10 Tips for Great Flower Photography
10 Tips for Great Flower PhotographyFlower photography is not only a great way to spend your time learning different photography techniquesit is also a great way to add to your home decor! Flowers are a fantastic subject, not just because of theirbeauty, but also because of their availability. If you don't have any flowers in your own yard to photographyou don't have to go far to find some. You can easily photograph flowers at your local park, the Mall, arestaurant, a friends garden, a community garden, just about every where you go there are flowers.If you don't want to photograph flowers in their natural setting you can purchase flowers in most grocerystores or at a local flower shop to take home and photograph in a studio setting. In fact, it's hard to find alegitimate reason for not photographing flowers.Let's get down to business. Here is a list of 10 tips that will help you create some amazing flowerphotography.
1. One of the first things you need to do with digital photography is to make sure you are using thecorrect white balance settings. If your camera has the option, I recommend that you use themanual white balance function. If not, then use whatever setting is appropriate for the lighting youare shooting with. The equivalent to white balance if you are shooting film is color balance. If youare shooting outside be sure you are using daylight balanced film.
I also suggest that withdaylight balanced film outdoors that you use a slight warming filter. Most of the flowerphotography that you may do will either be in shade or on an overcast day creating a much bluerlight then the film is balanced for. On the flip side, if shooting indoors with incandescent lightingor normal house lights you should be using tungsten balanced film. If the indoor lighting is beingsupplied by florescent light, then use a florescent filter with daylight balanced film. This is just astarting point.
Experiment, mix it up. You can get some fantastic special effects that way. 2. Get a polarizer filter. The great thing about a polarizer is that it will eliminate or reduce imagedegrading reflections. This helps to improve color saturation and contrast. At the proper angle itwill also dramatically darken a blue sky.
This effect is adjusted by rotating the filter until thedesired effect is achieved. There are 2 types of polarizer's available, circular and linear. Most ofthe advanced metering systems today that are built into your camera will not function properlywith a linear polarizer. So I suggest you get a circular polarizer to play it safe. I have also seenwarming polarizer's.
While I have not tried one you may want to experiment with them. 3. Always use a tripod. Let me repeat that, "Always use a tripod". Not only will a tripod steady yourcamera and help you achieve a much sharper image, but it will also force you to think about yourcomposition. You will have to place the flowers in your photographic image much moredeliberately instead of just pointing your camera and shooting away. 4. Don't just take a snapshot of a flower that interests you and then move on. Set up your first shotto include the whole flower then concentrate on the details of the flower that attract your eye.Focus on the color or small details of the flower. 5. Control your depth of field.
If you are photographing a single flower with a busy background thenuse a wide aperture to selectively focus on the flower and blur out the background. Conversely, ifyou are photographing a field of flowers the use a smaller aperture setting to bring most, if not allthe flowers into focus. If your camera has a depth of field preview then this is the time to use it. 6. Look for the unusual. Some examples would be snow or ice on a flower, A flower growing out ofconcrete or even a dead flower that has an interesting look. 7. Don't put your camera away just because it's cloudy or looks like a storm is coming. Colors reallypop at this time and you can get some amazing photographs in these conditions.
I have evenphotographed in rainy and foggy weather with great results. Be sure to use a tripod and keepyour gear dry. 8. On a bluebird sunny day, soften the harsh contrasty light by placing a diffusion screen betweenthe flower you are photographing and the sun. You can purchase a portable diffusion screen oruse something you have on hand. You can completely block the sun and put your flower inshade, then redirect some light back on the flower with a reflector. This reflector can be acommercially made reflector or just something reflective like a white T-shirt or a piece of foamcore.
Another photographic technique would be to use fill flash. If your camera has an automaticfill flash function then give it a try. Experiment with the lighting ratio if your camera will let youchange the flash output. I find reflectors to be a better option then fill flash most of the time. 9. Photograph your flowers from different angles. Shoot straight down, from the side, from theunderneath, just change it up a little. 10. Have fun with it.
Don't be afraid to experiment and try different things. Once you think you havethe photograph in the bag, get wacky with it!.
Ken is a long time photo enthusiast who decided to publish a web site www.explore-photography.com after many of his favorite photography magazines stopped or reduced thier articles on photography techniques and started focusing on product reviews.The 2004 New England Spring Flower Show Begins on March 13th -- And Winter Officially Becomes a Distant Memory!
(ContentDesk) February 26, 2004--Who needs a groundhog when you have the Spring Flower Show?!! The 2004 New England Spring Flower Show, presented by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society (MassHort), is the region's largest annual indoor event, the longest running flower show in the world and the second largest flower show in the country.
2004 marks the MassHort's 175th year and the 133rd year of The New England Spring Flower Show.The theme of this year's show is "Deeply Rooted," a tribute to the cultural traditions and natural realities that blend to create the beauty and diversity of New England's gardens. The highly anticipated event, which regularly attracts more than 130,000 gardening enthusiasts, will consist of more than 5 acres of exhibit space. Attractions at the event include over 50 gardens designed by local, national and international landscape professionals; amateur competitions highlighting the creations of area garden clubs and junior horticulturalists; more...
Flower > The 2004 New England Spring Flower Show Begins on March 13th -- And Winter Officially Becomes a Distant Memory!
