Photoforum Photography Challenge 2011-6

[Grandpa]

It's that time again... April showers and May flowers. An annual topic in the spring, usually one of the year's most popular challenges.

So...everyone pretty much likes flowers, and they're easy to take pictures of, but how can we take better flower pictures - photos that stand out from the crowd?

Stop and study your subject before snapping the shutter. Consider the following:

Identify a focal point

As in all types of photography you need to think about where you want your viewer's eye to be drawn. Consider the rule of thirds - but do find something in your frame that will grab your viewer’s eye and carefully think about how to position it.

Focus is Key

Sharp focus is important in all forms of photography but in flower photography it is crucial and even a tiny adjustment can have massive implications for your shot as the depth of field is often so small. Identify the point of interest that you want to be in focus and then work hard to ensure that it’s as sharp as possible. This can be a real challenge, especially outdoors on breezy days where you’ll probably end up taking a lot of images and relying on luck to some degree! You can improve your ‘luck’ a little by photographing in a more controlled environment (taking flowers inside for studio shots, shielding them from wind or just choosing to do your photography on a still day).

Go abstract

Sometimes going in extra close and focusing in on a part of the flower can create wonderful and unusual images that take on an abstract quality. Look for contrasting colors, patterns and textures.

Lighting

Ideally your subject will be wonderfully lit without needing any assistance, however the world of outdoor photography is often far from ideal and there might be a need to intervene with either artificial light or some kind of reflector.

Experiment using a flash. Generally you’ll find that direct flash on automatic mode might wash photos out a little so consider using a flash diffuser and/or bouncing your flash off another object. The more subtle and indirect the flash is the more natural your shots will look.

Reflectors can also be handy in shooting flowers as they give a nice, natural, diffused light into areas of your subject that might not be getting natural sunlight.

So stop and ask yourself:

How should I crop this - get in close or take a wider angle shot?
What's my focal point? Insect, stem, colour, texture, shape, etc?
What angle will get me the best perspective?
How much depth of field should I use?
How is the subject lit?
Which flower in the group is the best specimen for your photo?
What distractions are in the background and foreground?
Should I use landscape or portrait orientation?





The rules:

1. Only photos taken during the challenge period should be posted.
2. Limit of 2 pictures per post for this topic.
3. Discussion of technique and/or inspiration is encouraged!
4. Remember - this is NOT a contest - no voting, no prizes - other than better photos!

Have fun - take pictures - stop and smell the roses!

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[trhodes]

I shot this at f/5 125s, 75mm. I used a white umbrella to shade the harsh light and cropped to keep the big yellow one in upper right quadrant. With these - it seems you have look straight down to see the colors and flower 'guts' (not a technical term). C/C Welcome.

[Grandpa]

It's a beautiful composition, and the mixture of orange and yellow is awesome! I kind of wish the background, especially the upper left, was a little darker.

[trhodes]

Thanks, Dane. I did a little adjustment as suggested - didn't want to take it too far and make it look obvious...but here is a comparison before/after. Thoughts?

[Bynx]

Our provincial symbol, the Trillium.

[Grandpa]

Nicely done, Bynx. Very crisp.

I like that, Terry - what do you think?

[watergirl]

I'm soooo looking forward to seeing all the beautiful flowers!
Dane, the daisies are perfect! Terry, I like the adjustment it seems to bring a little more richness to the flowers. Bynx, the trillium is very nice, I know how hard it is to get them exposed properly.
No garden flowers available yet, the crocus' just keeled over and the daffs will be another week or so, but I did find this Coltsfoot growing near the beach:

[trhodes]

Dane - that is better thanks. Thanks,Marie.
Nice shots, everyone.

[Court Jester]

[Ali_reed]

That Trillium is gorgeous! It's a very well taken picture!