Everyone loves affordable and fresh flowers in and around their home. They smell absolutely amazing, and can improve the look of any space. They come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes, so no matter your decor or color scheme, flowers can certainly elevate the room.
Some people’s love for flowers extends beyond simply owning them, to things like taking photos of them. Flower photography is incredibly popular and many flowers make outstanding subjects. Whether you take them for fun as a hobby, or sell your floral prints to be hung as art, this article is going to cover a few flower photography tips that are sure to lead to some gorgeous results.
Don’t Feel the Need to Spend a Ton on Gear
When it comes to photography, it can be an expensive hobby or job. There are a ton of different cameras, lenses, filters, and other gear that many people buy. While this is often needed to capture a good shot, this isn’t always the case.
When taking photos of something like flowers, don’t feel the need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on fancy gear. It generally isn’t needed. While a macro lens can look incredible, things like that aren’t often required to capture good photos.
Sometimes, a phone and a steady hand is all you need to capture breathtaking floral photographs. There are many ways to capture better photos with your phone, and with enough practice, your photos will look professional, even if all you used was your phone.
Get Your Lighting Right
As with any type of photography, light in flower photography is incredibly important. The right lighting can ensure a photo looks incredible, while even the best photo can be ruined by poor lighting. In particular, the direction of the light is very important in floral photography.
Front light can often make flowers look very flat and two-dimensional and doesn’t do much for the texture of the plant. Light from the side, on the other hand, often highlights the texture of the flowers and can help them look alive and three-dimensional. This type of light offers additional depth and a great looking shadow. Lastly, back light allows for some very fun and creative photos to be taken. It won’t work with every flower, but with the ones it does, the results are sure to amaze you.
Also, the type of light you use can impact the photos. For best results, often try using natural light to help the flowers look their best. Early morning and early in the evening when the sun is relatively low often provides the nicest light for those taking photos of natural elements like flowers or landscapes.
Get Up Close and Personal
(via: https://pixabay.com/photos/flower-blue-flowers-garden-petals-6761262/)
Most flowers are small, and their beauty is in their details. The shape of the petals, the colors and their bulb are the focal point of many blooms, so be sure to get up close and personal. Take flower photos from up close and get a detailed look at them and what makes them beautiful.
Of course, you want to ensure the photo is clear and the entirety of the flower is in-frame, but flower photos from far away simply don’t look as good as the close-ups in many cases. Many flowers may look alike or general when photos are taken from far away, but when you get up close is when you see the differences and what makes each bloom special and unique.
Ensure the Background is Simple
When taking photos of flowers, it is a very good idea to keep the background as simple as possible. Flowers themselves are incredibly interesting, and feature a ton of details and things to look at.
With such a vibrant and interesting subject, there is no need for the background to carry any weight. It should be something uninteresting and rather general. If your background is too busy, it can actually take the focus away from the flower, which is never a good idea. They are the focus of the photo, and you shouldn’t have a high-activity background that distracts from the beauty of the flower.
Experiment With Different Angles
Another great way to get the most out of your flower photography is to experiment with different angles. The angle at which you shoot a photo can completely change how it turns out. Try to shoot from beside the flower, in front of the flower and even looking down at it.
Each will provide a different look and you may discover some interesting and unique shots you never would have gotten if you continued to shoot from the very same angle. While there are many exciting angles, one of our favorites is shooting to the sky. If you get low and under the flower, and shoot upwards, your background will be the sky, which can help your photo stand out and look incredible. This is especially great on a sunny day or a cloudy one, as featuring these in the background can look lovely.
In addition to different angles, experiment with other things as well. Try shooting flowers indoors, and try to capture flowers when bugs like butterflies or bees are on them. Of course, always be safe if getting close to bugs that could bite or sting you.
Be Careful With the Wind
The wind isn’t often a concern when taking photos, but with something as small and delicate as flowers, it is certainly something to think about. You are generally incredibly focused and very close, and even a single bit of breeze can put the flower out of shot or ruin your photo.
In a similar vein, try to keep a steady hand. When shooting something so up close, that is also very delicate, even the slightest bit of movement (either by you or the flower) could lead to the finished product looking shaky and subpar.
In conclusion, we hope that these flower photography tips are able to help you take some truly stunning shots.