OrderFlower.Net - Revolutionary Flower Search Engine rated A+ by Internet Celebrities
Instead of requiring the destination and the category of the flowers like traditional flower ordering web sites do, OrderFlower.net low price search engine lets anyone enter their desired flower name regardless of their budget or flower category.Internet celebrities are rated Orderflower.net as an A+. Internet world wide celebrity Mahir Cagri (I Kiss You) is choosing his flowers only from Orderflower.net. He said he is using this site because quality of the flowers are very high and he can find thousands of high quality flowers in one place and in a short time of period. He also advices his fans to order their flowers from Orderflower.netOrderflower.net is a search engine which brings most of the major selected flower merchants together and compete them against each other to provide the best price and the quality to the customer. You can search the flowers by flower name or price range.A flower search on Orderflower.net returns photos of relevant flowers with detailed description and...
OrderFlower.Net - Revolutionary Flower Search Engine rated A+ by Internet Celebrities
Flower > OrderFlower.Net - Revolutionary Flower Search Engine rated A+ by Internet Celebrities
Flower Bulbs: Nature?s Greatest Gift
Flowers are one of nature's greatest gifts. Their scent, their colors, their shapes? everything about flowers is beautiful. A colorful, cheerful flower can brighten even the darkest day. Even more enjoyable than looking at flowers, though, is growing them. Flowers can be bought from pots and replanted.
They can also be grown from clippings. However, one of the most popular ways of growing flowers is from bulbs and seeds.
Growing flowers outdoors from bulbs is simple; in fact, it is so easy that it's almost foolproof. One of the most important aspects is timing. Bulbs need to be planted about six weeks before the first frost. Bulbs must be planted in an area with good drainage and a lot of sun.
Make sure the soil is loose, and then plant the bulbs about six inches in the ground. (Package directions may vary depending on type and location; when directions differ, following your package.) Try to place the bulb in the hole with the pointed end facing up. Cover...
Flower Bulbs: Nature?s Greatest Gift
Flower > Flower Bulbs: Nature?s Greatest Gift
Wild Flower Garden - Recreate the Splendor of Nature in Your Own Backyard
A few years ago I made the decision to create a wild flower garden within my existing garden. You can find more information at http://www.complete-flower-garden.com/wildflowergarden.html.I had been working to develop a more earth friendly approach to my garden, trying different options for fertilizing and pest and weed control. The next logical step for me was to establish a wild flower or natural style garden.I was new to this and thought that this particular section of my yard would require little work.
After all, if these flowers grow wild without any human help then I had found the ultimate "no maintenance" garden...right.
Wrong.
As I researched, I learned that I had to design my wild flower garden to take account of soil type, light and moisture.However, I also found that if you are prepared to learn from nature, it becomes a delightful journey with guaranteed success, after...
Wild Flower Garden - Recreate the Splendor of Nature in Your Own Backyard
Flower > Wild Flower Garden - Recreate the Splendor of Nature in Your Own Backyard
The Rich History of Chrysanthemums
Did you know that those lush, colorful blooms called chrysanthemums are rooted in beliefs of human immortality and perfection? Today the "mum" graces gardens, cut flower arrangements and even salads (yes mums taste great), but they were taken much more seriously after T'ao Yuan Ming started it all in China around 500 A.D.Over long periods of careful cross-pollination and selection, he developed stunning varieties of the flower and when he died, his birthplace was renamed Chuhsien. The City of Chrysanthemums. His efforts had produced a legacy that would bring pleasure to this world for centuries.When China imported the first chrysanthemums to Japan, the people there bestowed many honors upon them. The Japanese wrote legends. To sip dew from the petals meant long life.
To eat the flower meant immortality. Philosophers said that the systematic opening of the "ray" flowers symbolized both the sun and the perfection of orderly life.By 800 A.D. the chrysanthemum had become so prestigious...
The Rich History of Chrysanthemums
Flower > The Rich History of Chrysanthemums
Perennials in the Flower Garden
Perennials are the basic flowers of any flower garden. To many people, a flower garden is simply beds of perennials. Each year they die and renew themselves for the next growing season. They can be long-lived and last for many seasons. However, care must be taken for the rapid growers which may smother less vigorous flowers.
Perennials such as the iris and shasta daisies must be divided or transplanted every few years to prevent this from happening. This is a simple process which we will cover in another article.Historically, perennials are among our oldest plants. They have been cultivated for centuries and can bear little to no resemblance to their wild antecedents. In some perennials, the blossoms have become so specialized through centuries of cultivation that they no longer grow 'seeds'. Indeed most perennials reproduce by sending up new plants from the base of the old one which is why the dividing process spoken of earlier must take place at intervals.Another supposed disadvantage...
Perennials in the Flower Garden
Flower > Perennials in the Flower Garden
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ESC Software Offers Two Year Free Financing For Sage Software Products - Special Financing Program Applies to Sage MAS 90, MAS 200, and MAS 500
Tempe, AZ (ContentDesk) July 7, 2006 -- ESC Software today announced a special financing option for new purchases of software and product maintenance plans. The new program provides free financing for 24 months on purchases from ESC Software of Sage MAS 90 ERP, Sage MAS 200 ERP, and Sage MAS 500 ERP.