Nature Photography How To

Floral photography is a fun and accessible genre this time of year because there are beautiful blooms just about everywhere you look—at a local park or nature center, and even in the comfort of your own backyard. Best yet, you don't need fancy equipment or advanced skills.

The challenge, of course, is capturing the essence of these colorful subjects with high-quality images that are far more inviting than mere snapshots. In this tutorial from the Andy H YouTube channel you'll learn a few tricks that really deliver the goods whether you're a beginner, an amateur, or even a pro with a different specialty.

Andy is a long-time nature photographer based in the UK with a portfolio full of compelling imagery. His goal for this episode is to help you shoot stunning flower photos that appear as though they were captured by a pro in the studio. All that's required, apart from his expert advice, is a camera and lens, along with a couple very basic accessories.

This lesson is surprisingly comprehensive for a six-minute video, covering a variety of topics that include shooting techniques, leveraging the light, appropriate camera settings, and very helpful tips on composition. You'll also see how simple, everyday equipment is all you really need. There's a list of Andy's preferred gear in the description beneath the video.

Andy employs varied techniques for different kinds of flowers, and his list of accessories is about as short and affordable as can be. He carries a couple sheets of small flexible plastic, one black and one white, to use as backgrounds, although paper cards will do just fine. He demonstrates how the position of these "backing sheets," and their angle relative to the sun and the subject, will have a big impact on your results.

Another simple and very helpful piece of kit is the pocket-sized headlamp that Andy has in his bag in place of a more expensive and complicated flash. As you'll see, this proves very valuable in dim conditions or when you simply want to "kiss" a flower with a bit of artificial illumination—even on bright days.

The only other "accessory" that comes into play is a water bottle that you likely already carry in the field. You may be surprised by the added impact that results from sprinkling a few water droplets on the petals of a bloom. So take a look at how Andy quickly combines these techniques and tools to create the spectacular shots that he displays as the lesson concludes.

Andy's YouTube channel features a wide range of instructional videos on landscape photos, macro, and other outdoor subjects, so do yourself a favor and take a close look.

We also recommend watching the tutorial we posted earlier with a unique style of nature and wildlife photography from another pro who likes to keep things simple.