Prepping for Petals

Yes, I do realize that we are still in the middle of winter. However, in my mind, there’s no better time than right now to prepare and look forward to photographing flowers in the gardens. Plus, with the availability of flowers “for hire” waiting in stores or online, what better time than now to consider flexing our creative and technical muscles in the comfort of our homes.

In the world of flower photography, the styles of interpretation run from documentary to artistic to abstract. Each of these areas have their place and purpose. And, yet, there is not a “mutually exclusive” clause that says you, as the photographer and visual artist, must live in only one zone. The technical aspects of photography are important. A clearly defined subject in a well-composed and well exposed frame matters and clearly makes a difference.

Knowing or learning how to achieve a “technically correct” image is important in that being comfortable in those areas allows you to “veer” in the direction of your own creative vision and style. It allows you to be intentional in your making of the image. Knowing how to operate your camera without an effervescent flow of “whoops” and fumbling or fiddling and hoping things work will also allow you to find your way in all areas of photography, not just in the flowers and gardens.

Redbuds signal the coming spring

Cherry blossoms fill the air and trees with beauty

RECOGNIZING YOUR STYLE

We all have a particular leaning in our thinking and in how we approach our subjects. Whatever our dominant style is, we need to embrace it, but not be afraid to meander out of our comfort zones and enter “new territory.” Sometimes, that is led by profession (conservation) and other times by personality (left/right brain leanings). My style of photography, especially with flowers and gardens, leans strongly in the artistic and interpretive zone. Though I’m not averse to the documentary image, the interpretive and even abstract floral image feeds my soul. The process allows me to get in a zone and go with the flow.

Photography is my passion and my therapy. My images reflect that most of the time. With three macro lenses, more than a handful of close-up accessories, and a roller bag full of Lensbabies, I embrace getting close and discovering hidden gems within the blooms. I have a tendency to get “lost in the folds” of florals, regardless of whether I’m photographing in the field or at home.

I have to remind myself to take reference images (even if I don’t like them) so that I can identify the flowers when they evolve from tight macros into abstracts that celebrate colors, shapes, lines and textures. There have been times when all I could say is that the image was of a flower, but I dug in so quickly that the “big picture” escaped me. If this happens to you, start making it a habit of taking the reference photo before you start or before you leave a subject. It never hurts to have an environmental portrait.

Magnolias splaying their undulating petals

Small ranunculus filled with amazing details

“INTENTIONAL APPROACH” OFFERS MORE SUCCESS

There are times when we’re hit with a field of flowers or gardens that overwhelm our senses, and we’re so in awe that we don’t know where to start. When this happens, stop. Settle down and be where you are. Slow down, take it all in. DON’T plant your camera and tripod somewhere and start shooting mindlessly. Keep your eyes and mind open. If you’re in the middle of an “ocean of blooms,” look for the one that holds your attention. Before you start shooting, ask yourself, “Who’s the star? And the supporting characters?” And, articulate the “why.” Then, move around your subject and find the best angle/perspective. Where do you need to be? What lens do you need? What’s the light doing for or against your subject? How can you work with these elements? What “stuff” do you need? Gather all your tools together, and, now, start connecting with your subject. (Keep in mind, this approach applies to more than flowers.)

When I identify the “star” and the “why,” I am usually working from the “big” (smaller) picture inward. This means that I’m likely choosing one of my macro lenses, making sure I have diopters ready to add, along with my tripod, diffuser/reflector set and small flashlight or Litra cube with diffusion dome. Most of these accessories fit inside the diffuser case, which I attach to a belt loop or my camera bag with a carabiner. Oh, and one more thing, I almost always (like 99% of the time) use a circular polarizer for my flower and nature photography. The only time it is off is if I’m indoors or the light is so low that it’s not helping to temper glare and sheen off my subjects.

Camelias provide winters with color

Plentiful swoops of lilacs welcome the spring

If I don’t have a “star” in mind to get started with, it’s entirely possible that I’m “crap-shooting.” I could go home with images that elicit a “what was I thinking?” response as I review them. Time in the field with beautiful flowers is precious and therapeutic. I want to see that emotional response in the images I bring home. And while they all won’t “speak to me,” there’s always one that stands out and reminds me that the slower pace allows for more depth in exploration. More frames in the camera does not guarantee success. More time with your subject almost always does. Slow down. Don’t leave before the party starts… And, don’t leave before you see what stopped you, what held your attention, on the back of your camera. If it’s not there, it won’t be when you get home.

