Wildflower Photo Techniques

8 November 2013 At Your Leisure

Thistle In Bloom
The best wildflower photos are captured when the plants begin to bloom. Wildflowers bloom by the thousands around the cottage every year, but there is a short window of time to get the ideal shot of your favourite flowers at the lake.

Wildflower Photography Techniques

Sometimes “weeds” provide the best wildflower photos of all. Knowing a few tricks on how to photograph flowers in the forest is the best way to get wonderful shots.

Wind Screen
Bring a cardboard box to block the wind while you take your wildflower photos.
A plastic sheet taped between two sticks also works to help minimize movement on a breezy day.

Focus
Use the manual focus on the camera to get the ideal photo of the wildflower at the proper distance.

Play with your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings to find the right depth of field and ensure a crisp shot.

Light
When you have the time, try to take shots at different times of the day to use the best natural light conditions.

Early morning allows you to catch the dew and use shadows that are softer than those that occur in the middle of the day.

Consider adding artificial light to offset shadows. You can use a piece of white paper to reflect light.

Cover your flash with a piece of toilet paper or a tissue to balance the exposure when shooting very close to the plant.

Composition
The great thing about digital photography is the ability to take thousands of shots in the search for a perfect photo. Have fun experimenting and try different angles when taking photos of the wildflowers. The view from above, below and a mixture of side shots will produce very different pictures.

Note: Watch out for the ants if you are lying down in the grass or field to get your dream photo.

Background
A trick to deal with a troublesome background is to place a piece of construction paper behind the plant to isolate the flower and control the background colour.

Stabilization
Holding the camera in your hands might work, but it is always best to try to keep it as steady as possible. Use a tripod, a rock, or even a piece of wood to stabilize the camera.

It is worthwhile to invest in a remote control to get the best quality shots.

Timing
Shoot over the course of a few days if the plants are blooming in stages to get the best selection of shots.

Written and photographed by: Andrew Walker

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