Flower photography is a great photographic pleasure. Flowers can’t look any better than in color. In my opinion not all flowers are the same, some look like they are easy to be photographed but it may difficult to get all the details.
Flowers in tropical and temperate countries are different in size and color. Some look so fantastic and geogeous that the picture just comes out looking exactly how you want. And then some look average and uninteresting, but when you get in close, it will be a surprise to get all the curves, lines, colors and the finer details..
When you are taking pictures of flowers in the garden, you have to look out for flowers with good blossom and also take note of the form, color, lighting and background.
Concentrate on what you see in the viewfinder, and recompose the picture until it looks the best to you.
The composition is the most important even if you have the right tips and technique of shooting flower pictures. Take the time to try low angles, high angles, or moving to the right or left. A wide lens aperture (a lower-numbered f-stop) will enhance this effect by softening the background.
Don’t be afraid to shoot a few extra pictures. Try different angles and different lighting. Also depict your subject from several different viewpoints.
As I mentioned I made mistakes in my flower shoot and I know the mistakes. I always ask myself “What went wrong?” If you study your mistakes, you will be rewarded with a greater number of successful photographs.
Choosing the right lens is extremely important. There is the question of Canon 70-200mm zoom vs 100mm macro lens – which lens is better or to buy if you have a limited budget?
You can have a look at the flower pictures on the posting Taking Better Flower Pictures. I used a Canon 30D fixed with 70-200mm F2.8 zoom while in Taking Perfect Flower Pictures I used 100mm F2.8 macro lens.
I know that the Canon 100mm macro is the best macro lens in close-up photography but the 70-200mm zoom will provide me with the most versatility in the short term. If you are a Newspaper photographer, I think you will prefer to buy the zoom but if your main focus is macro work, then buy the macro.
My suggestion is simple. Save and buy both. Both Canon 70-200mm F2.8 ( with or without IS) and 100mm F2.8 Macro lens worth to invest.
12 responses so far ↓
yesbuts // June 14, 2008 at 10:53 am |
Great photographs.
I find I need a great deal of patients to photograph flowers.
Frame the picture, get it in focus, set the aperture, then about to press the shutter button and a breeze starts and moves the flower!
Gaye Johnson // June 14, 2008 at 7:17 pm |
Many good tips in this and I’m learning from your Blog. Thanks! And very nice flower pictures too!
Bo // June 14, 2008 at 7:17 pm |
I just spent the morning shooting flowers at our Arboretum -some of the prairie flowers are peeking out. I use a 50 mm F/2.0 Zuiko – I have an Olympus set-up – and I am now researching extension tubes and diopters. Always so much to sort though and learn…
But fun!
I love these orchids. Were these taken indoors?
visuallens // June 15, 2008 at 1:29 am |
Yesbuts, Gaye Johnson and Bo
Thanks ! All the pictures were taken indoor except the third photo. The pictures taken in the flower stalls which were seperated from the wall. I make use the light that come in through the hole.
shuttertalk // June 15, 2008 at 12:41 pm |
Very nice flower pictures!!! Thanks for sharing…
davidlind // June 16, 2008 at 1:16 pm |
Some good thoughts about taking photos of flowers. I do try to photograph them a lot. Outdoors is especially a challenge because of the bright light.
I was having many of these same thoughts yesterday as we walked through the botanical garden here in Richmond. Outdoor flowers often have very small imperfections. It is difficult finding one that has not been bitten by a small insect or fried a little in the sun. But hunting for the perfect flower is a fun part of the game. Nice find!
Photo Buffet // June 18, 2008 at 6:14 pm |
One way around the bright light is to use a lens hood. I never used to use one, until I wanted to take florals around 11 a.m. and found they all looked washed out. I tried it again the next day and the lens hood made a huge difference. I keep my ISO at 100 for flowers, too.
If I were choosing between the two lenses you mentioned, I’d go for the EF 100mm Macro first. It’s versatile, and you can add a diopter or two and get great results. I use mine alone 90% of the time, and add a 2+ diopter the rest of the time.
visuallens // June 19, 2008 at 1:39 am |
Photo Buffet,
Thank you for your advice and tip that given me. It let me know more on photography flower macro . I think my photography friends also will benefit if they want to photography flower pictures professionally. Thank You
gayejohnson // June 24, 2008 at 5:50 pm |
I’m going out now to try all the good tips…I think my favorite photography is ‘macro’ so I’d better get busy and keep learning. Thanks to you all.
Photo Series: How To Take Perfect Flower Pictures « Visuallens // July 12, 2008 at 3:22 am |
[...] vs 100mm macro lens – which lens is better or to buy if you have a limited budget? Keep reading The perfect flower pictures Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)London at the scene…Couldnt they come up with a [...]
The Purple Wild Orchid « Blog Archive « Pixellens // August 7, 2008 at 10:29 am |
[...] in tropical and temperate countries are different in size and color. Some look so fantastic and geogeous that the picture just comes out looking exactly how you want. And then some look average and [...]
The White Orchid Flower « Blog Archive « Pixellens // September 13, 2008 at 11:31 am |
[...] same, some look like they are easy to be photographed but it may difficult to get all the details. Read More [...]