Floral Photography

“Oh, I wish I had a camera!” Indeed, a gorgeous field of wild flowers or a lovely flower garden begs to have its picture taken. Flowers are ideal subjects, whether they are growing wild, cultivated in a garden or green house, or cut for indoor arrangements. They are also fleeting, and flower photography is a great way to preserve their beauty for lasting enjoyment.

So, you want to photograph flowers, but how? First you must consider the subject of your photograph. Do you want a colorful spring flower arrangement, a field filled with lupines, a perfect bearded iris, or a micro close-up of a single day lily? Determine what your subject will be, then you can decide how to approach it. Here are some tips for taking great outdoor floral photographs:

A field of flowers

Thousands of beautiful wildflowers might be exquisite to the eye, but make a boring photograph. A gorgeous scene will not necessarily translate into a perfect photograph just with the snap of the shutter. You’ll need to make some important decisions to make it happen.

What is the lighting like? Is the scene backlit, front lit, side lit, or is the day cloudy or misty? Any of these lighting situations will have an effect on the color and mood of your photograph. What can you do to make the most of today’s lighting?

Check your position and angle. On a bright sunny day, most harsh shadows may be avoided if you position yourself with the sun to your back. Consider your composition as well. What is the position of the horizon and how does your scene meet the edges of the frame? Where do the larges swatches of color lie within the composition? Adjust your position for a good composition. Take several shots, and choose the best from these.

Add interest to the scene by including a subject that could further draw the eye. Include an old farmhouse in the distance, or children picking flowers, or a snow-topped mountain landscape in the background. Let the beautiful colors of the flowers complement and draw interest to the secondary subject to create more than just a pretty picture.

A garden or flowerbed

A cultivated flower garden is full of photographic possibilities. Rule of thumb: Don’t try to say too much with one photograph! A wide variety of flower species and colors provide a number of interesting and lovely subjects, so take your time. Decide how best to photograph each one.

When photographing backyard flowers, move in close enough to eliminate distracting backgrounds (including other flowers) and focus on your pre-determined subject. For each type of flower, consider the best angle and distance for capturing its form and beauty. Fill the frame with patterns, such as a blanket of daisies or petunias photographed from above. Experiment with angles slightly above-and-to-the-side when photographing tulips, poppies, or daffodils. Spired flowers such as snapdragons, hollyhocks, or larkspur photographed from the side are especially striking when backlit. Move in close enough to capture individual flowers and floral details. Watch the background, keeping it simple with greenery, a blue sky, a fence or wall, or out-of-focus flowers (preferably of one color).

Watch your lighting. Backlit petals can give flowers an appealing glow, while midday sun can create dark shadows and washed out color. On a cloudy day you may capture some soft hues and lovely pastels that are not apparent in a sunlit garden.

A single flower head

First, determine your camera’s limitations. A point-and-shoot film camera or your SLR camera with normal lens may not allow you to move within 18 to 24 inches or more. (Do not be deterred, however; you can still photograph flowers, then crop and enlarge!)

For a single flower head shot, select a perfect floral specimen, making sure it is easily accessible for photography. If the background is unsuitable (such as a chain link fence or a busy street), find a simple background substitute, like a plain black or neutral-colored poster board.

Sharp focus is essential in close-up photography. Regardless of the type of camera you are using, your subject may still be out of focus due to camera movement or if the wind is blowing your subject around. Keep your camera steady placing it on a sturdy platform such as a stone wall, or better yet, using a tripod. If there is a breeze, you can protect your subject with a cardboard windshield or steady it with ties or even your hand. You may need only to wait for a still moment to snap the picture, or perhaps hold off and try again later after the wind dies down.

For a spectacular photograph, choose an angle that best captures the structure and form of the flower. This can be fairly straightforward for simple flowers, but trickier for more complex flowers such as irises or lilies. Use lighting to your advantage to best capture interior structures, or backlighting to highlight the translucency of petals. On bright, sunny days, use foil covered cardboard or white poster board to reflect sunlight into shadowy areas. Add impact to your florals by misting with water for a fresh, dewy look.

A macro flower shot

You’ll need a camera that is capable of close-up photography. The limitations of your point-and-shoot film camera or your SLR camera with a normal lens will likely not allow for extreme close-up photography. However, an SLR with a macro lens or just about any type of digital camera will allow you to move in close, some as close as an inch or two! (No wonder a tulip symbol signifies the digital camera macro-mode setting.)

For a macro photograph, consider not only the type of flower, but also the structures within the flower that will be the subject of your photograph. Select a perfect specimen, and determine the angle you will use to focus on your selected subject. Background is still an issue, but for most extreme macro photography, very little background will show as your subject fills the entire frame. Be sure the flower is well-lit, using back or sidelighting to show off the flower’s texture and delicate translucency. Focus carefully. It is important to understand that macro-mode utilizes a very narrow depth of field – this means the area of sharpest focus can vary within a fraction of an inch. If your subject is swaying in the wind or if you move the camera the focal point will change. Take steps to keep your subject still, and use a tripod to eliminate camera shake.

Add impact to your shot by spraying the flower lightly with water before snapping the picture. If you are patient, a butterfly or a honeybee might alight on your flower, creating an unexpected opportunity for a truly extraordinary photograph.

~Sandra Bynum

An avid photographer since childhood, Sandra Bynum set up her own darkroom at age 14. She earned her BA in Fine Arts, and continued to hone her photographic skills while homeschooling her children. Ms. Bynum is a freelance writer who recently opened a fine arts teaching center.