5 of 7

Write now Article Tools

Photographing Wildflowers is a wonderful hobby- it brings you so close to nature, so close to the flowers themselves. You develop a deep appreciation for some things other people call weeds- for their intricacies, rich colors, and infinate beauty. Through your photography you can share that experience with others, or just remind yourself of it when the flowers themselves aren't available.

I use a digital camera with a good-sized memory card in it- enough for about 200 pictures- and I've discovered that if I press the take-a-picture button down halfway before taking the picture, it will pull things into focus and let me toy with the image a little bit.

Special lenses can be great, especially if they allow you to get closer than you otherwise could- but read the manual that came with the camera- you may be able to do a lot of things you didn't know about.

My favorite look, so far as it goes, is with the focus on the flower or flowers, and with the background kind of fuzzy. Most cameras have this as a portrait option, or if you're using lenses you could smudge the edges with a clear gel to diffuse everything but your focal point.

Now, I've pulled over on the side of the road more than once just to take pictures of flowrers, but if you're planning on going out to take pictures, wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty (for unplanned excursions, I keep a dropcloth in the trunk), and make sure you have plenty of room in your camera. Have you ever watched a fashion photographer work? They're all over the place, rolling around on the floor, going to all sides of the model in search of that perfect shot. And they take just reams of pictures. I've even hear a professional photographer say that the main difference between a professional and an amateur was that the professional takes so many more photos.

Now, I wouldn't go that far- but the more you take, the better grasp you'll get on what works and what doesn't, the more your eye, and therefore your style, will develop. You are in charge of the shot- you want the camera to show the beauty you see in that flower, whether it is how the color streaks as it blows in the wind, or if its the amazing clarity of all the complex little parts it is composed of.

Learn more about this author, Kellie Hall.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Tips for photographing wildflowers?
We want to hear your view. Write now!