A single flower

Beautifully lit and nicely focused, this image is full of atmosphere. Framing the snowdrop using two out of focus plants in the foreground is a nice touch, but the rim lighting on the top of the leaves is a little distracting. Other than that, it’s beautifully imagined and executed.

Small, delicate flowers like this one are tricky to photograph because even the slightest breeze will cause them to move around. There are a number of ways to overcome with this: you can wait for a calm day (anything with wind speeds under 5mph), you can use floristry wire or a clamp to hold the stem steady, you can create a windbreak using a piece of card, a bag or even your body, for example. It’s a great attempt, with plenty of potential.

It's easy to see why the photographer was attracted to this hibiscus: its striking colour and perfect form are hard to ignore. When it comes to plants, however, it’s a good idea to think of the stamen as the ‘eyes’ of your plant portrait – most of the time you want to get them sharp. Also, clipping the petals at the edges of the frame is fine when intentional, but it feels like an accident here. A few tweaks and this would be a lovely record of an attractive subject.

A basic knowledge of colour theory can be really useful for flower photography. Here yellow and green create a vibrant, harmonious look, which is very pleasing to the eye. The composition is good, with plenty of negative space and room for the plant to drop into. However, there are a few technical issues that prevent it from being a great shot. The main problem is image quality, but the blown highlights are also a distraction. Easily rectified next time.

One of the joys of flower photography is that you can often position your camera under a subject but it's surprising how few photographers compose this way. Using a wide-angle lens and pointing it up has created a striking bug’s-eye-view. Our eye is drawn upwards by the grass stems, where we’re rewarded with an explosion of colour from the dandelion.

The bokeh (rendering of out of focus areas) is lovely here, with the cyclamen well placed to take advantage of the effect. The muted colour palette is nice, creating a soft dreamlike atmosphere. Being able to see detail in the leaves is a little distracting, but it would have been hard to avoid! It’s a beautiful picture.

Food photographers love to frame half a circular plate, allowing the viewer to complete the circle in their mind. It’s an effective technique. Here, however, the daisy has been cropped in slightly the wrong place (and the focus is a touch off in the centre). Cropping the shot to show exactly half the flower might be better next time.

This lovely iris is in prime condition and looks as though it has just unfolded its paper-thin petals. There are two main issues here, firstly, the focus is a little off and, secondly, the brick background jars with the subject. When we’re shooting close-up images, the background is as important as the foreground and needs to be given equal attention. Of course, it’s not always possible to get the background we want, so it can be worth painting a backdrop or using coloured card behind the subject.

There’s so much to love about this picture: the positioning of the plant in the frame, the leaves looking like wings soaring to the sky, the handling of the exposure, and the fact that the photographer has shot at ground level, to name a few. An aperture of f/4.5 has helped to throw the background out of focus, which keeps our eye firmly on the plant.

So much care has gone into creating this celebratory image of a crocus flower. The focus has been handled masterfully – the stamens are nice and sharp, while the petals fall out of focus beautifully. Spraying the flower with water has added sparkle, while the use of a card for the background has prevented anything from taking our eye away from the subject. The slight foreground blur was created by positioning two flowers close to the lens, which has worked wonderfully.

Bold, brightly coloured and aesthetically pleasing, dahlias are a joy to photograph. This specimen looks in good condition with great light and a background free of distractions. Unfortunately, the technology (an iPhone 12 Mini) has failed to capture the scene as the photographer saw it. Definitely worth revisiting.

This image of a pasqueflower shows what can be achieved with a good understanding of natural light. The hairs on the stem are beautifully backlit, with attractive bokeh on some of the leaves and wonderful shadows in the flowerhead. The second flower leaning towards the first really adds to the appeal of the picture.

Beautifully framed and expertly executed, this is a striking picture. The focus is dead centre, drawing our eye into the picture, but the petals at the edges of the frame also show some sharpness, framing the centre perfectly. Using an ISO of 100 has kept any potential noise at bay.

Poppies are notoriously hard to photograph, especially in situ, but the photographer has done an excellent job of creating a striking image here. Allowing the sun to backlight the petals has enabled us to see every crease and fold. Allowing space for the plant to ‘grow’ into at the top is also a good move. It’s a joyous and unusual image.

We’re often drawn to the obvious beauty of roses, tulips and dahlias, but plants with less obvious charm get overlooked. Here, however, this wonderfully odd plant has been given a chance to shine. The strands look like hair blowing in the wind, and our eyes want to follow the path of each one. It’s an unusual and highly effective image.