FLOWER FOCUS

Spring is here, capture flowers with a story.

BY DAVE NESS

Capturing the natural beauty of flowers in an engaging photo begins with where you position your camera and a few basic camera tips. You can highlight a particular part of a flower, showcase a single flower in a field of many, or capture a scene accented by flowers. Each tells a different story. What’s important is to select your story and then compose your shot accordingly.

Your image will have more depth if you capture the flower from an angle as opposed to straight on. Side light, such as morning or afternoon sun, creates shadows that also add to the image’s depth. Sometimes you’ll create more interest if you show only a portion of the flower. This allows you to fill more of the scene with the beauty and detail. As you compose your shot, position your camera so the background tells part of the story. If you want the viewer to focus on a minute detail, then fill the screen with the rest of the flower so there is only one story.  And if you are highlighting one flower in a field of many, blur the background to bring focus to the main flower.

Use your macro setting, sometimes depicted with a flower symbol on your camera, or select a low F-stop number on a DSL lens, and get close to the flower if you want the background to be blurry, or if you want only part of the flower to be in focus. In close-up shots the subtle textures and shapes of the flower will show best on an overcast day where the sky provides a soft light.

We are fortunate to have many beautiful flowers in San Diego County and the nearby deserts. Balboa Park provides many opportunities to photograph flowers, including the Botanical Garden, Flower Garden, and along most of the walkways. The days are getting longer—grab your camera, capture and enjoy.

Enjoy more of Dave’s Photographic Art at DaveNessPhotography.com or connect with Dave on Facebook/ViewByNess. Learn more Capture Tips and leave comments at PicTipsBlog.com