Flower photography
How to flower photography
Taking good quality pictures of flowers can seem intimidating. However, there are some simple techniques which even amateur photographers can use to obtain dramatic results with minimal effort. The following examples show the basic setup that should allow anyone to achieve results they can be proud of.
The keys to good flower photography are focus and diffuse lighting
It is worth getting your camera's manual out to find out how to put the camera in "spot focus" mode. The normal focus mode of most digital cameras is some sort of average focus mode. That means that the camera will try to look at an area and base the focus on an area of what it sees. It's better for close up photography to put the camera into spot focus mode, this will allow you to see exactly what the camera will be focusing on.
Getting the camera to focus properly on the flowers entails some effort, but the results should be worth it. A final word on focus. The above steps assume that you are using your camera's auto focus feature
A couple of words about tripods and product photography
We mentioned above that the other key to good bouquet photography is the lighting. You have probably already discovered that an on-camera flash does not lead to good flower photos. Not only is the camera's flash too bright at such a close distance, but it is probably in the wrong position to actually light up the flowers properly. We prefer daylight balanced compact fluorescent bulbs for lighting. Not only do they provide nice natural colored light, but they produce very little heat so they can be left on for long photo sessions without over heating the flowers, the camera or the photographer. Compact fluorescent bulbs fit in standard light fixtures, so a simple adjustable pair of clamp-on lamps fitted with a daylight balanced compact fluorescent bulb makes an acceptable (and very low cost) light source for flower photography. (If you can't locate daylight balanced compact fluorescent bulbs, you can use a standard 100 watt light bulb. However you will need to compensate for the yellowish color cast it will produce. You can compensate for the color either with your camera's white balance (WB) setting or with imaging software). To diffuse and soften the light and shadows we use the EZcube. By positioning the lights on either side of the EZcube, the light shines through the translucent fabric, evenly lighting the flowers and eliminating harsh shadows.
Now lets look at some lighting setups & specific situations.
Photographing a floral arrangement on white
In the first image the exposure was set to E.V. -1.0. Its way too dark.
The second image is set to the cameras default setting of E.V. 0. In this particualr scene, it's still too dark.
In the third image, I raised up the E.V. to +1.0 for a lighter and brighter image.
Camera & subject position determine the angle of view
While working with flowers in the EZcube®, I chose to insert a large piece of paper from an art supply store, on top of my sweep. I did this because I did not want a mess if the water spilled from the vase onto my clean sweep.
In the first image my camera and floral arrangement were aligned improperly, and the paper and tent seams would have shown up in my image. You can adjust this some with software manipulation, but it's usually quicker to shoot it correctly in the first place.
By repositioning the camera lower, the seams of the paper and tent can now be hidden.
Emphasize the beautiful flowers and not the vase
Keeping a photo diary of successful set-ups and settings is a great idea. It will save you time in the long run, when you shoot similar set-ups down the road.
In the first image the camera was parallel with the floral arrangement. This camera position shows more vase than flowers.
By raising the tripod and moving it closer, more of the bouquet can be seen in the image.
By adjusting the tripod and camera height a bit more, a nice compromise was found.
Photograph flowers outside using natural sunlight
Natural sunlight can provide wonderful lighting. Just use a diffuser to soften the bright sunlight, and reduce harsh shadows.
In the first image the bright sunlight produces very harsh, unflattering shadows
The EZcubes new zippered opening allows you to place the EZcube right over flowers and shoot through the front.
The results are natural soft light with softer shadows
Macro Flower Photography
I have been a "Digital Photographer" for the past ten years, and a quick review of the many images that reside on my C drive tells me that 20%+ are floral pictures. These range from 'straight from camera' shots without post processing, to some weird and wonderful Photoshop experiments. It occurred to me to explore the reasons behind my liking for floral photography and to analyze just why I favor this particular genre above other choices.
When I compare, say, an image I have taken in recent weeks with my Casio to an early picture from my first digital camera, a Sony, I can see an enormous difference, not just in image quality, but in my own perception of the best format to take the shot. Very subtly, almost by osmosis, I am developing the photographic eye that helps me to take a well-considered view of the subject before I press the shutter button.
Flowers make excellent photographic subjects for a variety of reasons: they are static (on a calm day) colorful, ever changing, and in the Iran, we have the choice of a wide seasonal variation. Flowers and leaves alike possess pleasing symmetry, as well as a broad spectrum of shade and texture. Variants in sunlight/shade affect their appearance, as does the difference before and after rain - or the judicious application of a fine water spray! Flowers may fall within the parameters of weedy, through luscious, to blowsy. Their centers can provide scope for some curiously erotic imagery via symbolic spikes and folds. The thistle and allium families, with their sharp edges and spheres, are geometric, and grasses are capable of emulating a row of soldiers, or a waving sea of graceful stems. Tree bark may resemble anything from elephant hide to an aerial landscape map
The variety of plant life is infinite, from the waxy blooms of the water lily to the delicacy of the fuchsia, from the first bright green unfurling leaves in spring to the crisp russet curls that result when the summer moisture has gone; there is massive scope to use one's imagination in creating exciting, different images.
Everyone will have a favorite place to photograph natures' bounty, be it within domestic gardens, recreation grounds, by river or shoreline, or perhaps in the more formal surroundings of botanical parks.
Considering my own progression in floral photography, the aspects that really stand out for me are:
Lighting - assessing the optimum conditions to photograph flowers. Early morning and late afternoon are generally best (as with most other photography). If outdoor light conditions do not suit, cutting a bloom and photographing it indoors under an artificial light source can work, although it will invariably give a less natural look; my personal preference is to photograph in place.
I do not believe that a tripod is essential to a sharp flower shot. Even in windy conditions, patience will reward when the breeze drops and a photo is captured in that nano-second when all that is visible in the lens is still. Obviously, the use of a tripod, beanbag, wall, or whatever is available on which to rest a camera may be the most desirable scenario, but the contortions that are sometimes necessary to capture the best shot may obviate the use of any outside props, and a good 'capture' is always worth at least one attempt.
- Do you want the entire flower in focus or just its center?
- Do you want to the background blurred or sharp?
- Are you going to centralize the shot?
- Is the flower going to fill the frame?
Experimentation in this area is very useful. Generally for each successful shot (and an assessment of this may be as high as 1 in 20) I will have probably have taken up to ten different views and tried three or more different camera settings.
I did not deliberately set out to concentrate on this area of photography; but apart from the ease of obtaining pleasing imagery, the greatest benefit is the discovery that the tenets I apply to my flower pictures naturally extend to the other images I photograph.
The overall improvement that I see in my own work owes much to the application of methods, ideas and techniques that I have learned through experimentation and practice. My photography also benefits greatly from the aid of critique, tutorials, viewing others' work and a developing interest in hitherto unexplored or unnoticed elements of what is around us.
I would advise anyone who may be struggling to see progress in their photography to try to concentrate on a single favored aspect, whether it is flowers, birds, architecture or portraiture. Seek out your own 'comfort level' within your chosen favorite field and you should gradually discover, as I have, that the useful information you have absorbed will imbue all your imagery, thus allowing allow you to progress into what becomes your own distinctive, personal style
