When photographing flowers you should avoid “birds-eye” and straight on views. The photo will be much more interesting if you chose an angle that brings out the relationship between the parts of a flower. This shot of the South African bulb, Moraea loubseri, will give you an idea of what I'm talking about.
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Remember “The Rule of Thirds”. In a portrait you want the eyes looking towards the centre of the frame, down one third and in one third from a top corner. If your flower has a definite “face”, like an orchid, then you want it “looking” across the frame area, not out of it. Here's an example, Brassolaelia Morning Glory 'H & R'.
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When you are photographing wild flowers in their natural setting in the woodland or desert you will want to include some background though it will probably be out of focus. This shot of the pink lady-slipper, Cypripedium acaule, taken in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec is enhanced by a view of its typical habitat on the forest floor. Another shot, Lycopodium annotinum?, shows a carpet of pine needles and false lily-of-the-valley.
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Lycopodium |  |
If you are taking a photo of a beautiful flower like a rose or an orchid then you will want to avoid distracting background detail. The best way to do this is to hold a piece of cardboard behind the subject. I use a 20 by 30-inch piece of heavy matte poster board I bought at an artist’s supply shop. I have several colours but black is the most satisfactory. Here's an example showing the remontant iris, Lilac Stitchery.
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