photo: © Caroline Piek | Wants
You can find them along the edges of fields, beside roads, and even between paving stones! You do not have to travel far to find beautiful flowers. But how do you create more than a simple record shot? Professional garden and nature photographer Caroline Piek shares 10 tips for creative flower photography.
1. Limit Yourself
Choose a small patch of flowers and return to it regularly to take photographs. If you force yourself to work only within this small area, you will naturally discover creative ways to approach your subject. You will also learn a great deal about the plant species that appear in your chosen location throughout the seasons.
2. Use a Low Viewpoint
When photographing flowers, I regularly lie on my stomach. By using a low viewpoint, you draw the viewer right into the photograph. It feels as though you are among the flowers yourself.
I find this much more exciting than a photograph taken straight down at a static field of flowers. Try lying on your back and photographing upward as well, so the flowers tower above you.
3. Experiment with a Shallow Depth of Field
Blur can add a great deal of atmosphere. I enjoy focusing far into a field and photographing through all the flowers. I use a low viewpoint so that the flowers create a beautiful, colorful haze in the foreground. To achieve this effect, it is important to use a wide aperture (= a low F-number).
4. Focus Manually
If you want to focus on a small water droplet, for example, or photograph through flowers, the camera may sometimes struggle. In that case, it is best to use manual focus. This lets you determine very precisely where you want the photograph to be sharp.
5. Try a Telephoto Lens
Many people think of a macro lens for flower photography. It is indeed one of the lenses I use most often. I also frequently use my 100-400 mm telephoto lens when photographing flowers.
In the photograph on the right, I used the lens to isolate a single flower from a vast sea of flowers.
6. Pay Attention to the Background
When taking photographs, do not focus only on your main subject; keep a close eye on the background as well. I always experiment with different viewpoints when photographing a flower. Sometimes a beautiful, colorful background suddenly appears when you shift your position or angle. Also make sure there are no distracting twigs or blades of grass in the background.
7. Photograph During the Golden Hours
Light can make or break a photograph, so avoid days with very bright sunlight, which creates distracting, harsh shadows. Around sunrise and sunset, the light is often soft and warm. The sun’s low position also lets you experiment with backlighting that creates beautiful golden edges around the flowers.
8. Do Not Be Afraid of a Little Rain
Do not be discouraged if it is raining lightly. Most cameras can withstand some moisture, or you can use a rain cover. Droplets on flowers add something special to your photograph. Try playing with the reflections in the water droplets as well. This often produces surprising and original images! Read more tips about photographing in the rain.
9. Close-Ups and Strong Winds Do Not Mix
Strong winds are not ideal for macro photography because it becomes almost impossible to focus accurately. These conditions do offer opportunities to experiment with long shutter speeds. A field of flowers moving wildly in the wind can create a true explosion of color.
10. Break the Rules
You often create the most original photographs by ignoring all the established rules. In the photograph below, only a narrow edge is sharp, yet the large area of color gives the image strong graphic impact.
