Wild Flowers

Wild Iris in Oregon Woods

Wild Flowers in Walla Walla Vineyard

Spring brings wildflowers.  Flower shots usually fall into the category of "macro" or "close-up" photography. Many digital cameras, both the point and shoot variety and more advanced models have pre-settings for close ups. For the more advanced cameras there are specialized macro lenses available.  If flowers, mushrooms, bugs, etc. are your photo thing macro lenses are good investments. Check your camera and camera manual for the presence of close-up features.

If you find yourself in a field of wildflowers there are several ways to capture the moment.

First, take pictures from the edge of the field. These should have a well defined foreground that is in focus. Experiment by focusing on a near-by flower. Then vary the f-stop. Start with a wide open stop that will give a narrow depth of field, such as 3.5 or 5.6. Then work your way up to a closed down stop that will give a deep depth of field. Compare the results and see what you like. Remember, in all my suggested experiments I am working to help you define "your" style. Both the wide open and closed down stops may yield great results. The wide open stop will isolate the focused upon flower by fuzzing out the backdrop. The closed down stop will have more in focus and more closely resemble what you saw.

One of the major problems with taking wildflower and garden flower shots is the wind. If it is a nice still day there may be little movement in the flowers and it may be possible to wait for those quiet moments when nothing is moving. However, we usually are not that lucky. This is where you ISO setting comes in. On a windless day you may be able to shoot at an ISO of about 200. When the breeze is breezing you will have to step up the ISO to 500 to 2000 in order to get the shutter speed fast enough to stop the action of the flowers in motion. In the old days of film this would have been a major problem because as the ISO of the film increased the grain of the film increased in size and the print became grainy. With the digital cameras the impact of increasing the ISO is relatively minor - so go ahead and try those once outrageous ISO settings of 1000 to even 5000.

Of course movement in the camera is also a problem. The easiest way to deal with this is to use a tri-pod or a mono-pod. A camera or lens that has the "image stabilization" feature can be most beneficial for hand held shots. Using the image stabilization feature on a mono-pod can be very good and not as difficult as carrying about as a tri-pod. This is also were a very short tri-pod or mono-pod can be very useful.

The most common problem I see is where the top half (or bottom half) of the flower is in focus and the other half is not. This is usually because the face of the flower and the face of the lens are not parallel. Thus, the distance to the top half of the flower is different than the distance to the bottom half of the flower. The solution is to tilt the camera such that the plane of the face of the flower and the plane of the face of the lens are parallel. Sometimes you cannot get low enough to use your viewfinder, so you again have to experiment. Hold the camera down to the level of the face of the flower, tilt the camera to the plane of the face of the flower and shoot. Bring the camera screen up to viewing level and see what you have. Adjust how you place the camera and shoot again - and maybe again - and maybe again. Having that fantastic shot of the forest floor wildflower is well worth the extra two or five minutes this might take. It is helpful when doing this to mark the spot you had the camera by putting a coin or a stick on the ground.

Also, with wildflowers do not be satisfied with taking just mug shots. Try a profile shot, one from above and one from below. Try taking the flower's backside. Try to have the flower back lit - in a pinch a friend with an adjustable beam type flashlight can provide the back lighting. This can be especially effective if there is a bug on the flower. Also, nature does not always supply us with dew. So, find a small mister and make your own. Oh, heavens forbid - pish posh. You are creating art and memories. Just do not hurt the flower or the surrounding eco structures in your quest for art. Especially do not pick wildflowers - in many places this is highly illegal and may be subject to fines of up to $1,000. It is always in bad taste to pick wildflowers. There is an exception in many places. Students may obtain a permit to pick a limited number of wildflowers if they are involved in a school science project. Check with the Park Rangers.

Venture into the field and take portraits of individual flowers and family shots or groups of flowers. The same advice holds. However, one caution. Watch where you step and do no damage to living plants. Rocks make excellent stepping stones.

Also, do not take only close-up shots.  Why?  Many wildflowers look much alike.  If you have an expert friend helping you to identify the flower they will need to see the entire plant and even the micro eco system that is about the wildflower.  This will increase your "market" for the images because while the close-up shots are dramatic the broader shots have their own charm.  Uniform lighting is a challenge and hot spots destroy many good shots.  Do not be afraid to shade the entire flower or plant.  Or, if you want to get very fancy, shade the plant and then use a silver or white reflector to increase the light on the flower.

Lastly, if you want to practice check out your local public rose garden or horticultural center.   A number of flower growers and greenhouses will let photographers roam.  Portland, Oregon has four magnificent public rose gardens. And many communities, such as Walla Walla, have very nice gardens and horticultural displays.  Of course there are fields of wildflowers in the Walla Walla Valley.

Hope this is helpful.  Please feel free to comment, to add your own suggestions and to help others find fields of wildflowers.