It cannot be stressed enough that photography is all about the light. I have also written about choosing the right kind of light for the right topic. Photographers almost never have to say that the light is too bad to shoot in, although we probably dislike harsh, mid-day light the most. Yes, the light can be terrible, but it is usually only terrible for certain types of shots. When it is bad for certain types of shots it may be good for other kinds of shooting. Light can be likened to vehicles. A Ferrari might be very good for racing but it is no good for farm work, a pickup truck out does a Ferrari for that application. Similarly, a van is better for transporting lots of people than a tractor but a tractor sure wins the battle in the mud. Each vehicle has a different purpose and is better at that purpose than other kinds of vehicles. The trick for photographers is simply to know which light is good for which topic.

          The best light for shooting flowers is when you have gray, drab, and overcast skies. See, when the light is not best suited for landscape work photographers simply go shoot flowers. By the way, very nice landscapes can also be had in these conditions, just insure that you don't include the sky in the shot. The reason why these conditions suite flowers well is because all that cloud cover acts as a giant light diffuser. You end up with nice, soft light, the very light that brings out the best in flowers. Now that you know what light works best for flowers, here are a few tips for shooting flowers:

1. Use a tripod and set your camera on the self timer (you will see why next).

2. Take a black backdrop. A small little blanket works well. Insure that it absorbs light rather than reflects light. I bought one at Walmart for a few Dollars. Once you trip your camera's self timer you quickly get behind the flower and hold up your backdrop. This helps to really make your flowers stand out.

3. I have said this before, but it also helps to bring your flowers to life. Bring a mister (water spray bottle that sprays mist) and spray your flowers before you shoot.

4. Drive around in your city or town to find great gardens (I prefer residential areas rather than city parks although that can work well also). Always knock and ask for permission before you shoot.

5. An iPad (set on bright white - yes, there is an app for that {soft box}) helps to reflect nice soft light into the flower, or to light dark parts of the image.

6. Shooting on windless days work best. If the wind is blowing find some cacti (they do not move in light wind).

7. Back lighting can be very nice as it makes the leaves translucent. Shine a flash light from behind. This often shows the veins in the leaves.

Here are a few examples:

Red Cactus FlowerRed Cactus Flower

Yellow Cactus FlowerYellow Cactus Flower

Enjoy those flowers.