![\"Calla](\"http:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2011\/07\/desk_lamp.jpg\")
<\/img>Taking flowers and plants out of their natural environment
\nand placing them in a studio setting allows you to study and photograph them in
\na whole new light, quite literally. <\/p>\n
<\/img>Taking flowers and plants out of their natural environment
\nand placing them in a studio setting allows you to study and photograph them in
\na whole new light, quite literally. <\/p>\n
Outside, the main light source is, of
\ncourse, the sun. Whilst it is possible to use reflectors, diffusers and even
\nfill-in flash to alter the light, photographing flowers in a more controlled
\nenvironment offers far more creative opportunities.
\n
\n<\/p>\n
Although perhaps best known for his simple images of calla
\nlilies against black backgrounds, Robert Mapplethorpe’s body of flower
\nphotographs is in fact far broader. <\/p>\n
In
\nthe majority of his images, the flowers, placed in vases, were photographed in
\nfront of coloured backgrounds. The studio environment really allowed
\nMapplethorpe to explore different angles and ways of lighting his subjects, and
\nhe approached each flower as if it were a portrait subject.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Regardless of whether you have a small desk lamp, a studio
\nlighting kit or just natural window light, it is possible to learn from
\nMapplethorpe’s images and create your own stunning flower photographs.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
![\"Calla](\"http:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2011\/07\/lily761.jpg\")
<\/img><\/p>\n
Taking photographs like Mapplethorpe’s pictures of calla
\nlilies can be done using a simple desk lamp and a piece of black paper or
\nbetter still, a dense black fabric such as velvet, as the background. The key
\nto keeping this background looking black in the captured image is to make sure
\nthat it has little or no light falling upon it. You can, of course, darken the
\nbackground using image-editing software, but it is far better practice to get
\nit right in-camera.
\n
\n<\/p>\n
To ensure the background stays black, move it as far away from the subject as
\npossible and turn off all other lights in the room. If there is still some
\nlight falling on the background, you may need to use black card or paper to
\nblock the path of the light to the background, and put it in shadow.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
If you find that a single desk lamp does not light the image
\nas you would like, use a sheet of white paper or card as a reflector and bounce
\nsome of the light back onto the flower to fill in the shadows. Also use the
\nreflector to ensure that some light bounces back onto the stem of the flower.
\nWhen shooting against a black background, if you cannot see the stem, the head
\nof the flower will look like it is just floating in space.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If the light from a desk lamp is too hard, place a diffuser
\nbetween the light source and the subject to soften it. You don’t have to use a specifically designed product – something as simple as a sheet of greaseproof baking paper can help take the edge off of hard lighting.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
![\"Lighting](\"http:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2011\/07\/Lighting_backgrounds.jpg\")
<\/img> Around the home, flowers are generally displayed in
\nprominent places such as windowsills, on tables or on a mantelpiece. Of course,
\nthere is no reason why you can’t just photograph them in these locations, using
\njust the ambient room light. Or you could wait for the perfect time of day when
\nthe room and flowers are lit by sunlight coming in through a window. Often this
\nlight can create interesting shapes on the background, caused by the shadows
\nthat are cast by the window frame itself. You can use these shapes to help add
\ninterest and even to frame the flowers in the image.
\n
\n<\/p>\n
One of the most popular techniques when photographing
\nflowers is to shoot them against a coloured background. Whilst you can paint a
\nwall for this task, using a piece of paper or card is a far better solution.
\nColoured paper and boards are readily available from stationers and art stores,
\nand for best results I would suggest using A2-size.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
![\"Colour](\"http:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2011\/07\/Colour_wheel.jpg\")
<\/img>Choosing what colour background to use can be difficult.
\nSometimes you will want a very bold image and so use a coloured background that
\ncompletely clashes with the colour of the flower. Other times, it is more
\nappropriate to choose a coloured background that is almost identical to the hue
\nof the flower. <\/p>\n
However, for sure-fire results, try using the tried-and-tested
\nmethod of using a colour wheel and choosing two opposing colours. <\/p>\n
For example
\na red flower against a green background or a yellow flower against a violet one.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u00a0![\"Different](\"http:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2011\/07\/FRAMING_AND_CROPPING.jpg\")
<\/img><\/p>\n
Mapplethorpe used a Hasselblad for most of his images, which
\nproduces square-format images. However, most of Mapplethorpe’s flower images are slightly rectangular in shape, closer to a 5×4 ratio crop.
\n
\n<\/p>\n
Some cameras, such as the Nikon D3, Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1
\nand the Olympus E-30 and E-620, have the option to capture images in a square
\nor 5:4 ratio format, but it is easy to create a mask for your camera’s LCD
\nusing card or tape.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
An even easier option is to simply crop the images using
\nediting software. If you intend to do this make sure that you leave plenty of
\nspace around the flowers. This will allow you to experiment with different ways
\nof cropping the image, which can dramatically affect the its final look.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u00a0![\"Lighting](\"http:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2011\/07\/lighting191.jpg\")
<\/img><\/p>\n
When photographing flowers you can employ exactly the same techniques to
\nlight the subject as you would a portrait image. Everything from window light
\nand desk lamps to elaborate studio lighting setups can be used. However, for
\nthe most part a single light and reflector should suffice to light the flower,
\nwith perhaps an additional light to illuminate the background.
\n
\n<\/p>\n
![\"Lighting](\"http:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2011\/07\/lighting_grid.jpg\")
<\/img><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Try to light the flower using a main keylight that is
\npositioned at an angle of 45\u00b0 to the flower. This looks fairly natural as it
\ngoes some way to replicating the angle of the late-afternoon sun. Of course,
\nthis angle is just a starting point, so move the flower and lighting around to
\nsee how even small changes in can create different effects.<\/p>\n
Lighting the background can be done in a number of ways.
\nOnce again, try to approach it as if you were lighting the background of a
\nportrait image. <\/p>\n
Using flat, even lighting on both sides of the background
\ncreates a solid colour; alternatively, put a single light to just one side to
\ncreate a gradient on the background. One particular favourite trick of mine is
\nto use a snoot or flash grid to create a bright spot on the background, right
\nbehind the flower.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
![\"Flower\"](\"http:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2011\/07\/flower12.jpg\")
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\n\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Richard Sibley talks us through photographing flowers in the studio using even the most basic equipment<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":15885,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[375],"tags":[],"product-category":[],"class_list":["post-15884","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-expert_advice"],"yoast_head":"\n