Hey guys, I’m interested in the process some of you take when capturing the highest quality flower photos, from tips and tricks on camera types, lighting options, best quality phone photos etc. Lay it out for me guys it will be great to see and read about all your different methods as some of you take some fabulous photos! I appreciate the help and I’m sure others here can benefit from the collective knowledge, peace guys 
8 Likes
Black vs white background
Same shot with flash and without.
Various level of zoom.
Take a bunch of pics.
It’s what I do 
12 Likes
I’m running on the same path…
I’ve looked at cameras, macro lenses, I have a black background cloth, tripod etc.
The conclusion I recently came to is “lighting”. My summer reading is “Lighting for Dummies” … 
Cheers
G
8 Likes
Multiple perspective points to find where the plant will “pop”; I want to get a motorized turntable for this very reason.
as @Foreigner mentioned the background is important too. A black backdrop absorbs the reflective light so your plants are the only thing shining (look at Mephisto genetics images). A white one does allow for more soft reflective surface light but it distracts from your plant if it takes up too much of the image. I love bounced light on close-ups versus the blast of a flash.
Lighting is important as is your colour balance; you can either add it in or use what is available.
For the lighting, just make sure your camera’s colour temperature is set to the same conditions of the available light you are taking the photos under. It can be a simple as a sun representing “outside” or a light-bulb representing “inside”… or as fine-tuned as a bunch of numbers on the kelvin scale where say as an example you may find out you need to set the camera to “4100” kelvin which was determined by using a colour temperature meter to then find the numbers needed to set the camera correctly.
eg: (not my image)
For colour balance with the photo AFTER it’s captured: Ensure you have a white object somewhere in your image where you can use a colour adjuster to then tell the software what is supposed to be white and then it’ll math out the colour spectrum to appropriately represent what your naked eye is seeing.
Here’s the one that is in Os X’s “Preview” softare:
It’s similar on multiple platforms so look around for an “eyedropper” which is often used to represent taking “colour samples” from a digital image:
You click on this tool, then in your image click on the object that is white and BOOM! everything changes to represent the correct colours taken at the time.
Before:
After:
There’s A BUNCH more but this tip of the ol’ iceburg usually makes a world of difference for folks.
I’m a motion picture film technician so this is my bag. 
19 Likes
This is a favourite read:
It’s not a technical manual but the author goes around to different countries and departments in lighting and asks the same questions. Each department approaches the problem to come-up with an appropriate and working solution for execution… but the kicker is EACH ANSWER IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
So it’s a teaching aid to see how a dozen solid ways can result in the same goal; and LOT’S of tips from the pros he approached. 
Film is just photography at highspeed; learn one and you can work in the other but NEVER assume you’re a master at either 
8 Likes
Awesome thanks guys!! It’s all very helpful 
now when using black background etc is that including taking photos of plants under their grow light or is it a matter of removing plants from tent for example to a ready set-up designated camera shoot area?
The reason I ask as some of the live flower shots in some tents etc look incredible whereas others look less vibrant if that’ makes sense.
Love the tips on changing cameras settings due to lighting sources etc I’ll have to really learn the ins and outs of the camera I have access to.
Peace guys!
1 Like
LightRoom is a great app for free that allows you to touch up photos, and also to stack multiple photos on top of each other.
For example, when you focus on the one thing in front of you, the background becomes blurry? Take a second picture of the background as being the focus. Then stack the two and now the whole picture is in focus. I do this for waterfalls, and also slowing down the shutter is important there so you can give the wavy look to water.
A tripod helps for that. You can get a handheld control to take the pictures so you aren’t jostling the camera while pushing the button, or you can setup you camera to take bursts of photos if objects are moving.
Using the timer on the camera, even just a 2 second one, really helps with shakey hands as well.
I would look online, refurbished cameras are way cheaper, same with the lenses, they offer them from whatever company you want to buy from. Remember though, when you buy into a certain company, you are stuck there in their universe, so Sony goes only with Sony, Canon with Canon, etc.
I have an old Rebel t2, and unless you’re a pro with L lenses(professional lenses) the difference between it and newer models is mainly the ability to upload via the camera vs having to plug in a memory card and taking that out to upload.
These are all geared towards a total noob, which I am barely above being one. It’s an extremely expensive hobby so I stay cheap.
Hope this helps! 
3 Likes
this guy took awesome pics on his thread here’s some advice he gave on taking pics
2 Likes
Great build @Mithridate !
What did you use for the diffusion?
2 Likes
That is next level ghetto fabbin. Kudos!
2 Likes
Smart move!
1 Like