Tuesday, December 16, 2008

How To Make Your Flower Photographs Stand Out

By Jeff Johnson

Have you ever thought about taking flower photos on a cloudy day? Most people don't. They think the photos will come out dark. Actually, there is enough light even when it is cloudy outside. Plus the light then has a soft and subtle touch to it.

Taking flower photos does not require a lot of sunlight as some people may think. If you take pictures in strong sunlight, you may end up with harsh shadows showing up in the image, which is not a pleasing result.

Your eyes can adapt quickly to different levels of light, but the camera has a more limited capability to capture strong contrasts. Harsh contrasts between sunlit and shadowy areas are not what you want in a good flower picture.

There are remedies which make the flower photos much more pleasing. For example, rather than taking photos on sunny days, you can use cloudy weather to make flower pictures. Cloudy days provide a softer light, which tends to make flower photos come out better.

There are some other techniques you can use to make your photos look like the ones made by professional photographers. They are easy to implement, and you can use simple household items.

For instance, you can learn how to make your own clouds. This only takes a white garbage bag (unused) or a white t-shirt. Along with that, you will also need a hanger that can be shaped into a square. Attach the hanger to the t-shirt or the garbage bag, then hold the contraption above the subject to shade it from the direct sunlight.

The professionals have a knack for making pictures at special times of day, such as early in the morning or near sunset. This is because the light is very special then, and the pictures are likely to be more pleasing. You can try this technique also, and add new qualities to your photos.

Finally, if you don't have enough light on the subject, like in case of a flower in a very shady spot, you can use a mirror or a piece of aluminum foil. Hold it so that it reflects extra light on the subject, to make it stand out better. This will help focus the attention on the flower that you are trying to capture. - 16463

About the Author: