Get Dazzling Orchid Pictures -
Succumb to Orchid Mania!

So you want to take alluring orchid pictures? Of all the flowers in the world, none are more seductive than orchids. They're aloof, classy, even snobbish. And a photographer's dream.

If you're going to take serious orchid pictures, you have to get in close. That means you have to have a good quality close-up or macro lens along with a tripod - there's no way around it! A point and shoot will leave you frustrated when you're photographing orchids!

• Choose a fresh and flawless orchid that's fully opened!

• Tie any distracting objects out of the way with twist ties or tape.

• If you're shooting outdoors, find a sheltered location with no wind.

• Use reflectors to bounce the light onto the bloom. White foam board or cardboard will do the trick.

• Never use direct flash. It's much too harsh. If you need a little extra light to fill in shadows, use bounce flash. You can easily make one at home.

• If you use your own backgrounds, make them neutral shades like muted earth tones. They'll set off the flowers without being distracting. Poster board with a mat surface is best since a shiny surface reflects light.

• Quality of light is important. The best light is bright open shade.

I do take photos of entire plants or several blooms with leaves but...

...the most alluring and romantic orchid pictures are close-up or macros. See if you agree.

	This showy cattleya orchid bloom is frilly and sensuous. Nature makes quite a splash in her color pallette! Soft pink, vibrant fuschia and bright yellow complement each other. How many composition rules can you count here? Need help?
	In your travels, visit Parkwood Estate in Oshawa, Ontario. Have tea and a scone in the garden or greenhouse after an estate tour. The greenhouse is filled with dazzling orchids and you can take pictures here - but no photos in the manor.
	If you leave it to your camera to take correct light readings of white, you may be very unhappy. Your light meter wants to make everything grey. Be brave and take matters into your own hands! Want to know how to do that easily?
	These white phalaenopsis orchids started out in living color! I subtracted all the color except for the red in the lip and filaments. This is easily done in Photoshop. I always shoot RAW color, then make a black and white copy in Photoshop.
	Here's a color version of the same orchids above. I use the curve of the stem across the entire orchid picture. My instinct was to take macros of these gorgeous white orchids but it's also good to show them in their natural environment.
	It's hard to meter correctly for black and white but black and white together is the hardest combination to get right. You can do it well with a little knowledge about light and your camera's meter system! Get some simple theory and tips.
	Brown and yellow is a common color combination for oncidium orchids. The lip is enormous compared to the other petals, but a big lip isn't ugly in the orchid world! What's Mother Nature's purpose for the patterns on some orchid petals?

A cream cymbidium orchid with rusty-brown freckles. The tepal looks like home to a strange creature! This orchid has lots of foliage - move leaves gently away from your subject so there are no distracting shadows.	This fuschia phalaenopsis orchid plant belongs to a friend in Winnipeg. She has over 100 orchids of all varieties - I'm so envious! This one is living outside for the moment, brightening up her large garden area.	Another delicate pink cymbidium orchid. These are smaller flowers with several blooms on each stem. I also took close-up photos of these orchid blooms. I take close-ups of blooms after photos of the entire plant.

There's an excellent collection of orchids at the Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver. Charlie, a very loud and talkative Cockatoo, loves to show off and he'll keep you entertained while you photograph the orchids.	Pink phalaenopsis orchids look great against black. I like to cut the background clutter and use a piece of styrofoam or cardboard. Experiment and try different colors. Or cheat, and use Photoshop - but that's more work.	Dark, bright yellow with red poinsettias in a Christmas display. At Parkwood Estate in the greenhouse for tea and a chat with the ladies, and taking orchid pictures in between! They're very proud of their orchids.

If you have a friend with potted orchids, you struck gold! Hopefully, she'll give you a bit of leeway to move them around so you can capture the best angles. Indoors in good quality window light is a great place to take your orchid pictures.

Be gentle with the plants and don't damage or break off any blooms.

Find a local garden to practice taking seductive orchid pictures because they require patience and persistence. Consistent practice will pay off!

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