Today we will look at a few more tips in macro photography, before we get started I want to share few thoughts and ask a couple of questions that are close to my heart. Why do we find so many beginner photographers capturing flower blooms? Well, to start with they are easily found, especially during the spring, summer and fall. The beautiful blooms speak to our heart or they may remind us of childhood memories at a grandparent’s home or a Sunday picnic or a walk in the park. Flowers have an unspoken language for us to interrupt as the viewer of the Maker’s work. As the first signs of spring begin to appear, we find flowers painting the cold and grey days of the end of winter with color all around us in purples, yellows, whites. After a couple weeks of warmer weather, tulips begin to dance under the warmer days of spring and color explodes throughout landscapes with azaleas, snowball bushes, lenton roses, peonies, irises and more.
Zinna from my cutting flower garden.
Why are we attracted to flower blooms?
Flowers are a love language for all generations. As a child who selected just the perfect weed blooms in the yard to present to his/her favorite person. Receiving the blooms from a child brings so much joy to our heart and theirs as well. Yes the heart! The love language of the blooms, even in the weeds a small child has plucked out of the yard. Those tiny fingers and hands carefully selected blooms to make a presentation to their special person – oh the love language of flowers and blooms. If you have time today or tomorrow, keep this in mind and take a walk outside. Look down as you walk around, even the weeds and wildflowers have special small blooms that can tell a story. Macro teaches us to Slow Down!!!! Take in what we see, not in the big picture, but what’s hiding. As the artist we have to find those opportunities to photography the tiny details.
Tip #6
Be Patient – which goes hand in hand with slowing down. Macro photography can be very rewarding because you as the maker of the art will remember the details of the photo. Maybe how long you waited for the wind to stop blowing or the sun to move just a little to the right or left. Practice, practice, practice!! Our life long organist at the Elberton First United Methodist Church was a firm believer that practice is something we should all be doing in our craft. She was a very seasoned organist and pianist, but you would find Angela practicing at the church several times a week preparing for our Sunday morning workshop services. She was also an active china painter and golfer. We were chatting one day at church and I will never forget what Angela told me, “Mandy, if you ever want to get really good at something, you must practice! My Daddy drove that into my head at a very early age and I have never forgotten his teachings.” With practice also comes patience. This isn’t a race to the finish line, it is a journey. If you are a beginner, remember practice and patience.
Practice and Patience
Let Macro Photography teach you - opening your heart for teachable moments is good for the soul.
Do you want to learn more about Blooms of Floral Photography? I am hosting a series of workshops for the beginner, intermediate and advanced photographer this summer. For more information, click on the link. In the subject line “Blooms”. Class size will be limited to 6 students for beginners.