Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Would You Like To Take Flower Pictures Like the Pros?

By Ben Johnson

If you have access to a flower garden, you probably want to make some nice flower photos. And most likely you will choose a nice, warm, sunny day to take out your camera.

However, people who think that they need that sunlight to take a good picture are sadly mistaken. When it comes to taking photos of flowers in a garden, an overcast day may actually work better.

There are several more ways to make your flower photos stand out. Here are some methods that professional photographers use to make their pictures look good:

Create a shadow by using a piece of cardboard. Place it where it will throw a shadow on some of the backdrop. This method will darken the background, so as to make it more subdued and less distracting.

Maybe you need more light on your favorite flower? Then borrow the bathroom mirror and use that to reflect the light to where you want it. Favorite trick of the professionals.

Need to soften up that harsh sunlight? Then make a diffuser - take a white plastic bag or some other semi-opaque stuff, and stick it to a frame made of a bent wire coat hanger. Use this to diffuse the sun's rays and create a more subtle effect.

Some professional photographers use a technique where they have the sun coming in from behind the subject. This one of those techniques you might need to work with in order to get it just right. Experiment with it, and you will like the results. The effect of this technique, called "backligtning" is very special.

Around noontime, the sun is at its peak and actually producing the most dull type of light for picture-making. Try taking out your camera at dawn... or near sunset. You will be amazed at the difference.

Most of us have a camera with a zoom lens. Using this feature allows you to more easily find a shooting angle that will fit the subject of your photo. You can often fix a distracting background by zooming in - this will make the background area smaller and easier to manage.

All these methods are stuff the pro's use all the time, and some of the reasons their results look so fantastic. You too can make photos like that if you learn their secrets.

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