Getting to the heart of the rudbeckia

”MOSTLY” IN CONTROL – “MOSTLY”

In my perfect world of flower photography, here’s what would happen: The skies would be bright overcast. All the flowers and plants would be in their best condition (though I am drawn to broken petals and bent blooms). There would be no wind, And the rain would only come before my time in the gardens so it could leave fresh drops on leaves and petals (or after I went home). There would be ladybugs, grasshoppers, caterpillars and butterflies and bees in all the right place. They would be perfectly still for their close-ups. Oh, and, there would be green tree frogs tucked in the flowers just waiting for me. Yup. Dream on. We can’t “order up” our perfect world. Sometimes, we’re blessed with most of the best conditions, rarely with all of them. So, when we’re headed out or we’ve arrived, we simply need to put on our “happy face,” and our “problem-solving cap: and move forward.

Some of my favorite gardens include Raulston Arboretum, Duke Gardens and Tryon Palace gardens in North Carolina. Beyond my home state I would add Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond, VA, Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA, and Gibbs Gardens in Ball Ground, GA. There are more, of course, as any garden can become a favorite while I’m in it, including my own small space.

Sometimes all things fall into place – light, wind & color in beautiful gardens

Lensbaby Velvet 56 loving the azaleas

A while back, I encountered several amazing gardens (Gibbs Gardens and Smith-Gilbert Garden in Georgia, and Tryon Palace Gardens and my local arboretum here in North Carolina.) The first few lines from Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities” echoed in my mind (“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”). There was bright sun and no clouds one day, perfect overcast the next; and, then, twice, I had to accept varied light with almost constant breezes. Best time to find a cactus to shoot. We are not in charge of the weather. We are not in charge of the sun, the wind, the rain or any other planetary influence. We are in charge of our response.

So, what to do? On the sunny days, I looked for flowers that lent themselves to the light or found blooms in the shaded and wind-protected areas. I also worked bigger scenes so that the light would balance, and the moving targets were smaller and less magnified. On the overcast days, I looked for blooms that were beautiful to me whether because of their colors, shapes or a combination and worked them well. In all cases, I was on alert for clean backgrounds without distractions or ones that complemented the main subject (“star”). On those two most breezy adventures, I did similar things. However, I also chose apertures that gave me faster shutter speeds, increased my ISO for the same and embraced the softer, more abstract look. I also ditched the tripod a few times and practiced my rocking motion while my eye was glued to the viewfinder, pressing the shutter as the select areas came into focus.

Brightly lit areas are easier to manage with a diffuser (or if you’re lucky, a random cloud). Wind is less manageable. In public gardens you can’t bring “wind breaks” and plop them in well-tended beds. Well, you can, but only if you enjoy being asked to leave for not respecting the efforts of the gardeners. If it’s your garden, I say, “have at it.” Cut the flowers, bring them inside and have a field day. While you’re at it, be open to trying new techniques. Motion blurs and multiple exposures offer creative ways to deal with moving subjects and changing light.

Dance of the Iris

Tulips spinning in celebration of the season

GOING BEYOND THE NAME

Consider abstracts in your flowers. It can be a freeing experience when you know that you (and the viewer) don’t have to identify exactly what it is, but simply recognize the essence of the blooms. This area of photography releases you from the “tack-sharp” requirement, but not from considerations like visual flow, the relationships of colors, textures and line.

Remember those flowers blowing (well, whipping like crazy) in the wind? How about slowing down your shutter speed, setting up on your tripod and letting them create a canvas wash of color? Just a thought. (You might need to add a neutral density (ND) filter to accomplish that, but it’s probably in your bag.) With abstracts, I work on finding the areas of focus or softness or colors and flow that work best in the frame. It’s not so much a “rule of thirds” approach, but rather finding a place for the eye to be drawn and to rest momentarily before traveling throughout the frame.

Dahlia in Abstraction

Dahlia multiple exposure – soft & sharpe

BEST THING TO BRING INTO THE GARDENS

Regardless of how you approach flower photography, there’s one thing that you must not leave at home or back in the car. PATIENCE is the virtue that is more than always welcome in flower photography. The light changes, the wind simmers down, the people move out of your scenes, and there’s always another flower waiting for your attention.

We’re on the edge of the season that’s ever changing, with new waves of colors and textures and patterns arriving each day. Here in my area the daffodil bulbs are beginning to push up green leaves and the hellebores are already showing off some blooms. Our winter color in the pink camelias is coming back after the recent freezing temperatures. Embrace the evolutions.

Agave when the winds blow

Anemone magic with a  Helios 44

The daffodil is one of the first flowers of spring, ushering in a rush of color.