Taking Pictures of Spring Flowers

There’s something about spring and the new growth that shoots up everywhere seemingly overnight that makes many people want to grab their cameras. All those beautiful colors and detailed parts make flowers particularly tricky to capture properly, however. This spring, make your flower photos the best ever by following these tips.

Check the Sky

You may think that you’ll get the best results on a sunny day, but bright overhead sun can cast shadows onto the flowers that will make the sunny places appear overexposed. You’ll also lose some of that amazing detail you’re after. So instead of going out when the sun is brightest, try taking your pictures when it’s overcast out. Alternatively, try going out at the start or end of the day when the sun isn’t overhead, but there’s still plenty of light out to get the photos you’re after.
Shoot Low
You want the focus of your photos to be the flower – not what’s surrounding it. The best way to do this is to shoot from a low angle, so there’s less confusion and busyness going on in the background. For flowering trees and branches this is easy, but for low-lying flowers, you may need to lay right in the grass to get the best angle for the pose.

Fill the Frame

Another way to eliminate a busy background is to get up close and personal with the flowers, completely filling the frame with one bloom. This not only allows you to capture the amazing detail, it also gives you a much more interesting and artistic shot.

Take a Step Back

Getting up close and personal is only one way to photograph flowers. Another is to go back a ways and photograph a larger area, such as a field or a full flower garden. Vary your perspective by going in and out from the subject to get a wider range of different effects and angles that will help you achieve greater results.

Look for Contrasting Colors

One way to make your flowers stand out and get noticed is to look for ways of contrasting the colors in the shot. For example, a pink flower against a field of other pink flowers isn’t going to get you much interest or dimension. But a pink flower against a background of green leaves will appear in sharper contrast, which makes it more interesting to view.

Have Fun

Getting outdoors and capturing the new growth around you should be a fun and enjoyable experience. Try varying your positions, angles, and focus until you get the results you want, and capture some of the best that Mother Nature has to offer.