5
Close-ups Macro lenses are great for photographing
flowers: they magnify the smallest of specimens so you
can fill the frame and, so long as you have a small area sharp,
the excessive blur of its shallow depth-of-field complements the
subject's delicacy. Look for flowers that you can isolate from
their background, find the right angle for a seamless backdrop
and colours that complement or contrast with the flower to
make it stand out. I prefer to keep my set-ups as natural as
possible rather than inserting artificial backgrounds, however for
garden flowers it’s often helpful to photograph them in pots so
you can position them in the best light and in front of the best
background. Unlike in the wild where backlighting is easier to
find, some gardens don’t get much low morning or evening light
so you’re forced to shoot during the day. If that’s the case, try to
shade the flower using a diffuser to reveal the most detail and
allow the light to illuminate the background. I’ll often use my
own body to cast shade or a white umbrella. I use a Sigma
150mm f/2.8 EX Macro DG lens, but 105mm or even a 60mm
macro works well for subjects you can shoot at close range.
You could also use extension tubes with a 50mm lens to reduce
your working distance if you're on a small budget.78 Digital SLR Photography July 2019