Tips For Photographing Roses
...5 more photography tips for gardeners.

Always consider which direction the light comes from that is illuminating your subject. Most of us look for light to come streaming over our shoulder but consider light from behind the rose.

Rose petals are fairly translucent so a light shining from behind the bloom and through the petals would look very dramatic. Light through the petals gives them a glow, almost like a halo that brings the picture to life.

Tips for Photographing Roses 2: Get out the Card.

Again on the subject of lighting, for those who use a light meter, trust the reading but for a close up you should use a Grey card for reading purposes. You need to calibrate to the available light, not just the light reflected by the rose itself so look at both. Take a Grey light reading card with you to check the levels.

Tips for Photographing Roses 3: The Question of Angles.

If you intend to photograph a large bed of Roses, the angle or camera point of view, is very important. Ariel views of large rose beds tend to be disappointing. The trick is to line up your camera so that it is a little higher than the blooms and you now look across the top of them, pulling them together and giving you maximum color.

Don't photograph from above but 'across the top'. Get lots of good roses in the foreground, and the remainder, a little out of focus in the background, will appear to fill it with color.

Tips for Photographing Roses 4: More than just a Bed of Roses.

If you are taking a picture of a large bed of roses and you have decided on your angle, consider adding interest to the foreground. Place a subject in front and use the rose bed as a background.

A house, a small tree, an animal or a child playing perhaps, with the rose bed adding a swath of color behind. Roses make great close-ups and great backgrounds....look for a great foreground subject to add to them.

And the number 5 tip?: Adjusting for Color.

Don't be surprised if the beautiful white rose you just photographed turns out to have a yellow tinge. The camera simply picked up something the human eye missed. This is quite common in Rose photography.

Getting the exact rose color replicated is very difficult. Reds look blacker, lavender looks magenta/pink, coral/orange goes pinky. It's all in the light and time of day. It's hard to avoid but be aware of it. Non-direct morning light is best......and experiment.

These tips should certainly help you with your perfect rose pictures. If you have others why not share them with us?

Just use the Q & A page and send us your ideas.

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