10 Top Tips On Shooting Daffodils

Article, by Peter Bargh, Updated March 2012.

Photo by David Clapp - www.davidclapp.co.uk

Tip 1

Have a look at a clump of daffodils and single out the most interesting heads that can be photographed without too much clutter. In the clump in the shot below the back left one can be taken against the conifer to provide an uncluttered background. I underexposed by one stop using the camera's exposure compensation feature to ensure the detail is picked up in the petals. You could also use manual mode if your camera has that option.

Tip 2

In situations where there's no way you could shoot the daffodil without a distracting background, place a piece of card behind the head to remove all the clutter.

Tip 3

Use a tripod where the legs can splay out to provide a low angle and allow you to shoot right into the heads of daffodils. Shooting upwards also lets you position the head with blue sky behind for dramatic contrast. Using a polariser will deepen the blue. Having a tripod where the central column reverses, making macro photography easier, will also help. The tripods in Vanguard's Nivelo range do this and their strong 24-mm diameter legs can be individually positioned at 25 and 50-degree angles for steady use on uneven terrain.

Tip 4

Don't just shoot the whole head. Move in close using your camera's macro function. Go really close and offset the stamen, placing it in on the left or right third intersection of the photo for a more pleasing balance. If your camera doesn't have such a close focus capability consider buying a close-up lens attachment.

Tip 5

If it's sunny consider shading the flower with your hand to reduce the contrast. The bottom left shot was taken in direct sun while the right was taken while the flower was shaded. As you can see, the tone is more even and there are no longer shadows on the flower's head.

Tip 6

Spray the petals with water so that droplets appear making the petals look fresh and glowing.

Tip 7

Take a reflector out with you, particularly on dull days, so you can bounce extra light into your shot without having to use your flash. You can make your own reflector from silver foil if you don't own one.

Tip 8

Take a cutting and place it on a different background for a more graphic result. In bright sunlight you can get some interesting shadows on the background to emphisise the graphic effect even more.

Tip 9

Don't throw out old flowers once they wilt. Wait until the head has gone crisp and photograph that against the sun for wonderful backlit effects or try scanning it. Lay the head on a flatbed scanner, placing black material behind it and scan the head. Make sure you select the percentage increase to determine the output size.

Tip 10

Play around with your shots in post production to achieve various creative effects. This could include:

• Colour Popping
• Make A Triptych
• Changing The Colour Of The Background
• Adding A Ragged Frame
• Warhol Style Pop Art
• Creating Zoom Blur Flower Heads
• Drag Landscapes

Find out more about Vanguard's products by clicking these links: Visit Vanguard's Website Take a look at Vanguard's Nivelo Tripod range  Learn more about the Nivelo 245 BK tripod Take a look at Vanguard's BBH Heads Learn more about the GH-200 Grip View Vanguard's Xcenior bag collection