot.
As the heads of some flowers tend to face slightly downwards, you won't get the best image from looking down on them from a height. For individual or small groups of flowers you need to get down to the level of the flower. This will enable you to get up close to the flower, and using a tripod with splaying legs will mean that you don't have to kneel on damp ground whilst framing your image.

Keep the background plain or ensure it fits with the scene!
To draw maximum attention to your flower, you need to try and ensure that the background is plain enough that it doesn't distract the viewer. Even if you've blurred the background, bright colours can still be an issue so consider changing your angle of view, or if that won't work, try isolating the flower with some plain black or white card.

It's all about the flower's head.
The head of the flower with its beautiful petals will be the main subject area for most. Leaves and surrounding shoots can add interest, but make sure you compose the image with the flower head in the most pleasing position with the other aspects fitting in around it.