Flower Photo Tips | Suite101.com

Posted by
Barbara M. Martin
Jul 15, 2007

When I wrote for the National Gardening Association, I always included a photo of flowers or my garden or some plant related something to accompany my columns. When I look back at them, I can see some are better photographs than others.

Now why is that? I took all of them myself. I used the same camera. I tried hard to take a good clear photo. I took pride in not "photoshopping" my work and did only minimal manipulation -- such as cropping. So what made the difference?

Sometimes I had a problem with needing a photo to meet my publication deadline -- like NOW. Sometimes the plant did not look as good as I would have liked, but I needed to feature it to accompany what I had written. Sometimes I was rushed and traveling and shot on the fly with no chance to go back and try again. Or it was windy, or the lighting was less than perfect or any variety of excuses usually due to being a somewhat impulsive and last minute creative type.

Other times, just one quick, instinctive shot nailed it and was picture perfect. Gorgeous.

I think a lot has to do with practice makes perfect. You need to know your equipment and what it is capable of doing for you. You need to know your subject and how to make it look the best it can. And you need to know where to position your camera to get a better angle or better lighting for the shot. And you need a steady hand -- or a tripod. It helps if you are shooting in your own garden and are free to step wherever you would like, can come back at different times of the day, can observe the plant and time your shot for when the plant looks its best.

And you need to be willing and able to take your time until you know you've got the shot you want. At its best, taking a great photo puts me in the zone and I could just live to take pictures. On a bad day, nothing comes out right and it is the most frustrating experience I know.

And, all in all, you need to be in the right place at the right time!

So, in case your garden is looking fab this week and you want to record it for posterity or publish it on your blog or just make some nice wallpaper for your 'puter or send a snapshot to your mom, here are some great tips on how to shoot garden and flower photographs. Use them to get an idea of what to try and be aware of, take a close look at your garden with your new "photographer's eye" and snap away!

Let your inner shutter bug run free using these Tips for Flower Garden Photography courtesy of the New York Institute for Photography. Enjoy!