Tips for Great Flower Photos

[Jennifer]

HOW TO TAKE BETTER FLOWER PICTURES

It's spring. Flowers are "busting out all over."
And we all love to take pictures of them. Here are
some tips on how to take better flower pictures from
the world's largest photography school, New York
Institute of Photography (NYI).

First, carry a spray can filled with water. When
you select a single flower or bunch of flowers you
want to photograph, spray them with droplets of water to
give them a fresh dewy look.

Second, walk around the flower to see how it looks
in light coming from different directions. Watch
carefully when the light (usually, the sun) is
behind the flower, coming toward the camera. Often,
the petals will glow with beautiful iridescence.
This is called "backlighting" because the light is
coming from the back of the subject (in this case,
the flower). Backlighting is often the best type
of lighting for translucent subjects like petals.
(Terrific for flags too.)

Third, NYI suggests that, while a flower by itself
is pretty, it often makes a so-so picture. To make
the picture come alive, wait until something adds
life to the flower - for example, a bee alights,
or a spider crawls into it, or a hummingbird
pays a visit. It takes patience, but it pays off
if, for example, after you wait a few minutes, a
butterfly lands on your flower. Shoot! The picture
you'll get will be really great!

These are a few of the tips on flower photography
you'll find on NYI's Website. For more, visit
<http://www.nyip.com>

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NYI's web site at <http://www.nyip.com> features ideas to help
you take better pictures,tips on technique, answers to questions,
photo contests,and information on our home-study courses.