How to take great flower photos in 5 steps

Many of us out there love taking photos. With digital cameras as popular as they are this shouldn’t be a surprise.  Most of us want to improve our photography skills and we all go for the close up flower shots. While looking like one of the simplest forms of photography, flower photography can quickly become one of the most difficult.

Here are a few tips for you. (Keeping in mind that basic good photography skills are always useful.)

1. Use Soft diffused light. Look at the sky, a very overcast sky would be the perfect day for capturing some great images. Soft diffuse light enhances colour saturation, so if you wondered how or why pro photographers flower images seem so deep in colour this is one of the reasons why. (There are exceptions to this rule. I do some flower photography is bright or dappled sunlight but I’m usually trying to get an effect of light passing through the petals.)
2. Choose a Slow film speed. 200 ISO speed or less. I use 100 speed for my flower photography. Even with the use of digital cameras, check your ISO settings and set them the same as you would for film. Eg 200 ISO film, use the setting 200 for ISO in your camera. With so may models out there these days, you will have to look it up in your cameras manual.
3. Use a Tripod. Use one for this type of photography. Set up your shot, get everything in sharp focus, and then shoot. A tripod will keep your camera from moving on you and allow you to get the sharp detail you will need. If you don’t have a tripod, use a small bean bag, a post anything tht will give you the shot without the camera moving.
4. Look for great colours, a flower in full bloom next to a bud, keep the colours to a minimum (two is good) and don’t shoot on windy days, you will get too much movement & find it difficult to get a sharp image.
5. Move around try different compositions each time you take a shot.

Have fun