flower photography tutorial

Flower PhotographyBy Dave Shafer

Objectives of my flower pictures

• Show something new • Entertain or amuse • Create Beauty

• Express my personality

Here’s to self-expression!

Flower Photography is not that difficultBasic principles can be taught

Principles of my flower photography • Basic competence • Closeup is best – more interesting• Simplify composition• Optimize background• Experiment with composition • Look for some different take • Extreme closeup• Unusual perspective• Anthropomorphic composition• “Art” - flowers as shapes and colors• Stereo photos

My 105 mm macro lensfor my Pentax K-10 camera

Fully extended, 1.0X magnification

• Usually f/8 to f/16, for large DOF• Often hand-held, with image

stabilization, in bright sunlight• Always natural lighting, no flash• All flower photos shown are by me• Mostly in last two years• All digital• Most were taken at home

Now some thoughts, to break the ice

I try to keep up with the latest technology

Times have changed

You don’t want to feel out of it

Don’t wait for the perfect camera

Your eye is more important than your camera

Taking good photos can be a piece of cake

It is really relatively simple

You can get good advice from books

There are lots of “how-to” books

But you can’t believe everything you read

My favorite tabloid headline

“Skydiver eaten by starving birds”

There are clubs where you can learn

It is probably best to just dive in and start taking photos

Give it your best shot

There will be a few salacious images shown this evening

I apologize to any prudes, like those who want to cover up tree crotches

Nude or semi-nude photography is exciting

But flower photography can also expose you to new experiences

I’m going to squeeze in a lot of images so let me know if I am packing in too much

Groups of flowers tend to be static

Hard to be interesting with groups of flowers – very pretty, but static

Closeup is more interesting

Closeup is more intimate

Distance makes us voyeurs, not participants

Closeup draws you right into the picture

You get pulled right in by the close foreground

Use macro lens to show detail

SimplifyNo single focus of interest Single point of interest

OK to break rules if image is striking enough

Or if you really like the composition

Or if there is a dynamic composition

Simple compositions are best

But too much symmetry is static

Balance simplicity versus interest

Optimize backgroundPretty , but distracting background Much better

Try different colors for background

Black is more dramatic but also is cold

Choice can be tough to make

Like this Scottish dilemma

Background should add but not dominate

Remove clutter from background

Clutter is distracting

Even the foreground can be distracted by the background

But background can provide context

Experiment with composition A shadow can add interest

Try reversing the image

“Read” pictures from left to right

Often choice is pretty arbitrary

Diagonal lines are good

Look for tension in your composition

Opposing shapes right and left

Better – not quite as symmetrical

Consider dramatic lighting

Or atmospheric lighting

Too much symmetry

You don’t have to show the whole blossom

Less is more, in an arresting photo

Part of a dogwood is just as good

Isolate most interesting part

Focus can be used to isolate

White details are hard to bring out

Lighting direction for white is important

Oblique lighting is best

Mistakes are common

Mistakes – too much photoshopLooks a little like a plastic plant Too much color saturation

Photoshop is a powerful tool that can turn on you

Colors and contrast are too strong

Too garish a color combination

Looks unreal – too dramatic

Maybe too simple

Two centers of interest are not good

Eye keeps going back and forth

Unless one is out of focus

Or if the two centers of interest are related to each other

And have some obvious connection

Three are better than two

Not just with flowers

Two usually makes a static composition

Sometimes you want the eye to go back and forth

Within Reason

Vase can also add interest

And add color contrast

Cheating is allowed

You can crimp, bend, cut, twist, etc.

After basic competence, strive for something new

• Extreme closeup• Unusual perspective• Anthropomorphic composition• “Art” – flowers as shapes and colors• Stereo photos

I hope I still have your attention

Extreme closeupAfrican violet center

Surprising details emerge

Pollen can be interesting

Pollen closeups can be bizarre

A poppy center has lots of detail

Unopened buds can be interesting

There is tension in an unopened bud

A little suspense is good

Buds can have interesting detail

Closeup flower texture

Surface texture depends on lighting

Unusual Perspective

Unusual perspectives are interesting

Different taking point can transform picture

Unusual perspective can add humor

Drama can be added to the familiar

Unusual perspective can be puzzling

Your imagination is engaged

Back of flower + cropped and flipped

Back of flower, flowers through glass

Light can be from back or front

Back of daffodil is less familiar

Back of leaf can be interesting

As well as front of leaf

This needs work on background

Improved image

Unusual colors on some leaves

Decay can add interest (except in people)

Try other orientations and settings

Top of orchid, back of calla lilyCalla Cobra

Base of carnation

Cropped, simplified, improved

Try to surprise with an image

To make a splash

And turn heads

You want photos with impact

Images that surprise

Challenge expectations

Give the familiar a new twist

Imagine interesting combinations - Goldilocks and papa bear

Unusual perspective and unusual combination

Don’t get stuck in a conventional rut

Bugs can add interest

But bugs usually detract from the beauty of the flower

Unless it is a butterfly

Bugs can add life to a static picture

Iris and fly

Flowers as higher life forms

There are “faces” everywhere

Look everywhere for the human element

Tree Lady

It takes very little to suggest a face

Just peeling a potato might turn one up

Look for suggestive patterns

Even abstract emotion can be expressed

Anthropomorphic photosElephant head violet Orchid man

Books are best for telling a story

Photos can also tell a story: in a crisis it’s time to send in the clowns

A photo story goes beyond what is shown

Even shadows can be part of the story

“Let me help” and “The Gossips”Found arrangement

Set up arrangement

“Dancing Orchid Ladies” and “Diamond Lily”

Orchid Lady has amazing human detail

As does randy orchid boy

Sealife-like center, sinuous curves

Daffodil Marriage Spat

Crocodile Leaf

Backyard Giraffe

Flower Candy

Pond reflections of fall leaves

Foggy morning with super saturated colors

“Art” – flowers as shapes and colors

African violet center, Hosta leaves

You can “paint” with colors, shapes and composition

Flower shapes as semi- abstract forms

Shapes and colors

Simple “art” compositions

Simplicity is key

“Art” requires simple background

Color can carry the day with very simple compositions

Less is more, in art

Unless you’re into tatoos

Stereo images

This is a lot of material to remember

But don’t worry, there’s no quiz

Had enough?

The End