SHOOTING FLOWERS UP CLOSE

Ever since Ruther got his Nikon D60 and gave me his old Nikon D50 I've been snapping photos like there's no tomorrow. I just love having my own DSLR now. I mean, a point-and-shoot is all right but holding a SLR in your hand is really something. Two of my favorite things to photograph are flowers and landscapes. Shooting flowers in Manila is a bit tricky because there aren't many nice meadows or gardens around here. So I really don't get to practice taking photos of flowers that much. But that doesn't mean I haven't been trying. Or learning. Just today, I found some great tips on taking photos of flowers that I am so excited to try. When I take photos of plants I usually focus on a couple of flowers or a single group instead of a whole field but it's a bit challenging because wind movement more often than not puts my shot - or shots - out of focus. But a tip in the article mentioned using a post or twine on the stem to keep the flower still and when I read that I thought, "Maybe I should try that!" I think that's really clever! Another tip that interested me was removing any unsightly debris from the plant or flower that could ruin the photo. Well, when I take photos I usually just focus and click away. I leave the plant untouched, maybe thinking that it would look simply natural that way but then again, sprucing it up a bit might improve the photo a whole lot more. I usually don't use a tripod when taking photos of plants but after reading another tip on reducing the probability of blurred shots by using added stability, I think I should get a tripod if I really want great-looking shots. Also, since my camera has a timer to release the shutter, I could always use that to take even sharper images. I suppose the one thing I should really try - and as was suggested in the article - is to take panoramic shots. I know I'm just learning how to take great photos but I might as well start learning the ropes and try it out. The article was right. I should try something that I haven't tried before. And these tips will be very helpful when I'm out there taking photos of beautiful flowers. And who knows, maybe my photos will even surprise me.