Colourful Flowers

When the wind picks up (over about 5mph) plants tend to sway from side to side making close-up photography difficult. Here, however, the snake’s head fritillary is weighed down with an aesthetically pleasing coat of frost, making it less likely to move. The depth of field (f/2.8) is perfect, allowing the foreground and background to record as a colourful soft blur. The use of negative space is also very pleasing, with a touch more to the right allowing the eye to follow the leaf of the plant as it bends over. It’s perfectly focused and full of atmosphere.

This image of wild cyclamen is a masterclass in plant photography. Adopting a low level allows us to see the profile of the blooms, while the brown leaves ensure the pink of the flowers stands out. An aperture of f/3.2 has meant any distracting details in the foreground and background are played down, while still recording plenty of detail in the flowers. My only complaint is that four flowers are not as pleasing to the eye as three, but there’s not a lot the photographer could’ve done about that!

Flowers – potted, fresh or dried – make great subjects for still life arrangements. Here the blooms have been placed in a blue pot, which contrasts wonderfully with the colour of the petals. The flower theme is echoed on the pot, the embroidered cloth and the wood of the cabinet – a great example of tying elements together. The scene is beautifully lit and super sharp. Unfortunately, the knob on the pot draws my eye a little too much and the crease in the fabric is a little distracting. Apart from that, it’s faultless.