Spring Flower Macro Shots

Spring has finally arrived in the UK. Greeting us with glorious sunshine, charming bird songs, and beautiful blooming flowers, we are constantly reminded, time after time, of the picturesque quality of the spring season.

So what if we want to capture this beauty within a photograph?

In this feature, I have included a number of spring flower macro shots that I created by testing the macro function found on the Tamron AF 70-300mm tele-macro lens, between focal lengths 180-300mm.



A popular spring macro shot is a photograph of a blossoming tree showing a very small depth of field. Although images like this can often include a large area of negative space, this, along with the small depth of field, allows the viewers attention to be drawn to the intricate beauty of the flowering branch.



When photographing flower macros, one aesthetic aspect that is easy to find, within the spring, are vivid colours. Including a dramatic contrast between the colour of the flower petals and its surroundings automatically enhances the natural vibrancy of natures colour palette. Incorporating the flowers stem into the image also allows the photograph to elicit a sense of growing that is often associated with the spring season.



Manipulating the new, spring sunlight to include it in a flower macro can often compliment the delicate texture of the flower whilst also giving the image a great depth, drawing the viewer into the photograph. The discolouration of a flowers petal also adds a more metaphorical meaning to the image, enhancing its possible, readable narrative.



One of the most beautiful parts of a flower is often the most intricate: its pistil and stamen (internal organs). Photographs including this not only highlight natures complex beauty, but they also encapsulate a 3D feeling, increasing the depth of the image, and allowing the viewer to be drawn into the photograph.



As you may have seen in some of my previous articles, one of my top tips in photography is to "look up". Photographing something from this angle allows the viewer to appreciate the beauty of spring from a different perspective. Photographs often appear busy from this viewpoint, but this enhances the abstractness of the image, increasing the length of time in which the viewer will spend looking at the photograph.

For more information on Holly, take a look at her blog.