Weddings, engagement parties, graduation celebrations, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, quinceañeras, retirement parties, and other special occasions are often adorned in grand floral designs and breathtaking bouquets. When flowers fill the space, whether it is an indoor or an outdoor venue, we want to capture the moment and beauty that has captivated our attention. To help you photograph event flowers to the very best of your ability, the experts here at Griffin’s Floral Design are sharing a few tips used by professional photographers.
Choosing a Flawless Background
The first step in staging a flower bouquet or a floral centerpiece is making sure the background and setting elevate the blooms. Finding the right spot to pose with a bouquet might be under a floral arch or outside in a grassy field, near a pond, or by a solid-colored building, such as a red barn or white brick wall. Floral centerpieces do best when placed in the center of a fully set table with flatware, napkins, and lighted candles. Backgrounds and settings should not distract or take away from the flowers; instead, they should complement their beauty in a minimalistic way.
How to Pose with Flower Bouquets
If the honoree of the special event, such as a bride, is being photographed while showing off their floral bouquet, there are a few things to keep in mind. Posing with a bouquet should look and feel natural. Avoid holding the flowers too tightly, and be sure not to hold them too high up or cover a special outfit, such as a wedding dress. Our favorite ways to pose with a flower bouquet are holding it loosely with two hands and slightly looking down or intentionally holding the flowers high and glancing in their direction to mimic admiring their fragrance.
Getting Just the Right Lighting
When taking photos inside, it can be easy to control the lighting to get it just right. Dimming the lights and using a ring light for a dramatic shot or bringing the lights up for a bright image will make the flowers look and feel differently in each photo. However, taking pictures of flowers outside can be unpredictable. The perfect lighting for outdoor shots happens when the sun is behind the camera and the photographer, and every petal is in focus. If the sun is shining brightly behind your subject, try another location.
Using Professional Cameras VS. Smartphones
Once upon a time, it was obvious to tell the difference between photos taken by a camera and those taken with a cell phone. However, as technology has evolved over the years, some iPhone pictures can look better than ones taken using a digital camera and make your favorite lilies, roses, or ranunculus come to life. While special cameras and lenses surely outdo smartphones, there is no need to ditch your personal camera or cell phone unless you are a professional photographer hired to capture the event.
While we all wish fresh flowers for events and weddings could last forever, unfortunately, they all have an expiration date. The good news is that with modern technology, anyone can snap a quick photo and make their favorite flower design, centerpiece, or bouquet last a lifetime. It’s true that pictures say 1,000 words, so make sure that you follow the best photography practices to ensure your flower photos speak poetry.