Wildflower Photography Tips - National Park Service

While poking around to key some wildflowers I photographed, I came across the National Park Service website which gave the following tips:

1. ″FILL THAT VIEWFINDER!

Perhaps the biggest shortcoming for photographers is their failure to get close to their subject.Get as close as you think you need to get and then move TWO STEPS closer. Especially with wildflower photography, you will need to get very close.

2. ″USE OPTICAL ZOOM

When using digital cameras, optical zoom is preferable to digital zoom. Digital zoom is very low resolution and gives a "grainy" appearance. When using a macro lens on either a digital or film SLR, a 90 mm focal length at minimum is preferable. 55 mm or 75 mm macros just don't get close enough

3. ″AVOID DISTRACTING BACKGROUNDS

Bring a sheet of matt black mat board in the field with you that measures 10 or 12 inches square. Place it behind your wildflower subject as a backdrop to give the illusion of a "Studio still life."

4. ″DIRECT SUNLIGHT IS NOT NECESSARY

Realize that direct sunlight is not only not necessary, but can be at times, unflattering. The diffuse "soft" light of an overcast day can be beautiful light for wildflower photography. If diffuse light seems not bright enough use a piece of white mat board as a "fill" card.Your fill card can also act as a "wind break" on breezy days so that your subject flower doesn't sway in the breeze producing a blurry photo.

5. ″USE A TRIPOD

Tripods are especially useful in wildflower photography since as a photographer you are usually low to the ground in awkward positions. By placing the camera on a tripod you can work more deliberately and methodically ensuring good results. If you have a mirror lock-up feature on your SLR, use it in conjunction with a cable release.

6. ″USE THE RIGHT APERTURE

Remember when you want the expansive vista shot with the wildflower in the extreme foreground and the mountains and everything else in between in focus, this will require an aperture of f16 or f22.

7. ″TAKE LOTS OF SHOTS

Use lots of film and or memory and take an abundance of photos and try different angles, light, composition etc.

For more information visit the site by clicking here.