Open Shade – the Right Light for Flower Photography
Posted on Aug 21, 2008 under flower photography techniques | 1 Comment
It is a common misconception that bright sunny days are good for making photographs. Direct sunlight often results in pictures that have too high contrast and unwanted shadows. This is true for flower photography as well as any other kind of photography.
Open shade is the best kind of light for your flower photography. Open shade exists under many circumstances. Shoot your flowers on a bright day without direct sunlight – early in the morning before the sun is high over head, late evening before the sun has gone down completely, or on an overcast day. These are the times and days you can find the open shade you need to have well lit flower photographs.
But what if you can’t wait for the light to be perfect? I often stop by the side of the road on a trip or see a beautiful flower while I’m out running errands and I want to make a photo of it. What can you do to create the right kind of lighting? Try making your own shade.
The easiest way to create shade is to simply stand (or crouch) in such a way that your subject is entirely contained in your own shadow. Obviously this only works for close-up photographs since you don’t want the edges of your shadow in your picture. If you can block the direct sunlight with your body, you can make a beautiful flower photograph that is free from unwanted shadows and highlights.
You can also use something else to make a shadow – a piece of poster board, a towel, etc. You will need something to hang the object on or a friend to hold it for you to keep it in the right position. Be sure you use something in a light neutral color so it doesn’t change the color of your subject (unless you want it to – using a gold reflector or very bright color can make a very interesting photo).
Play around with your lighting options and practice, practice, practice! You will make beautiful flower photographs in no time!
