10 Tips for Great Sunflower Photography

I find a wide-angle paired with a macro lens works well for flower photography. I prefer the tiny M.Zuiko Digital 30mm F3.5 Macro for its light weight and amazing sharpness. The new M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO lens is another favorite. The 17mm used at F1.2 imparts a beautiful “bokeh” to the image and makes distracting background elements dissolve into a pleasant dreamy look that is appropriate for this type of photography. As a bonus, the 17mm has an amazing close focusing ability. For super close-ups, stick to a dedicated macro lens. One often overlooked accessory is a small fold up reflector that can help reflect window light or sunlight back into dark shadows. Your reflector doesn’t need to be large—something 12 to 18 inches in diameter is ideal. Mine will collapse into a small circle and fits inside my camera bag. A white card or piece of foam board also works well.

You can work indoors in a studio setting and make beautiful images, but for something different, try to find a local sunflower farm and shoot at sunrise or sunset. There’s nothing quite like wading into the middle of a sea of the beautiful yellow discs. This is a perfect opportunity to work in low angles to look for contrast between the shapes and clouds. Alternately, include the sun in the frame as it hovers near the horizon. Look for the sun to cast beautiful flare and rim-light effects on the flowers. I like to turn on my OM-D E-M1 Mark II's in-camera HDR (High Dynamic Range) setting to capture an extended tonal range between the flower details and the sunburst. While you’re shooting, try making subtle changes in your framing to alter the flare effects. While you’re surrounded by all this beauty, look for repeating pattern as you compose your shots. Focusing on details on one flower while throwing others in the background out of focus can add an interest symmetry to the final image.

Study your subject carefully and decide which visual details interest you the most. Some of the most artful and evocative sunflower imagery is made of the backside. Try exploring this option with your macro lens and look for tiny abstract shapes within the back structures. Whether indoors or out, this approach works well with cross lighting.

While exploring angles, especially outside, try lying down in the middle of the field and shooting straight up. The sunflower stalks will take on an imposing perspective. This approach works best with really wide lenses so try using the widest lens you have. I love my M.Zukio Digital ED 7-14mm f2.8 PRO zoom for these compositions.

The closer you get to your sunflowers, the more dramatic your photos can become. Add in a dose of backlight and your images will glow. Try shooting against the window for a silhouette effect. Alternately, if outside on a sunny day, simply frame your shots against the sun but don’t include it in your image. If you focus close, you’ll notice a dramatic glow in the tiny fibers and translucent parts of the flowers.

Once you photograph a living or cut flower, try drying a few stems in a dark room for a few months. The resulting subject will take on an otherworldly look suitable for abstracts or close-up studies. Dried sunflowers render well in black and white. Try strong window light to accentuate the monochromatic textures. I usually just put a few sunflower stalks in a cardboard box and leave it to nature to shrivel and dry out over time.