Nikon® D5000 Digital Field Guide

Chapter 10. Flower and Plant Photography

In This Chapter

• Preparing your shot

• Backlit lotus

• Dried seeds

Flowers and plants have inspired artists down through the centuries. Many artists choose flowers and plants not only because of their beauty but also presumably because you don't have to pay them to model!

Many famous artists such as Vincent van Gogh have found inspiration in the beauty of plants, and some of his most treasured paintings are the Sunflowers series, Irises, and the many paintings he did in Arles, France, of the wheat fields and cypress trees.

It's not only painters who have derived inspiration from plants and flowers; many photographers down through the years have also used plants and flowers as subjects. Edward Weston regularly photographed different succulents such as the agave cactus, as well as many other plants, including fruits and vegetables. His image of the pepper, shot in 1930, is one of his most famous works.

Preparing Your Shot

One of the great things about photographing plants and flowers, as opposed to other living things, is that you have almost unlimited control with them. If they are potted or cut, you can place them wherever you want, trim off any excess foliage, sit them under a hot lighting setup, and you never hear them complain.

Some other great things about photographing plants and flowers are the almost unlimited variety of colors and textures you can find them in. From reds and blues to purples and yellows, the color combinations are almost infinite. ...