Digital Photo Tip #28 By Bruce Kirkby May 1, 2007

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Sensational Spring Flowers

 

Spring is here, and from Newfoundland’s rugged coasts, to Ontario’s sprawling cities, to the Rocky Mountain meadows, flowers are beginning to bloom. So, too, are the opportunities to take great photographs of this colourful bounty. Concentrating on these three factors will go a long way toward helping you capture a flower’s (visual) power.

 

COMPOSITION Start by getting close… really close. Fill the frame with a single flower. Subtle changes in position can do wonders for eliminating background clutter, so move around and try a variety of angles. How about holding the camera on the ground and shooting up through stems to get a “bug’s eye view?” Or try standing above a patch of flowers and shooting straight down. Then, move back. Using a telephoto will help highlight a single bloom while blurring the background. For all these scenarios, remember to use a tripod if you’ve got one.  

 

TIMING Great shots don’t just rely on great subjects; they also require great lighting. And for flowers, this means an overcast, windless day. Soft, diffused light will dramatically improve close-up images, so if you can, wait for a grey day—or at least a passing cloud—and avoid the midday sun. You’ll also want to avoid wind, as any movement of the flowers will blur your results. Nooks and gullies can offer some protection. Sunset and sunrise will yield rich, warm results; morning dew, rainshowers and mist promise great droplets.  

 

CAMERA SETTINGS With macro (close-up) shots, focus is crucial, so switch your camera to “spot focus” mode (away from the more generic “matrix” or “weighted average” setting that is the standard). If you have a “close-up” or “macro” mode available, use it. Remember to turn your flash off, because your photo will be too bright at such close distances and will look unnatural. Finally, set your ISO to the lowest setting—to 100 if possible. This will give your shot a crisp, saturated look.