Flower Photography

Now that summer is in full swing, I’m sure many of you have been tending to your gardens.  As an avid gardener, I’ll often take time out to photograph the flowers I work so hard on helping grow. However, I am the first to admit, my flower photography is lacking.  This is where I met Justin Jayubo  to help me and others who might be challenged in this area of photography. I met Justin on Twitter and soon started to follow his photography. He is a student of the arts and freelance photojournalist based in Northern California. While keeping a diverse style in shooting,  his main subjects include landscapes, nature, sports, and street photography. Aside from photography and school, he enjoys collecting art, traveling, comic conventions, video games, and spending time with family.
Justin breaks it down for us into five easy tips on how to photograph flowers.
1. Familiarize Yourself with the Environment – I usually find myself doing macro shots in the morning or late afternoon. The direct light on flowers can really throw off the colors I look for. Shadows and highlights can be hard to avoid during the day when the sun is shining on almost everything. If wind is a problem, then I avoid using a tripod, and use the lens image stabilization.

2.Water the Plants/Flowers – Water can give the petals a more rich and healthy color. The droplets add a new dimension with their reflection, which I always find interesting. Don’t hose the flowers soaking wet, but enough to make it look natural.

3. Know Your Bloom – Find out what exactly you’re shooting, what time of year they bloom, and what they look like at all stages of life. If you’re shooting something that blooms once a year, then make sure you get what you want before the flowers wilt. I always make sure to get pictures of cherry blossoms once spring arrives.

-4.Smaller Aperture – Having a smaller aperture will bring more of the image in focus. If you want more of the flowers in focus, then more depth of field can give you what you want.

5. Experiment – Try composing shots at various angles and distances. Explore the possibilities and creative process before moving on. I try to find new ways to compose shots each time I go out and take pictures of flowers.

If you would like to see more of Justin’s work you can find his website HERE. You can also find him on these social media channels, Twitter, Flickr, Facebook,  and Tumblr.