There is no secret to the fact that I adore photographing flowers, almost as much as people. Flowers are often easier subjects, they don’t move (unless it’s windy) and will stand or sit for hours, indeed days, without complaint. But when it’s dark or very overcast, capturing beautiful flowers can be a little tricky. This is where using a flash, especially indoors really can be just a touch of magic.
Case Study — Red Ranunculus
I put together a case study with some dark red Ranunculus. They seemed to match perfectly with my favorite dark and moody style. You could easily use roses, peonies or even dahlias for this type of shoot as well. The only limit is what flowers are available to you.
I put together a little video explaining my settings and set up for this shot
Gear used
- Dark Charcoal paper Backdrop
- Timber table
- Flowers
- Scrim or diffuser
- Godox AD200Pro Speedlight (on a light stand) — power 1/64
- Godox X1 Trigger
- Sony a7Riii
- Tamron 28-75mm lens
Camera settings
- White Balance: 5600°K
- Spot Metering
- Autofocus
- f/5.0
- ISO 200
- Shutter speed: 1/125s
- Focal length: 35mm
Interested in learning more about capturing Fine Art Florals with flash? Why not check out my self-paced online class — Fine Art Florals.
Tell your story with the second annual Visual Storytelling Conference!
Experience four days of interactive, online training sessions featuring a range of educational content with experienced photographers and content creators. This free event kicks off with a series of technical boot camps to build essential skills, followed by live, online sessions on photography, video, business and social media. Join live from March 10-13, 2022!
Get your free ticket, or save on a VIP pass!