Tricks for Photographing Flowers

Mother’s Day has come and gone. That means the days are getting longer, the temperature is on the rise, and all around me, flowers are starting to bloom. This is a great opportunity to grab a camera and capture some of the natural beauty around us, whether it's in your backyard, at the local park, or along a hiking trail just out of town. So. let's focus on tips for capturing some great flower photos.

 Know When to Get in Close

More often than not, flowers look their best when you get in close, which often calls for using a macro lens or dialing in the macro setting on your camera. Macro mode lets you get very close to your subject, filling the frame with small details. The macro setting is generally marked with a tulip.

Try shooting with the interesting bits of the flower parallel to the lens, so everything is equidistant from the lens and in focus

In this shot only one small portion of the hibiscus's stamen is in focus.

Shooting in macro mode can be challenging because the depth of field is so narrow--and the closer you get to the subject, the smaller your region of sharp focus will be. That can sometimes be an advantage because it blurs the background so you can emphasize your subject, the flower.
  

However, you might also consider not working in macro mode at all. Many cameras allow you to get reasonably close to your subject (within a foot or so) even in normal focusing mode, and you'll have a lot more depth of field if you keep some distance. That makes it easier to ensure everything that's important to you stays in focus.

You don't have to be so close that you can see dew drops glistening--backing off can give you great results, as you see here.
                                                                                                                                                                            

 Choose Your Background

 If you're really close to the flower, your background will often blur away into oblivion thanks to the narrow depth of field. But there's more you can do to set the mood for your photo. You might try shooting against a background that complements your subject's key col

The foliage around your flower can make a lush green backdrop. And if you shoot from under the flower, up towards the sky, you can get a gorgeous blue or overexpose the sky so it's white, like a giant piece of foam board.

   The sky was the backdrop in this photo
 

So get out in the great weather this weekend and photograph those flowers that are beginning to bloom in your garden.

 Then post them on my facebook page, or my PINTEREST Share Your Photos board!