Flower Photography Techniques
There are many flower photography techniques, this is an overview of some of the most common ones to keep in mind. First of all you need to determine what kind of result do you want to produce. Do you want to create fine art flower photography or are you photographing for archival purposes. Do you intend to make large size prints or small prints and greeting cards. Once you have an idea for what is your end product it is easier to develop a floral composition that fits your needs.
Flower Photography Techniques : Lighting just like with many other types of nature photography lighting plays an important part in photographing flowers. Flowers are very delicate creatures and even the smallest variation in light can have a large effect on your flower picture. Try to shoot is soft light in the morning or late in the evening. If you are shooting indoors use diffused indirect light. You can easily make your own light source with a simple lamp and a white cloth to diffuse the light. Alternatively you can purchase professional photographic lighting equipment. All depends on your budget. Avoid pointing the light source directly at the flower, instead use reflective surfaces to direct the light at the flower. Ideally it is better to use photographic reflectors, however some times even a reflection of the white wall can be enough to add a soft glow onto the flower.
Flower Photography Techniques: Camera Setting and Tripod when shooting in low light you will need to set your exposure to at leas 1/8 sec or higher. Some flower photographs may require up to 1-2 sec exposure. The key is to keep experimenting. To achieve a sharp photo you will need a tripod, as even a small jitter can create a blurry photograph. Also make sure you have a sturdy platform to work on, the last thing you want is a shaky table.
Another useful feature is to use is your timing delay. Most cameras have a basic time delay setting. Set the timer for up to 10 sec to allow for any unexpected disturbances to settle down.
Macro Flower Photography and other Flower Photography Techniques macro flower photography can be the most exciting experience as you become very intimate with the flower, uncovering all sorts of unexpected visual wonders. To do macro photography you may need a macro lens. Alternatively some smaller cameras have a flower setting that does a great job as well. Macro photography allows you to get really close to the flower isolating each individual part of it. The other advantage of macro flower photography is that you can take pictures of very small flowers, that most people do not even notice and blow them up into magnificent portraits. Once again macro photography is all about experimentation. If you doing indoor flower photography the one thing that does help is having some kind of a delicate clamp which you can use to hold the flower.
There are many more flower photography techniques however do not let that stop you, just go ahead and start shooting. You will find the process itself will guide you and you will pick up more techniques naturally along the way.
