How to shoot flowers

It's spring, and it's hard not to be enthralled by the explosion of color and fragrances out there.  Tulips. daffodils, lilacs and flowering fruit trees all put on wonderful displays.

How to take great pictures of flowers can be challenging.  Here are just a couple of tips.

First, use depth of field to bring focus to a particular area, rather than having the whole picture sharp front to back.  Notice how in the picture above, the focus drops off from the flowers on the left to the branches in the back right.

The second suggestion is to let light and shadow bring the viewer's eye to a key element.   The eye is naturally drawn to the brightest part of a scene, so by composing the image with that in mind, you can lead the viewer to the subject of your image.  Combine that with a shallow depth of field, and use of the rule of thirds, and you've got a stronger photograph.

So get out there and play. It's a great time to expand your skills, and indulge the senses.