Ideas and Tips for Garden Photography
The warm weather is finally upon us, the sun is shining and our gardens are looking more inviting than ever. Sometimes, the best photography subjects are those right in front of us, so why not head outside and snap some pictures of your beautiful garden scenery.
We’ve put together some of our top tips to get you started for capturing that perfect garden shot.
The Subject
Getting the right subject is key to a great photograph. Flowers are the most commonly photographed subject when it comes to nature and gardens. It’s an easy option as they’re beautiful and colourful and who doesn’t love flowers? However, they don’t have to be the only subject.
The next time you’re in the garden, try to look at something different. How about your vegetable patch? Or the decorations around your garden? Maybe the wildlife who like to visit? Whatever you choose to photograph, remember to use that subject as your focal point and use everything around it as props – like the weather or the background. You don’t necessarily have to photograph the whole subject either, you could do a small segment or a silhouette, you can select fine details of the subject to tell the whole story and let your viewer image what else you saw. You have complete creative control, so have fun with it!
The right time of day
Typically, the best time of day for those perfect shots are early morning or sunset when the sun is lower to the horizon, creating a more dramatic effect (called the golden hour) – gardens can look quite different in this light, so use this time to your advantage. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can only take photos at this time, you don’t need to limit yourself to a specific time.
Capture the personality
Every garden has a story and a personality. What makes your garden unique? What makes it special to you? Maybe you have a favourite area you’d like to highlight in your photography? You can define your own garden’s personality.
Weather conditions
All weathers can produce some wonderful photos. Water drops on flowers can produce simple yet fantastic images, get up close to the flowers once the water droplets have settled and focus the image for a quick and easy nature photo! When it is overcast outside, it is a great time to take photos, as the clouds act as natural diffusers of light, removing any hard shadows.
Understanding colours
The most prominent colour in your garden will be green, so it’s important to know how to use it to your advantage, as it will off-set everything else in your photograph. It is recommended to look into colour theory to see which colours work together – you can use colours which complement each other to create a well-balanced image or you can go against this and create a more dramatic image.
Have fun with it!
This one might seem simple or irrelevant but enjoy your time in your garden, enjoy learning about what your garden has to offer and most importantly, enjoy seeing what photos you come out with.
Quick bonus tips
- Don’t zoom! Zooming in on your phone or camera reduces the number of pixels in your image, making it less sharp and appear blurry. Move closer to your subject, instead.
- Clean your lens – you’ll be surprised how much this helps.
- Change your perspective – for a different outcome on your photograph, use a ladder or get low to the ground.
- Take more photos than you think you’ll use. More photos, more chances to find the perfect shot!
- Use seasons to your advantage – spring, summer, autumn or winter, all change your photos dramatically. See how your subjects change throughout the year.
- Practice makes perfect. Don’t feel downhearted if your photos don’t turn out the way you want, your garden is the perfect area to keep practising.
Remember, your garden is an invitation for you to be creative, you can choose to photograph it how you please. There is no ‘right way’, only your way.
We really hope these tips helped you! Did you head into the garden after using these tips? We would love to see any photos you took, so don’t forget to tag @PictureFramesExpress in your post so we can feature you on our social media pages!
