Flowers are one of the most used subjects for macro photography. They are beautiful and patient models, always ready for a photo shoot. Flowers come in all seasons and places and come in many shapes and colors. As a result, flower macro photography is widespread, and it can be hard to find something new and define a unique style.
Many photographers believe that nothing can be done without the luxury of a special subject. And they choose to find strange flowers to photograph. However, this is not the answer. Floral macro photography provides an insight into the world of flowers and reveals aspects that most people never see or notice. The most ordinary flowers have the most extraordinary stories, curves and features. Here’s how you can capture them in your photos.
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This post expands our general flower photography by focusing more on the macro aspect of flower photography.
Love your subject
Whether you choose to photograph rare wildflowers or houseplants, you must start by loving them. Floral macro photography requires a close connection between the photographer and the subject. If you treat flowers as lifeless, your photos will show it and your viewers will feel it.
Flowers are the essence of life. Although they look fragile and sensitive, they are what keep the planet going. If you take a closer look, you will see life filling their petals. Every color and shape has a precise role to play, and they are constantly changing. Track their life cycle and capture their fascinating features without harming them.
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Compose the story you want to tell
The biggest mistake you can make is thinking flower photos are just for decoration. Don’t skimp on storytelling; Flowers have many stories to tell. Before pressing the shutter button, find out the specific feature of the flower you want to emphasize. A good photo starts with the photographer’s decision to convey the message.
For example, flowers can announce the start of a new season, talk about a place, record an event, or convey an emotion. Flowers have the versatility to carry happy and sad messages. Furthermore, you can focus on the subtleties or try to convey the feeling of the flower by enhancing finer details like rough textures.
Choose a strong focal point
Floral macro photography allows you to get really close to a flower and frame only part of it. You don’t have to frame the entire flower for an accent. You can focus on petals, pistil, pollen, or stems. Every line, color, or shape can be the star of your composition. However, you need to have a highlight to create an attractive and meaningful picture.
Divide the scene into basic elements such as paths, arrays, shadows, and highlights. See which one catches your attention and focus on that one. Macro photography requires a strong focal length, something that captures the viewer’s eye and invites them into the world of tiny subjects.
Don’t forget to use the rules of composition when you’re framing a photo. A common mistake is to keep the subject in the center of the frame. In fact, a singular subject needs space and negative perspective to really shine, not a central location.
Use the Rule of Odds for flower macro photography
The rules of odds says that photos with an odd number of similar elements are more attractive than those with even numbers. In other words, a photo with 3 or 5 similar elements will be more difficult than a photo with 2 or 4. Therefore, if you include a few repeating objects in your composition (e.g. petals, leaves, etc.) ), make sure you use an odd number.
Using one element seems to be the best choice for flower macro photography. It is an odd, compelling number that tells the viewer exactly where to look and what the image is about. However, using more elements will enhance the visual story, lead the viewer from one element to another, make them spend more time with your photo, and deliver a powerful and more active. The natural world is a cooperative and symbiotic world. No one is alone in nature.
Working with Symmetry and Repeat
Flowers are masters of symmetry and repetition. At the same time, their geometry is imperfect and unique. No two flowers are exactly alike. Highlight patterns and textures and fill the frame with lines and shapes.
Make sure your composition is balanced and harmonious. Vertical templates look better in portrait orientation, while landscape templates look better in landscape orientation. Strong lines capture the viewer’s attention whether you planned it or not. Don’t leave anything at random. The direction, hardness and color of the lines affect the message more than you can imagine.
Hide busy wallpaper
When you are photographing flowers in a natural environment, the quality of the background can affect your artistic intent. For example, detailed, busy backgrounds can hide subjects; Colorful backgrounds can make subjects look pale, lifeless, and dull.
Of course, you have the option of moving the camera around until you find a more suitable background (e.g. take a photo of the flower from below or above to have the sky, the ground, respectively, as the background. ). But you also have more technical options.
If you use a shallow depth of field, you will only have a small portion of the frame in focus. The rest of the frame will be blurred. Focus on the subject and blur the busy background to make the subject stand out. To achieve a shallow depth of field, use a large aperture (small f-number) or a short camera-subject distance.
Another option is to use a dedicated macro flash to illuminate only the subject. The result will be a darker background that loses its weight in the composition.
Go for clear and sharp
Flower macro photography requires extreme clarity and detail. You can blur part of the frame using a shallow depth of field or a creative lens, but the focus should be sharp and clear. This is not always easy to achieve with a dedicated macro lens as they are sensitive to the slightest movements.
Use a tripod to avoid camera shake, especially when shooting outdoors. You will often find yourself in uncomfortable positions and holding the camera by hand is not the best idea. Additionally, a dedicated macro flash can give you the amount of light you need instead of relying on faster shutter speeds and lower apertures, both of which increase the risk of image blur.
Combination of natural and artificial light
Use flash for flower macro photography There are other benefits as well. The artificial light source offers endless freedom in creating your works.
You can use it to neutralize the background, highlight the subject, or turn the subject into a silhouette. You can use flash to capture flowers in the early morning or late evening when they are covered with dew or frost.
For example, a ring flash is mounted on the lens and provides uniform illumination. It also helps prevent you from casting shadows on your subject. The external flash can be placed anywhere around the subject, giving you control over the direction and intensity of the light. The combination of natural and artificial light allows you to be more creative and capture the scene you want.
Try the black and white aesthetic
Black and white macro photography limit the number of elements you work with. Without color, geometry gets more attention, and your photos become more dramatic and artistic. Because flowers are natural subjects, and color is one of their most prized traits, very few photographers dare to give up on color.
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Black and white style
However, being immersed in the monochrome world of flowers is a unique experience. Every rib and curve has a meaning. The softness and delicateness of the petals is revealed. You can go beyond the excitement of color and capture the ingenious architecture of nature.
Explore Floral Art Macro Photography
Since flowers are interesting and patient subjects, they are well suited for artistic photography. Create abstract and artistic works using the most unusual shooting angles and reveal unique perspectives.
Use all sorts of contrasts to enhance your visual story. Capture the entire life cycle of a flower, from bud to dried flower, and reveal the beauty of each stage and the meaning of transformation. Flowers allow you to be poetic. They are a versatile medium that can represent anything from remembrance (e.g. a bouquet of dried flowers) to ephemeral, new beginnings and resistance.
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Epilogue
Flower macro photography allows you to step into the wonderful world of flowers and use them to communicate your feelings and beliefs. You can take a natural or abstract approach; Flowers allow you to be yourself on any occasion. And while they’ve become a popular subject, flowers look different in the eyes of every photographer. You simply choose to photograph them for the right reasons.
Tell us why you chose flower macro photography and what you love most about the genre. Is it the passion of the subject or the joy of being part of something universal?
I am a creative writer and a photographer. For me, photography is a state of mind. That’s how to live in the moment and make it a memory. I photograph landscapes, wildflowers and nature with my eyes and heart. Through the viewfinder, I see the world without any misconceptions.
