Flower Photography - Taking Great Photos

In order to take great flower pictures, you don't need any fancy camera gear but you do need to have an eye for detail. If you want to take beautiful flower pictures, like the ones in magazines, this article will help show you how you can do that with a digital compact camera.

Many of us have taken a picture of a flower and thought it was perfect - that is until we saw it enlarged or on a computer screen.

Another problem many new flower photographer enthusiasts find is that their pictures come out blurry and out of focus.  

Blurry or poorly composed pictures are all things that are easy to avoid if you know what to do.

You should first always plan to take flower pictures when the lighting is good and the air is still (no wind). Even the most gentle breeze can cause enough of a quiver in the stem to create blur in a close up. Usually dawn is the best time of day when the wind is the calmest. This is also a time when you'll often find the best lighting.

But if you don't want to get up early, you can still get great flower pictures. Other good times for lighting are the hour before sunset and anytime there is high overcast (bright overcast). These times offer soft light without the dark, harsh shadows. The time right before sunset and just after dawn are perfect for adding a warm glow to your picture. And if it's a little windy, you'll need to set up a blind or a temporary windbreak.

The other main cause of  blurry or out of focus flower pictures is the camera, more specifically taking a close up without the proper setting. Depending on how close of a shot you want, set your camera to Portrait or Macro. The macro setting lets you shoot from within an inch up to a foot depending upon your camera (check your camera's manual). If you're using a camera with manual settings, choose a wide aperture (a small F Stop number). All of the settings just discussed will make the flower more sharply focused but will make the background more fuzzy.

Once you find a pretty flower, now it's time to turn it into the perfect flower photo.

* Look for a flower with undamaged petals. You can also "pretty" up a flower that may have 1 or 2 ragged petals, by simplying removing the petals. If removing the petals will leave a gap then leave it alone and move on to another flower.
   
* Look for tiny bugs and loose particles like dust, and then remove with them with a soft, makeup or artist's brush.
   
* For a dewy look, gently sprinkle or spay the petals with a few drops of water.


Next it's time to compose your picture.

* Look at the flower from different positions to see what angle looks best in your viewfinder or preview LCD. Make sure to look for shadows and other things in the background that may not look good in your picture. Look at how the light looks from different angles. You should also look at taking your picture from different angles or vantage points. Try lying on the ground for a bug's eye view or holding the camera high above the flower for a bird's eye view.
   
* Don't cast a shadow over the flower. If the flower is back lit, you can avoid lens flare by wearing a broad brim hat or by using a lens shade to block light from entering the lens.
   
* You also want to look at the background tones. Contrasting tones will add depth and make your flower stand out.

Whenever you see an image you want to capture, fill the frame with the flower or use a classic composition method such as the "rule of thirds" where maybe the flower is two thirds of the image and the sky is one third.

Then focus on the part of the image you want to be the sharpest – this could be the stamen, a ladybug, etc. Then holding very steady, press the shutter.

As you can see from the tips in this article, flower photography is all about paying attention to detail. And how you display your flower photo also makes a difference so make sure to display it in a picture frame that compliments it.