Here are some easy tips that you can follow to ensure that you get the best flower photos!

Stay Close
Ensure that you fill your frame with your subject in order to get consistently better photos (rather than standing back for an ‘overall’ shot).

Even Lighting
Most of the time, even lighting is best. For this reason, cloudy overcast days are optimal for shooting flowers. You can also try early morning or late afternoon. If you take photos in the midday sun, your colours can be washed out and there’s the addition of harsh shadows.

Depth Of Field
As a general rule, you will want to shoot with a wide open aperture so that your background is out of focus and your flower in crisp focus. Just remember that in some situations, such as when you are close but want every part of the flower in focus or when you have several flowers that you want in focus, you may need to close your aperture.

Keep Steady
With such a small subject that’s down low, you can often get camera shake. Avoid any potential problems by taking a tripod, or try to keep as still as possible.

Crouch down
The face of the flower is nice, but remember there’s lots of angles! There’s also opportunity to add different backgrounds – whether it be ground, sky, rocks, or other plants. Look for other colours that contrast with the color of your flower.

Keep Out Of Wind
If a flower is dancing all over the place due to windy conditions, it can be quite tricky and frustrating! Wake up early when the wind is least likely to be blowing so that you can shoot in more suitable conditions to control your shot.

Article written with assistance from: Light Stalking

Photograph by Fiona Ford – 2015 Austraflora Photography Competition Finalist