Flower Photography: 7 Macro Tips

Macro Photography  •  Photography Tips

Macro photography is undoubtedly one of the most exciting genres of photography out there. By allowing you to have a closer look, it lets you have an entirely different outlook. While mundane objects look very interesting under a macro lens, beautiful subjects like flowers appear even more appealing. In today’s exciting video, we have macro photographer Micael Widell who shares 7 great tips that’ll help you take awesome flower macro photos:

While Widell works with flowers that he purchased from a store, the tricks that he shares work equally well with outdoor flowers too. But no matter the type of flowers that you’re working with, here’s an interesting tip from him that will help you select the best sort of flowers (or any macro subjects):

“The best way to pick flowers is to imagine you’re looking at them through a macro lens. Look very closely, look for interesting details that might look cool when you zoom in a lot.”

And like Widell shows us in the video, petal forests make for one of the best subjects for flower photography. Their patterns and arrangements can make for some really interesting images. Moreover, how you light them also plays a crucial role in determining whether or not the images stand out.

Photo capture by Breno Machado

For instance, if you use a wireless flash setup to illuminate the petals, try lighting the petals from the back. By shining the light through the petals from the back, you can get surreal results. However, in the process be sure not to point the light directly towards the lens. Otherwise, you’ll lose contrast.

Another interesting thing you can try is to add some creative elements to your composition. For example, Widell uses glittery paper as the background and that really helps to make the flower pop. Similarly, you can try spraying the flower with some water and even illuminate them with colored light. You can use gels with your flash for the latter idea.

If you feel that your flower macro photos are missing something, be sure to watch the complete video. The tips that Widell shares in the video will surely help you out.